Weekly Thought – April 19, 2022

Fred accumulated thoughts on maturity which he planned to form into a book. Although the manuscript did not go into print, the collection exists and contains valuable thoughts on growing wise. This week’s message is a short commentary on a challenge to those seeking leadership.

The Price of Leadership

Aloneness is chosen; loneliness is imposed. It can be imposed by responsibility… for example, an executive who is highly functioning can never really be “one of the boys.” (Of course this applies to women executives, as well – and is actually even more difficult).
It can be imposed by circumstances caused by a move to a new location without any social contacts. Or it can be imposed by others who choose not to associate with you, making you feel like an outcast. I read in China this isolation was one of the punishments to insure conformity.

The loneliness of leadership must be accepted as part of the price. As a young man at GENESCO after given executive responsibilities, the CEO asked me, “Fred, how far do you want to go?” “Mr. Jarman, I want to go as far as I can.” He responded, “Then learn to live with loneliness.”

I used this example in a speech to an Ohio Presidents Organization meeting. Afterwards the President of a large architectural wanted to talk. “You have just explained my biggest management problem. I hate being lonely, so I talk too much to my people. I tell them everything so I won’t feel alone in all the decisions I make.”

This can be disastrous. Any changes he discusses with his firm will either be supported or stopped, depending on who has what to gain. In abdicating his leadership to create a comfortable environment he opened the door for poor decisions. He sacrificed the power to control his strategy. Talking over his potential decisions is valuable if and only if he chooses the right person and assesses his motivation. Leaders ultimately come to a crossroad and must make the final call… it isn’t a group activity.

This week think about: 1) How well do I handle loneliness? 2) What hinders my personal leadership development? 3) Who models healthy decision making for me?

Words of Wisdom: “Loneliness of leadership must be accepted as part of the price.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you— yes, I help you— yes, I uphold you with my victorious right hand!” (Isaiah 41: 10 Net Bible)

Weekly Thought – March 22, 2022

Fred was a truth seeker and truth teller before those phrases were in the current vernacular. He refused to dance around, play around, and definitely not goof around with what is right. Yet, he was not legalistic. He had great respect for the freedom attached to living in the truth. He also highly regarded those who chose to be life long learners, ever expanding their knowledge and wisdom.

Heart Qualities

Plato said if teachers do their job correctly, they awaken the latent teacher in each pupil. That enables each person to live as both teacher and student. My good friend, Jack Modesett, said his life changed his sophomore year in college when he found the joy of learning. He graduated magna cum laude and to this day experiences the magna cum laude life because he remains both the teacher and the student.

Let me give you two qualities of an educated heart:

1) A taste for a full life -Professor William James referred to it as “thickness” meaning life has dimension. It is more than surface; it is not shallow. Christ called it the abundant life. The Menninger Clinic studied maturity and observed one of the traits is a life that is a confluence of stimulation from varied sources. They are more than uni-dimensional. I see individuals whose function has taken over their person. This results in the sacrifice of true joy. To lose the excitement of being full-orbed is a tragedy.

2) The love of truth -We live in a fantasy world created by media, advertising, politics, even religious institutions. Their propaganda takes over eliminating truth. Father Hesburgh, when he became President of Notre Dame University was given counsel by Father Cavanaugh, his predecessor: a) Be right; b) Be human and c) be humble. David Rockefeller asked Father Hesburgh to join the board of Chase Manhattan Bank. He laughed and said, “I am a priest. I have never had a personal bank account and now you want me to be a board member?” Rockefeller replied, “If we don’t know how to run a bank we shouldn’t be here. What we need is somebody skilled in know what is morally right.” Later on, the President said, “At times when we got into moral discussions, the Board Chair would turn to me and ask me to determine what was right. I tried to eliminate the political right, profitably right, or popularly right, and tell them what was morally right.”

The love of truth goes beyond dogma and doctrine. It ultimately goes to that statement: “Truth is a person.” A Jewish philosopher pointed out to me that as a Christian I should fully understand that because Jesus said, “I am the truth.”

Love of truth enlarges my heart and expands my ability to exchange thoughts without rancor or ego.

This week think carefully about: 1) What three things would you say to your successor? 2) How do I measure my love of truth? 3) When do I experience the love of learning?

