Mistakes leaders make (6/10)

I’m working my way through a book, The Top 10 Mistakes Leaders Make, by Hans Finzel, and I’m really enjoying the challenge. So for the next ten Saturdays I want to work through these ten mistakes, knowing that they apply to CEOs, ministry leaders, parents, teachers, coaches, pastors and just about anyone in any kind of leadership role. I promise to keep my summaries short(ish), and I would love to interact with your thoughts as we go along. These mistakes are listed in order of how they occur in the book, not necessarily how I would arrange them. Overboard Leadership requires an honest self-evaluation of each of these shortcomings (sins?) of leaders. Looking for missed posts, click here: Mistake #1, Mistake #2, Mistake #3, Mistake #4, Mistake #5)

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Mistake #6: Dirty Delegation

I’m convinced that there are few more defeating mistakes made by leaders, than the mistake of dirty delegation. A top-down leader can dominate followers into frustration. A paperwork leader elevates task over people. A non-affirming leader has followers that aren’t sure if they are valued. A leader who rejects Mavericks has a team that is constantly stuck. A dictator robs his team or family of their creative freedom. And a dirty delegator creates a defeated, broken-spirited, culture.

What is dirty delegation? It’s the not-so-fine art of giving projects to personnel, only to add someone to the team, or invite someone else to do the same project, without communicating your intent. It’s asking a team member to work on a project, then outsourcing it to someone else or bringing in outside eyes to evaluate without communicating your actions. Top-down leaders and dictators can easily fall into the trap of dirty delegation...along with anyone else who has ever led a team.

Why? Because delegation is hard for many leaders! Maybe you relate to one of these fears about delegation?

1. Fear of losing authority
2. Concern for the quality of work (no one can do it as well as you, right?)
3. Fear of work being done better (uh-oh...someone else might do your job better than you!)
4. Unwillingness to take the time
5. Too disorganize to even give necessary details about the area needing delegation
6. Lack of leadership training or other positive delegation experiences
7. Fear of losing value within the organization

Theodore Roosevelt said, “The best executive is the one who has the sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Dirty delegators usually push the good men and women away from their group because they lack the self-restraint to allow them to produce. Good leaders recognize the delegation allows for personal ownership and investment, and this is crucial for: happiness in the home or workplace; inspiration for creative new ideas; freedom for personal expression and the opportunity to learn from mistakes.

Kaleo Korner (By Justin VanRheene, founder of Kaleo Media)

I’ve had jobs and have watched friends be employed in places that have managers that succumb to the fears above. Its very frustrating. Here are a few ways I’ve seen help bringing clarity, and empowering productivity.

Start with why. One principle I start with on all new clients is, start with why? Having a clear understanding of the big idea will help bring freedom to employees as you begin going after the four parts of delegation that Finzel states: assignment, authority, accountability, and affirmation.

“Because I said so?” As a parent, coach, teacher, etc. I’m sure you’ve said, or wanted to say, when questioned about a project, assignment, or task, “Because I said so!” Being in a position of authority, that seems like a great thing to say because you’re the boss. There is an older volunteer I work with at my church, who said one time, “Has that ever worked?” I’m not sure it has but I’m in my 30s and I heard it when I was a kid.

But so many of the things we’ll be involved in as a leader demand more than a “because I said so.” They require vision. And believe it or not, those who struggle with dirty delegation, don’t have a vision for their organization. In many situations, their identity is their organization and to leave their reputation in the hands of someone else is just not possible.

If anyone had the right to over-manage, it was Jesus. If anyone was confident he could do a job better, it was Jesus! And yet, as His ministry progressed, He began to release more and more opportunities for His disciples! On one occasion in the Gospel, he sent out 72 disciples to spread the Good News all over Israel, and He gave them power and authority to do miracles, to heal sick people, to cast out demonic spirits and to put a blessing (or curse!) on the towns they entered (Luke 10:1-24). Jesus delegate real opportunity, real authority and gave his followers a chance to experience the joy of ministry (10:17, 10:21).

