You don't need a title to be a leader

The second biggest thing I hear people blame for lack of excellence in church communications [here’s the first] is their lack of power in the organization. It bums me out when I hear people say “I can’t do anything about it because I’m not in charge.”

That’s just not true.

I’m sitting in a Maximum Impact simulcast this morning. Mark Sanborn just wrote a new book releasing in September; You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader.

Here are a few foundation principles he outlined about leading without being in charge that are true.

• Self mastery. [Develop your competence, character and connection.]
• Focused attention beats brains, brawn and technology every time.
• Power with people rather than power over people. [We shouldn’t strive to be likeable or capable, but both.]
• Implementation Quotient. [Ability to execute.]
• Persuasive Communication Skills. [Influence, not force feed.]
• Giving. [Of yourself. Of your time. Of your knowledge.]

Update...

By the way... I devote some time to the subject of leading up in our Communications Workshop on May 22.

leading up, v. How to get things done and motivate others without formal authority; convincing or persuading colleagues/superiors of the need for action and involvement or leading when not recognized as a leader by virtue of power or position.

Also, my teammate, Jami, will be sharing some practical examples of how she leads up in a panel discussion at the MinistryCOM conference in September.

Comments

[Sheila Addison]

Funny what people choose to hear and not hear. I was at the communicaitons conference on 5/22, but "conveniently" chose to not hear the "how to lead up" disucssion. I heard it, but not as clearly when I read your blog. Thanks for the Ah Ha moment. I'm still working through what it means to my experience in leading our website. I know a lot of leading begins with relationship building and developing trust, but I found that volunteering from home and managing a family (I have a 3 and 2 year old and another on the way) that getting to church to develop these relationships face-to-face is very difficult. Thanks again Kem for your insight.

[Jenn]

Thanks, I needed to hear that.

[Kem Meyer]

Dawn,
Quit frowning.
Kem

[Dawn]

Kem, "it is a barrier to entry that your font is so small (in some places) that it is difficult to read."

(and it made a person walking past me mistake my squinting to read as a frown...)