Words of Wisdom: “To lose the excitement of being full-orbed is a tragedy.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Give instruction to a wise person, and he will become wiser still; teach a righteous person and he will add to his learning.” (Proverbs 9:9 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 15, 2022

Fred, born in 1915, grew up in war time American history. His career flourished in the post war 1950s. His respect for the United States never waned. A childhood injury which left him disabled precluded his entry into the service, but he was extremely proud of his brothers who served. His observations are well worth comparing with today’s environment.

Gratitude for Freedom

I remember the remarkable remembrance of the Statue of Liberty’s 100th birthday. A friend challenged me to consider whether we are making an idol of the Statue. I certainly don’t think so, but we should keep it as a symbol, not an idol.

A symbol is an object used to represent an abstract idea, while an idol is the object of excessive devotion. The Statue as a symbol is all about freedom…the freedom of opportunity to express personal responsibility. I don’t hear anybody saying they came to America because they were irresponsible and want our great welfare system. Constant remarks about opportunity for the family highlighted the celebration. So many made who came made an investment of their sacrifice for their children.

The Statue symbolizes freedom without government oppression. I was impressed how grateful the immigrants were to become Americans. The thought occurred to me “Are we as committed and proud to be Christians?” Chief Justice Burger said, “As Americans we owe exclusive allegiance.” Christ said, “If you would be my disciple, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

A friend once asked me an intriguing question: “If we knew that next July 4th would be the second coming of Christ, would our nation prepare like we did to relight a torch on a statue over 100 years old?”

As I watched that celebration it oiled my old rusty heart. I was reminded that freedom is really a means, not an end. It is an environment which permits the use of personal responsibility. I speak to annual Chambers of Commerce meetings and hear them talking about freedom producing our standard of life. It did not. The free enterprise system could be available to almost anyone but if they were not responsible it would fail. We are seeing this as totalitarian regimes fail worldwide but capitalism doesn’t naturally flourish. It was our Christian, born of Puritan faith, sense of responsibility resulting from the belief that one day we would stand before God and be judged. This was the engine that drove our system.

We are always grateful for the privilege of being an American, but always aware that it is our stewardship of God’s gifts that is the ultimate measure.

Political freedom is a blessing but spiritual freedom has eternal, everlasting significance.

This week carefully consider: 1) How do my thoughts about freedom line up with Fred’s? 2) Are there symbols in American life I have made into idols? 3) What ways do I express gratitude for God’s blessings?

Words of Wisdom: “I was reminded that freedom is really a means, not an end. It is an environment which permits the use of personal responsibility.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – January 4, 2022

Fred believed in heroes and their role in a successful personal network, as well as professional sphere. In his book, You and Your Network he devotes one chapter to the importance of them. This is a peek into his thinking on the subject. Happy 2022 to all. May you be stretched and blessed during this year.

Personification of Greatness

Defining the heroic quality is important in building a complete understanding of heroes. As I give examples remember they are illustrations, not recommendations. They draw a picture for me. I have chosen each for an outstanding trait which would ennoble my own life as I emulate a particular characteristic.

1) The apostle Paul: total dedication. He went through Oswald Chambers’ term “the white funeral in which he died to himself long before the “black funeral” which is physical death. He is one of the few men I feel I know just from studying him. He made up his mind and found his magnificent obsession, his lodestar, and the race that was his to run.

2) Gandhi: sacrificial unselfishness. He found a love for his people who deserved justice. The spark of greatness was ignited when he was thrown off an Indian train in a racial incident. It was a galvanizing event. He represents the desire to sacrifice and be subservient to something bigger than we are. He believed he could influence change. To me, he personifies the values needed to find answers, not just ask questions.

3) Abraham Lincoln: strength and gentleness. He did his duty as he saw it, even though it tore his heart in two as he did it. I don’t think he appears to possess a superior gift, but a superior spirit that matched his opportunity. He represented flexibility without changing course or values. He lacked personal happiness, but had abiding joy.

4) Albert Einstein: humility. Few people choose him because we rarely choose a hero who is so far above us that we cannot identify with them. Einstein is one of my heroes, not for his intellect, but for his humility. His was a natural state, not acquired or disciplined. Einstein seemed to be devoid of arrogance, self-centeredness, and conceit – for these ignoble trait had been replaced by a mental and spiritual temper which let him see his ignorance much more than his knowledge – and is gratitude far beyond his rights.

5) Leonardo DaVinci: principle-based thinking. His broad perspective didn’t drive him to mount campaigns to change life. He was relaxed to see it as it was. He understood the unifying themes of life: science, art, music, mathematics, or philosophy- they were all facets of life experience with man as the hub. Because he understood principles his mind could range indefinitely, creating sketchy ideas of such magnitude that it would take hundreds of years before they were usefully adapted. To me, he is an intellectual hero. His serenity is a personal reproach to our hurry, scurry, activist culture. He helps me remember I am a small dot in a very big picture – God’s eternal universe.