Han says there are four parts to real delegation: Assignment, authority, accountability and affirmation. These four parts answer the main questions most followers have. What am I supposed to do? An assignment answers the question that is tops on most children, team mates, employees, managers or coaches, the question about activity. What is my job?

Once they know the “what”, they want to know if they will have the freedom and authority to execute that task: Will you let me do it? If you assign the brand redesign to an employee, but don’t provide the time or financial resources to accomplish the task, they will fail. Do they have the authority to do the task? The next question is, Will you help me when I need it? It’s the question of accountability and follow up: will you help them through the process and check on their progress along the way?

Finally, the fourth question employees ask is, Will you let me know how I’m doing? Every follower wants to know that their work is valuable, helpful and contributing to the overall goal! Does the word affirmation mean anything to you (Mistake #3)??

Of course, every follower has a different capacity for delegation. Not all followers can handle, or even desire, stand alone work. Some players are just more efficient, effective and happy when working under closer supervision. Others want a long leash and only occasional check-ins. Learning how each of your team members works is crucial, and honestly, it’s why many leaders don’t delegate. The work of learning who your team members operate, is sometimes harder than the work of releasing the labor!

I love the list Finzel ends the chapter with, giving 9 guidelines for clean delegation:

1. Choose qualified people
2. Exhibit confidence in your team
3. Clarify duties
4. Delegate proper authority for the work
5. Avoid telling them how to do the work you’ve just given them
6. Set up accountability points throughout the project
7. Supervise according to their work style
8. Give room for mistakes
9. Give praise and credit for work well done

Delegation can be challenging, but if you want to multiply your effectiveness and influence, it’s a skill worth mastering.

So go ahead and take the plunge, your leadership will be better on the water!

Joe Castaneda

Mistakes leaders make, 7/10

Special thanks to Justin VanRheenen, friend and founder of Kaleo Media. If you want to increase your online presence, or improve your social media content and skills, contact Justin and learn from him!

Choices…choices…choices...

Ultimately, every change you want tot make in your life, no matter how “big” or “small,” boils down to every individual choice you make. My wife loves this saying: “How you do anything, is how you do every thing.” In other words, the way you approach the little things in life is how you will approach the big things in life. And this is never more true than when it comes to how we create change.

In 2014 I’m eager to shed a few pounds and get back in shape. My new job is pretty stationary and I’ve reclaimed some bad habits around eating too much, working out too little, and generally not taking very good care of myself. The result has been some weight gain, a loss of energy and even my sleep has been affected. For all the great events and changes of 2013, my overall health has taken a hit.

I’d love to drop 15-20 pounds tomorrow, but barring a horrific accident involving my rear-end falling off, I’m not losing that weight in a day. That shouldn’t be too surprising, since it took a lot longer than a day to put the weight on. The weight came on little by little, choice by choice. My overall health experienced decline over the last 12 months because of hundreds choices that I’ve made along the way. Choices to sit instead of get up and exercise. Choices to go back for seconds…then thirds. While none of those choices were individually responsible for a turn in my health, all of them collectively contributed to the problem.

In the same way, all of the choices I make in 2014 can contribute to changes that will improve my health. In one sense, each individual choice won’t make the difference; I won’t lose 20 pounds, reclaim my energy and sleep better with one good choice. However, in another very real sense, each individual choice will make all the difference -- If I put a bunch of good individual choices together, the results I’m after can be a reality.

So I need to start seeing every choice as a crucial cog in the mechanism to reach my goals. I can sit here and wish all day for good health to come back to me, but if I don’t make the little choices to bring about some change, all my wishes and good intentions will result in 2014 looking a lot like 2013.

What about you and your goals? What little choices do you need to start making to see your dreams and goals for 2014 take shape? If you know what changes you want to see in your life, what daily decisions do you need to make to see them become a reality? Take some time to review your goals and dreams and then next to each one think through the choices you will want to make in order to see those dreams take shape. Next to those choices, list the actions that those choices will require.

