What, Me Lead?

What, Me Lead?

Leadership in the 21st Century

What, Me Lead? Leadership in the 21st Century

Rev. Renée Ruchotzke

Regional Leadership Development Consultant

Central East Regional Group

Agenda

• Introductions, Hopes & Concerns

• Myths of Leadership

• Managing vs. Leading

• Leadership as a Process

• The Shadow Side of Leadership

• Leadership Competencies

Introductions, Hopes

& Concerns

MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP

Adapted from Warren Bennis,

Learning to Lead

MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP

• Leadership Is a Rare Skill.

MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP

• Leaders are Born, Not Developed

MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP

• Leaders are Charismatic

MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP

• Leadership Exists Only At The Top Of An Organization

MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP

• Leaders Control, Direct, Prod, and Manipulate Others.

Managing vs. Leading

• Good Management is the same as Leadership

Managing LeadingManaging Leading

• Oil the Machine• Keep on Track

• Foster learning & growth

• Create viable future



• Accepts Context• Seeks Technical

Fixes

• Masters Context• Creative, Adaptive

Responses



• Copy from past• Accept Status Quo

• Adapt & Create• Question the way

things are done



• Efficient • Effective



• Structure & Control• Policies & Procedures

• Direction from Values• Trust & Empower others

to innovate & initiate



• Master Routines• Eye on Bottom Line

• Provide Vision• See the big picture



• Does things right • Does the right thing


Leadership requires courage and skill.


Using a sheet of paper, think of examples of those who are in leadership positions in your congregation then list them under one of the columns:

Leaders Managers

Leadership as a Process

Adapted from Edwin H. Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the

Quick Fix


Integrity

of the

Leader

Passive

Aggressive

AnxiousRecalcitrant

Motivated Visionary

ImaginativeEnergetic


Integrity

of the

Leader

Consultants Offer “Solutions”

Promise of the Quick Fix

Value-Based Decisions

Adaptive Leadership

Individuation

Learning Community


Integrity

of the

Leader

Data Collection

Tricks and Techniques

Stakeholders Ownership

Resistance to Change

Emotional Processes


Integrity

of the

Leader

Toxic ForcesDestructive Patterns

Clarity of Values & Purpose

Clear Boundaries

Clear Limits

Consensus

Three Legs of Good Leadership (Bennis)

Ambition

Integrity

Competence


Ambition Competence

Self-serving

(ignores good of the whole)

Personal power > ethics


Ambition

Integrity

Unable to deliver

Take follows to “a righteous dead end”


Integrity

Competence

Leader avoids challenging the

status quo


Ambition

Integrity

Competence

Using a sheet of paper, think of famous examples of toxic leaders and those with integrity:

Toxic Leaders Leaders with Integrity

Exercise

The Shadow Side of Leadership

Adapted from Parker Palmer


• Deep insecurity about his/her own identity and worth.


• The perception that the universe is essentially hostile to human interests.


• "Functional super-heroism." The belief that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with me.


• Fear of the natural chaos of life.


• The denial of death.

Six Leadership Competencies (Bennis)

1. Mastering the Context

2. Knowing Yourself

3. Creating a Vision

4. Communicating with Meaning

5. Maintaining Trust through Integrity

6. Realizing Intention through Action


Mastering the Context - External forces

1. Demographic changes

2. Modern Technologies

3. Social/Economic/Political

4. Public mistrust

5. Change in relationship expectations


Mastering the Context – Internal Responses

1. Our own values and beliefs2. Our immediate social

networks3. Our congregation’s culture4. Understanding that the

congregation needs my leadership and I need their contribution


The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill.

-Albert Einstein


Knowing Yourself

1. Be clear in your own values

2. See failures as learning experiences

3. Reflect on Crucible Experiences


Creating a Vision

1. Passionately committing to it

2. Expanding it to the World

3. Vision for your Congregation

4. Vision for your Life

5. Living your Vision


Communicating with Meaning

• Name some great communicators



1. Bring others with you (Story)

2. Speaker, Message, Medium, Listener, Feedback

3. Media is the Medium



4. Aligning with othersa) Unify (what we share)

b) Empathize (to know and be known)

c) Partner (mutuality)

d) Inspire with Metaphor

e) Encourage Transparency & Candor



5. Resolve Conflicts

6. Communicate Your Vision


Maintaining Trust through Integrity

1. Optimism increases Trust

2. Trust increases Organizational Effectiveness


Realizing Intention through Action

1. Make Good Judgments

2. Translate Commitments into Goals(Policy Governance “Ends Statements”)

3. Translate Commitments into Actions

4. Think Strategically

5. Understanding of Power

Kinds of Power

• Coercive Power

• Power by Identification

• Power from Expertise

• Power of the Group

• Power by Access

• Power from Persuasion

• Power from Inspiration

• Power through Empowerment

Final Thoughts

Additional Resouces

Books:

The Equipper’s Guide to Every-Member Ministry by R. Paul Stevens

The Purpose-Driven Church by Rick Warren

Spirited Leadership: Empowering People to Do What Matters by Thomas Bandy

Learning to Lead, 4th Edition by Warren Bennis

The Almost Church Revitalized by Michael Durall

The Practice of Adaptive Leadership by Ronald Heifitz et. al.

A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin H. Friedman

Serving with Grace: Lay Leadership as a Spiritual Practice by Rev. Erik Walter Wikstrom

Additional Resouces

Webinars:

Lay Leadership as a Spiritual Practice with Rev. Erik Walter Wikstrom

What, Me Lead? with Rev. Renee Ruchotzke

From Nominating Committees to Leadership Development Teams with Rev. Renee Ruchotzke

Online UU Resources

Leadership Development in the Large Congregation by the Rev. Stefan Jonasson

In-House Lay Leadership Program For Unitarian Universalist Congregations By Jeanne Crane (A Six-Session Program)

Leadership Starts with Ownership Interconnections article by Don Skinner on Leadership Development committees

Harvest the Power: Developing Lay Leadership Tapestry of Faith Curriculum

Non-UUA Resources

Working with Emerging Leaders from the Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University (non-profit management and good practices)

The Alban Institute They offer books and webinars for church leaders.

http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith/harvestpower/index.shtml

http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith/harvestpower/index.shtml

Documents

What, Me Lead?