6) Abraham: vision and faith. He was willing to risk all on the unseen, transcendent God. He went out not knowing where he was going, but trusted the direction of God. He ventured into the unknown because the known was his reality. He obeyed and moved beyond the expected. Without vision we settle on too low a plateau. Without vision and faith we never experience more than the mundane.

7) Edison: persistence and perseverance. Edison is a practical hero. Each failure showed him something that didn’t work and didn’t disturb his intentional efforts to find one that did. There are times in our lives when we need someone to personify the will to survive, the refusal to give up.

8) Ben Hogan: consistency. He paid the price. While he is recognized for his tenacity and coming back after an accident and overcoming handicaps. He was willing to consistently study the golf swing until he could make it repeatable. He personified the secret of good golf.

This week carefully consider: 1) Who are my heroes? 2) What characteristics are important for personification? 3) How can I more carefully study the development of heroes?

Words of Wisdom: “Heroes personify characteristics needed for successful living.”

Wisdom from the Word: “His acts are characterized by faithfulness and justice; all his precepts are reliable.” (Psalm 111:7 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 28, 2021

Fred enjoyed distilling and clarifying. His ability to take a broad topic, squeeze out the essence, and then magnify its utility was one of his major strengths. He called it “putting handles on the pot.” He said ideas needed effective transportation just like a pot needs a handle to make it passable from one to another. Today’s thoughts on organizational vision exemplify this skill.

Moving the Vision

One of a leader’s functions is to gather followers around the vision, not himself/herself. This is where integrity comes into the equation. The leader who coagulates others is an embezzler. Using personal magnetism as a means of getting things done is, to me, manipulation.

Leaders must recognize several subtle dynamics:

1) Decisions are not commitments: The first is short-term; the other long-term. People can decide to work toward a specific emphasis; commitment’s aim is the ultimate purpose. Both are necessary. Those with only a long-term focus will often fail to accomplish much. Short-term is usually the trigger for activity. The leader’s job is to motivate movement using decision to accomplish commitment. Wise leaders know that when they get a decision (even a group decision) they haven’t necessarily gotten commitment. One of the downfalls of leadership is evoking an emotional decision which will fall apart.

2) Recognize the “driving wheels”: In any organization there are those who provide momentum and those who are just along for the ride. Effective leaders know establishing commitment from the driving wheels will ordinarily result in the others coming along. Correct identification is critical for stable, forward progress in any group or organization. The best way to motivate driving wheels is not emotion but comprehension. My good friend Jack Turpin says the only way for people to perform excellently over the long term is if they fully comprehend what they are doing. Leaders must be honest about the vision, the effort necessary, and reasons for expending it. Lasting motivation is persuasion through comprehension. The key to a driving wheel is asking, “Do you agree this is something worth doing? If so, let’s commit to it together.”

3) Know when it is time to change the vision: Strong leaders know the situation does not hold still forever. It is always important to measure the vision against the desired results. Perseverance is a positive attribute for a healthy leader, but the ability to sense the direction is crucial. Sir Winston Churchill is well known for his exhortation: “Never, never, never, never give up!” But it is just as important to know “When the horse is dead; dismount!”

Organizations require leaders who can define and articulate the vision. Just as important for the leader is the trait of reading the progress and direction of the vision, knowing when to reevaluate, and perhaps shift the emphasis.

This week think carefully about: 1) How do I set the vision as a leader? 2) What gives me clues about the time to change the vision? 3) Who can I use as a model for visionary leadership?

Words of Wisdom: “In any organization there are those who provide momentum and those who are just along for the ride.”

Wisdom from the Word: “He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity.” (Proverbs 2:7 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – November 23, 2021

Fred considered short term training and long term development two separate functions. Quick fixes and organizational Band-Aids were seen in a less than favorable light. His ideas about evaluating the process helped many corporations. This week the message is an excerpted version of his counsel.

Evaluating the Training Process

I like to ask questions as I look at the training process of my clients. Here are a few examples:

1. Is this person’s job fitting well with his/her talents? a) is this a quick fix or part of a career plan? b) does this fit the natural wiring of the individual? c) how well has the personality and talent profile of the individual been determined? For example, is the person more comfortable with team or individual projects?