Here’s an example based on my health goals for 2014:

1. Return to the habit of taking great supplements twice a day: Take first pack in the morning with breakfast; put second pack in my pocket so I have them with me at dinner.
2. Work out 4 x week: Write out on calendar each Sunday night, the 4 days I intend to workout; use 1-hour lunch time to sneak in a 30-minute work out at least 2 x week.
3. Eat a low glycemic meal at least 1 x day: Work with Traci to create the menu each week; look on the calendar each week and plan ahead for travel, work meals out and other opportunities to create wins (pack good snacks in to work and in the car so I can try to eliminate those moments where I’m starving and tempted to stop and eat anything that’s nearby and fast!)

Now it’s your turn. Lay out your goals (ie. “Improve my health”). List some choices for each goal (ie. “Return to the habit of taking great supplements twice a day”). Then write down the action steps you need to take to make those choices, and ultimately your goals, a reality.

The Overboard Life is based on the reality that by the grace of God, you and I have the capacity to make big changes in our lives. Left to ourselves, we’re in trouble, limited to our own strength, ideas and knowledge of the future. But in God’s hands we have His limitless resources and can find ourselves secure in Him, knowing He knows the future. That freedom makes it possible for us to be changed into who He wants us to be, so we can do what He wants us to do. Change is possible because God makes it possible! Goals and dreams can become reality, because God has given us the freedom (in Him) to make them a reality!

So what are you after in 2014? Ready to start working on becoming the parent God wants you to be? Ready, with God’s help, to make your marriage work? Ready to start obeying God’s Word to “honor your father and mother” in 2014? Do you have health goals? Business goals?

Go ahead and take the plunge -- life is always better on the water!

This is part 3 of a 4-part blog about the New Year. My wife and I are tag-teaming to create these special blogs, so be sure to read part 4, tomorrow, at www.tracicast.wordpress.com. If you missed parts 1 and/or 2, just click here to read them: Part 1 // Part 2

A Parable

Many years ago, there was a nation with great prosperity. It was ruled by a good and generous king, who started worrying that the prosperity of his people was causing them to become lazy and demanding. In fact, it appeared to him that the more money that flowed into the nation from its active ports and businesses, the less his people worked, and the more they demanded. Many of the king’s advisors tried assuring him that his perspective was a little off, but the king couldn’t be convinced. Instead, he decided to test his theory. One of the wealthier towns of his kingdom was just a day’s journey from the palace. The town was nestled between two mountains so that travelers could only enter and exit the city from two gates; one in the north and one in the south. The ports and farms of the city were mostly to the north, so on that road, the king placed a giant boulder in the path. He then hid himself a short distance away to see what would happen.

Shortly after the rock was placed, a group of wealthy merchants came by. They were very frustrated by the rock, but instead of moving it, they ordered their servants to travel around the rock, though that required walking through swampy waters. Next, some of the local citizens came by. They grumbled about the inefficiency of the city government, claimed that the king was not doing his job and complained loudly how about how much this was going to affect their daily routines. They too traveled around the boulder.

All afternoon the story was the same: workers, business owners, priests and peasants all griped about the rock, but did nothing about its position.

Finally, as the day was coming to an end, the king watched as a peasant returned from working in the fields. The peasant was dirty from his labor, and burdened down with several baskets full of freshly picked produce. He saw the rock, set his baskets down and then worked for nearly an hour to move the giant rock. During that time others came by who simply scoffed or shuffled quickly past without lending a hand.

With one last heave, the peasant pushed the boulder into the swamp that ran next to the road and returned to pick up his fruits and vegetables. When he did, he realized there was a large bag laying on the road under where the boulder had been. He picked it up and found 1000 gold coins and a note from the king, thanking whomever would move this boulder. The peasant returned home with more than produce to show his wife and kids.

Four questions for you as you ponder the application of this parable:

1. Are you avoiding any hard work in your life because it is inconvenient, too challenging or you’re “too busy” to make it happen?
2. What areas of personal growth are you avoiding because you are wasting your time and energy blaming others for the problem?
3. Are there people in your life working hard on a problem that you could easily help?
4. What rewards are waiting for you if you would tackle the challenges of your life head-on?