2. How much willingness to do the job am I seeing? I watch to see if the person is basically enthusiastic about opportunity. If I get any sense of “Well, I’ll do it if you want me to, but I’m not really keen on it” my expectations are seriously reduced. a) How interested in accomplishment is the individual? b) Is there a natural rhythm and quickness to learning?

3. How consistent are the efforts? a) Are they sporadic or long term, consistent, day-in, day-out efforts? Business, education, or ministry cannot be run by the stops and starts of the legendary hare; talented, directed tortoises will win the day. Rudyard Kipling gave me words which have become foundational: “When only the will says go.”
4. What are the objective results? a) How much activity produces results? b) What is their actual record of measurable results? c) How often does personality, amiability, and charisma get confused for productivity? Our daughter Brenda said in recruiting and training for the financial service industry they have a phrase: “they have aptitude, but no apt-to-do.” My mentor, Maxey Jarman always told me, “Fred, show me the baby, don’t tell me about the labor pains.”

5. Is this person willing to be evaluated? a) Do they understand evaluation is to better fit them to make a contribution to the organization? b) Is resistance the sign of a character flaw? c) Do they put themselves in the position of evaluating others while avoiding any personal assessment?

Training is not an academic exercise. It is not for the purpose of applying new theories and techniques. Its bottom line must be for the progress of the organization, done effectively and objectively.

This week think about: 1) How often is evaluation and assessment part of my job? 2) What questions do I think about in approaching evaluation? 3) Which part of assessment is the most helpful to me personally?

Words of Wisdom: “Show me the baby, don’t tell me about the labor pains.”

Wisdom from the Word: The LORD said to me, “I have made you like a metal assayer to test my people like ore. You are to observe them and evaluate how they behave.” (Jeremiah 6:27 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought -October 19, 2021

Fred excelled in disciplining his decisions. He, also, made this exercise part of his mentoring. He knew healthy organizations depended heavily on the skill of leadership in assessing situations and making wise, effective decisions.

Disciplined Decisions

As leaders, our decisions determine the character of our organizations. We cannot afford to make exceptions for ourselves. If the President cuts corners, it sets standards for the entire organization. In my experience, dishonesty at the top encourages it throughout.

I have seen some leaders overlook “small dishonesties” as a way to glue the organization to the leader through guilt… it may even become an informal perk. If the company philosophy says honesty is the best policy, then it must be the only policy. My mentor at GENESCO had a policy: “If it has to be done, it has to be done right. If it can’t be done right, it doesn’t have to be done.” Where others took short cuts we had to work to find creative solutions with integrity.

Leaders must recognize that their character directly affects how they operate. They must make disciplined decisions. For example, working from the desire to maintain total control does not usually result in a healthy organization. Some leaders operate with the agenda of protecting personal position. Leadership development in such situations is thwarts personnel development.

I was once in a ministry reorganization that raised the control question. “Is this work his or His?” “Does it belong to the leader or to God?” When I hear a ministry leader say “God called me to head up this organization” I want to ask “For what purpose: to give you a lifetime job, or that the mission might be accomplished?” Control driven ministry leaders are usually more self-serving than God-serving.

Certainly there are times of emergency when unilateral control may be required for a short time – until the emergency is resolved.

Control oriented leadership doesn’t establish succession. I was once asked to take the helm as President of an organization that had long been led by a dictatorial head. I knew my team approach would not be profitable because the staff was trained to act on orders, not to think through solutions. I couldn’t in good conscience ask people who hadn’t taken responsibility for results for years to begin to think for themselves. My experience teaches me the perpetuity of the healthy organization is management’s first responsibility, and so leadership development at all levels is of prime importance. Successful succession is a leader’s responsibility and often a test of character.

Think carefully about: 1) What measures do I use to assess the health of an organization? 2) How careful am I to make disciplined decision – even in the smallest matter? 3) Who looks up to me as a model for character development?

Words of Wisdom: “Leaders must recognize that their character directly affects how they operate.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Listen to advice and receive discipline, that you may become wise by the end of your life.” (Proverbs 19:20 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – September 21, 2021

Fred traveled heavily in his consulting and speaking work. Early on he attained lifetime status with American Airlines. He met interesting people and exercised his great skill of question asking. This week’s thought recalls a funny experience during the 1960s on one of those cross-country flights.

Decisive Actions

Decisiveness is a quality of effective executives, but it is indeed a rare trait. Everyone likes to say, “Oh, yes, I am decisive.” Very few really are. They wait until they are forced into a decision or until the decision is made for them.

Lately I’ve been accumulating clever ways people avoid making a decision. And there is no dearth of material. One of the worst offenders is the executive who talks five minutes on both sides of the question and then emphatically announces, “That is what I think.” Oh, no, there is one worse – the fellow who sits next to the him and says, “I agree with Bob.”

Actually, decisiveness is a matter of the will. I think I will illustrate it with a true story.

I was spending a few days with Mobil Oil (one of my consulting clients) on the west coast. Wanting to get home I took the red eye American flight to Chicago and then on to Cincinnati. When I got to the check-in I realized the flight was full. As we loaded people kept coming on the plane until every seat was taken except for the one next to me.

Just before the door closed a 6’3” mountain of a man with big, broad shoulders and a flat stomach came running on the plane and sat down next to me. He shouldn’t have done that. Why should he make me uncomfortable all the way to Chicago as I sat there with my 225 pounds of solid blubber? It was Charlton Heston, the actor.

“Mr. Heston, you are in wonderful physical shape.” “I have to be in my business.” I replied, “I wish I could be, too, but I have to work.” “Well, I have to work but I can stay in this shape on 17 minutes a day.”

He had no right to say that. That was not sociable. I have 17 minutes a day. He should have talked about days under professional training.

For 30 minutes I sat and stewed in my own fat. Then I said, “Mr. Heston, I travel a lot.” “I do, too.” “How do you exercise when you are on the road?” “It’s very simple. I go into the hotel room, sit on the luggage rack, put my toes under the bed, and do back bends.” “What do you do about your shoulders?” “Oh, that is easy. I roll under the bed and push the bed up and down in the air.”

Now what is the difference between Heston and Smith? You recognize it all too quickly. A recent survey discovered the definable difference between successful and unsuccessful people: the unsuccessful say “I should – I ought to- I plan to – I’m going to” but never get around to it. The successful say, “I will.” They make the decision and take action. They do it.

This week carefully consider: 1) As I read Fred’s story, where do I need to make a decision? 2)What is holding me back? 3) Who models decisiveness in my work life, community, and family?

Words of Wisdom: “Decisiveness is a matter of the will.”

Wisdom from the Word: “So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.” ( 1 Kings 3:9 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 15, 2020

Fred’s reputation as a nationally-recognized speaker began at an early age. Raised in the home of a fiery Southern Baptist preacher he studied the styles of many. His love of communication lasted throughout his lifetime. Men and women came to learn from him, even until the last days of his life. This week’s selection is a discussion of speaking from a very specific aspect – gesturing. As you watch presentations, think about Fred’s observations.

Gesturing Effectively

Gestures have a vocabulary all their own. The Spanish painter Goya charged as much to paint just the hands as he did a face because most artists will tell you they are the most difficult part of the body to capture.

Delsarte studied how hands show emotion. He got so good he could sit in a park and tell whether a baby was held by a nanny, or the mother, just by the intensity of the hands. I, too, am interested in what hands say. When I watch a speaker, I focus on the hands. I want to see if the gestures are spontaneous or programmed. I want to see whether the spontaneous gestures are repetitious or varied. My friend Haddon Robinson has one of the finest pairs of hands I know. I have tried to count the different formations his hands make, and the number gets astronomical. Yet they’re absolutely spontaneous, and they’re in harmony with what he’s saying and with the sound of his voice. He has a large vocabulary of words and gestures.

One of our former presidents could say something like “You know I love you,” but he would make a hacking gesture. Some psychiatrist friends who studied his gestures told me, “His hands tell you how much he really loves you.” You don’t use a hacking motion with a genuine expression of love.

Great conductors, for example, will often set aside the baton because they can communicate more clearly with their hands. The orchestra can read the hands more readily than the baton which can give the tempo, but not the nuance.
Many people telegraph what they are going to say with their hands. They’ll let you know what’s coming before they actually say it. The hands come alive before the voice does. The audience detects this even if unaware of what is being communicated.

The pointed finger rarely creates a friendly atmosphere. We think of the teacher who points before reprimanding.

In my experience I have found people who do not have effective gestures, but are willing to learn. Too many people hinder themselves because they are afraid to try. Any time we want to develop new skills we must start by giving ourselves permission to try (and possibly fail at first). With gestures the key is simply to make sure they are spontaneous, representing both the voice and the mind. A good speaker gives himself/herself permission to learn how to vary them to increase effective expression.