Living the Overboard Life demands facing life’s challenges, and helping others to do the same. The reward won’t be fully realized until after you’ve done the hard work!

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Bullies (1of 2)

If you’ve been following the news over the past few weeks, you’ve probably read the tragic story of Rebecca Sedwick, the 12-year-old girl who took her life after severe bullying. The South Florida 7th grader had been mercilessly assaulted by as many as 15 other girls, being attacked verbally and seemingly endlessly. After months of abuse, changing schools and trying to develop a new schedule and routine, Rebecca climbed a tower, jumped and took her life in total despair. I’ve worked with teenagers for over 17 years and nothing breaks my heart more than when a student is overcome by despair. The questions and heartache that are left for others to sort through is overwhelming, and the question of “why” and the blame of “who” become all-consuming thoughts. Why would anyone terrorize a young lady so ruthlessly? Who’s to blame for this? What family dynamics in all these kids are in need of attention? What kind of a home does a child grow up in who would attack a peer to this level? What role or responsibility does social media play in this? Reportedly, one of the suspects in the case had a FB post after the suicide that read, in summary, that she didn’t care that Rebecca had taken her life.

When I look back over my life, I’ve certainly been bullied. And if I’m honest, I’ve also been the bully. It’s so easy to take advantage of someone else who is smaller, slower, weaker, dumber, uglier or less [insert your strongest trait here] than yourself. Bullying is hard-wired into our sin nature, and has become a part of our DNA. It seems so obvious when we see it in young people, but that’s only because we’ve learned how to mask it and make it socially acceptable as adults.

The reality of bullying, however, does not excuse it, nor does it ease the suffering it inflicts. Instead, it reminds us all of two essential truths:

1. The world is in desperate need of a Savior.
2. The world is in desperate need of Christians, who will live like their Savior.

In John 8, a woman is brought to Jesus who was “caught in the act of adultery.” This was spiritually bullying at its finest. You see, these men through this woman, naked and ashamed, at the feet of Jesus in order to make Jesus authorize her death. Why? The Old Testament Law required that a person caught in the act of adultery should be severely punished. So how was this bullying?

First off, notice what isn’t present in this scene? The guy. If she was “caught” in the act of having sex with someone who wasn’t her husband, where was the guy she was caught with? It is very difficult to commit adultery without an accomplice. These religious leaders didn’t care about having a relationship with God, they cared about rules and regulations. They cared about policies and procedures and they put their religion over relationship (when really, the two work hand in hand!).

Jesus of course, knows precisely what’s going on. So He turns the tables on the bullies. He declares, “Yep, she is guilty. So, whichever one of you guys is without guilt, go ahead and pick up a stone and let her have it!” One by one the bullies realize they are all guilty, so they drop their rocks leaving the woman alone with Jesus. And here’s the catch: Jesus was without sin. Jesus was the only one who had legal authority to cast stones at this woman. And what was His response? Two fold:

1. “Where are your accusers?” The bullies have left, they no longer accuse you and neither do I. Jesus offered her forgiveness.
2. “Go and sin no more.” Forgiveness isn’t permission to keep sinning (adultery). Jesus rescued her, physically from the bullies, and spiritually, from sin.

In my next post, I want to address the second essential truth, that the world needs Christians who will live like their Savior. But this first truth is foundational: The world needs a Savior! I want bullying to end. I want Rebecca Sedwick’s unnecessary to death to be the last bullying casualty ever. I want parents to step up and guide, caution and punish their children when they bully others. I long for families to experience healing when bullying has struck close to home. I don’t want to spend another day aching for the loss of innocence or the loss of life because of the heartless actions of evil people.

But the only time that world will exist, is when Jesus rules perfectly here on earth. That time is coming, and until then, He must rule in hearts for people to change. He changes people because He can offer them what no one else can: the freedom that comes from forgiveness, and the ability to enter into a personal relationship with God.

I long to be a zealot for that cause. When I speak to the hearts and minds of the 11, 12 and 13-year-old students I work with each week during the summer, I want to convey to them the hope that Jesus offers. I hope that my daily interactions promote hope and healing, not spiritual beating or bullying.

Will you be a conveyor of the hope of Christ? Will you step out of the boat and engage people around you with Jesus? Bullying isn’t going away, but either is Jesus. You can make a difference in one person’s life, by offering them true hope.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

The election is over

The election is over. While much of the election didn’t go as I had hoped and voted, part of me is thankful to be moving on. After months and months of political ads, water cooler debates and facebook posts that almost lured me into foolish online debating, I’m ready to let the winners gloat, the losers forecast doom and for the impact of this election to take effect. Not one of us really knew the outcomes of these various elections, and truthfully none of us really knows the impact they’ll have on today. Or tomorrow. Or next week...

I’m usually a pretty good sleeper, but for some odd reasons, on Tuesday night after the election, I woke up at 4:15am and couldn’t get back to sleep. I took a few minutes to browse facebook. (I think I do this as a test to my self-control -- to see if I can withstand the temptation to add my own foolish comments to the countless foolish comments flying across my iPad screen.) After catching up with the insomniac crowd, I watched a recording of presidential hopeful Mit Romney give his farewell speech.

He was classy. I’m sure he was hurting, and he had to be exhausted. Unlike his opponent, Romney didn’t have the thrill of election day victory to revive his spirits. His speech was short, and he had one line it that really stuck out to me. There are just two words I want to pull from it: “Inspire others.”

The Overboard Life is meant to be lived in such a way that others are inspired to discover their own God-designed greatness. This isn’t me focused self-help mumbo-jumbo or name it/claim it feel good theology. Instead, it’s about living in the culture around us in such a way, that others are truly inspired by our words and actions. And more importantly, inspired to seek the One by whose grace our inspired living flows.

My second, and most recent book, is on the life of Nehemiah. And I realize that one of the reasons I’m so drawn to that story is that Nehemiah’s Overboard living inspired others to live the same way. He lived in dark political times (no, I’m not comparing our times to his!). He was taken as a prisoner from his homeland to go and live in a foreign land, and he was stripped of everything he had once possessed -- including living in proximity with his closest friends and family.

Despite the climate of oppression under which he lived, Nehemiah chose to live an inspiring life. With God fueling his passion, Nehemiah took on a task of utmost importance and others were eager to jump in and follow. Probably thousands of people could have stepped up to lead the project Nehemiah tackled, but none of them did. None of them were willing to take the risks, to ask for help or possibly to cross the social/political barriers that Nehemiah did. None of them were willing to inspire others to live the extraordinary life of grace.

As the wall-rebuiling project neared completion, Nehemiah’s commitment to finish was pressed to the limit. He was given ample reason and opportunity to stop but he finished the task well. The results speak for themselves, as the massive project was completed in 52 days, the identity of a nation was restored and the fear of God was a reality for those nations that opposed Israel.

Nehemiah’s inspired leadership ultimately led people back to God -- those who worshipped God, and those who didn’t.

Whatever side of the political spectrum you land on, one truth remains: your freedom to live an inspiring life hasn’t changed. If Nehemiah could do it within a context of political tyranny, how much more should we do it if we live in a relatively free country? So I choose to follow Nehmiah on this one, and I want to inspire others. I want to handle political victory and defeat in a way that inspires people to seek my God. I want to blog and write in a way that challenges people to live remarkably in close relationship with their Creator God. I want to be a husband and father that inspires my wife and kids to take risks and to chase their God-given dreams all the way to the finish line.

Will you choose to inspire someone else today? Will you choose to set a course for your life that is bathed in grace, and not rooted in a social or political context? I have strong opinions and feelings about this year’s voting here in America. But I have stronger feelings and opinions about how my life should be lived out regardless of who lives in the White House. Neither Obama nor Mit can add one quality to my life that God hasn’t already blessed me with. And with what God has given me, I choose to inspire others, that they too might be led back to God.

So go ahead and take the plunge -- life is always better on the water!