Here is an example: If you are going to be delivering a climactic statement, do not get intense too soon. It’s better to relax your body and back away about a half step from the audience. Then just before you come to that statement step toward the audience and straighten up. That way your body, as well as your voice projects the message.

The eyes are critical in speaking… almost as important as the voice. There is a temptation to zero in on a few attentive people in the front of the room. Speakers often overcome their insecurity and nervousness by addressing their remarks to this group. This is an error. I tell young speakers to think of the farmer who is feeding the chickens… “You have to throw the corn wide enough for everyone to get some.”

Gestures lend emphasis and color to words. Your emotions overflow into your gestures and become one of the most powerful parts of your body language. What you say is either enhanced or diminished by your repertoire of gestures, so it is a good place to focus if you want to develop your speaking skills.

This week carefully consider: 1) How conscious am I of a speaker’s gestures? 2) What am I doing to develop my own vocabulary of gestures? 3) When have I sent a mixed message because my words and my gestures were not in sync?

Words of Wisdom: “With gestures the key is simply to make sure they are spontaneous, representing both the voice and the mind.”

Wisdom from the Word: “A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of his hands will be rendered to him.” Proverbs 12:14 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 8, 2020

Fred appreciated men and women of vision. He said, “one of a leader’s functions is to coagulate followers around the vision, not around himself or herself.” At this time when planning is being assessed and evaluated, Fred’s thoughts are helpful.

COVID directly impacted the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute. However, the ripples from years past still demonstrate the effects. The Weekly Thoughts have continued without interruption. In an email we received this week, the influence of the Weekly Thoughts was mentioned: “I truly feel like one of the students that you have graciously mentored through BWFLI. The October 27th weekly thought spoke directly to my heart as I’m processing my transition.” These weekly emails are nearly 16 years in production. May the gifts God gave to Fred continue to be shared as they seek to stretch and bless.

Gather Around the Vision

Genuine leadership gathers people around the purpose of the organization. Toward that end, leaders need to recognize several subtle dynamics.

1) Decisions are not commitments. The first is immediate; the second is the long term working out. For example, in evangelism we see a lot of decisions. It is right to talk about a response to the Gospel and an “on the spot” decision. The commitment comes as part of the maturing process. If a person or an organization never moves from decision to commitment operations look much like New Year’s Resolutions – with a similar outcome. The leader is to envision a way to move from decision to commitment. I have observed that this process needs both the spoken and written forms. Speakers are effective at bringing people to a decision point, but generally it takes the written word to bring people to a long lasting commitment. Wise leaders know when they get a decision (even a group decision) that isn’t equivalent to commitment. A tragic managerial mistake is assuming the first step is enough without securing the second.

2) Recognize the “driving wheels.” There is a difference between people who provide the momentum in a group and those who just go along for the ride. Wise leaders know if they get the driving wheels committed, they can bring the others along. A bumpy ride is ahead for organizations who miss this step. The best way to persuade the driving wheels is not with emotion, but comprehension. My good friend, Jack Turpin, first discussed this with me. He had no lasting respect for short term excellence. “Anybody who can reach excellence should try to sustain it.” He believed the only way people will perform excellently over the long term is if they fully comprehend what they are doing. A decision based on emotional fervor won’t last; a fully comprehended commitment will. The way to motivate the driving wheels is to ask, “Do you agree this is something worth doing? If so, let’s commit to doing it together.”

3) Know when it is time to change the vision. Leaders know that situations don’t stay the same forever. We see this in the church as we study demographic trends. For a local church to maintain its vitality and often its viability, it must look at the makeup of the congregation. To assume a static position on means and methods can result in loss. Sadly, many have lost the promise of future leadership by ignoring shifts and alienating younger congregants. It is critical to measure the vision and see if it is getting the desired results. Churchill is famous for saying, “never, never, never, never give up.” But it is just as important to know that “when the horse is dead, dismount.”

Leaders must be honest about the vision, the effort required, and the reasons for expending it. Lasting motivation is really persuasion by comprehension. If you have to hide the reasons you want a person or an organization to follow, you are probably manipulating and unlikely to find long term commitment or sustained excellence.

This week carefully consider: 1) How well do I communicate my personal and professional visions? 2) What am I doing to be certain I don’t use manipulation? 3) Where do I need to focus as I anticipate next year?

Words of Wisdom: “Wise leaders know when they get a decision (even a group decision) that isn’t equivalent to commitment.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Commit your future to the LORD. Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.” (Psalm 37:5 NET Bible)