Weekly Thought – October 1, 2024

Fred staunchly evaluated character – his own, and others. He believed it to be the foundation of maturity. He wrote to pastors on carrying out their calling with integrity, but knew the same principles applied to all callings.

Leading With Integrity

Integrity is based in character. It cost me a lot of money in a bad investment to learn that character is more important that intelligence. I mistakenly put mental acuity above character. One of America’s wealthiest investors remarked in a speech to Harvard students that the three qualities he looks for in those with whom he will invest his money are character, intelligence, and energy. Character counts!

It is so important because it cannot be fully evaluated, but will fail at the time when we can least afford a lapse. And, it is almost impossible to buttress weak character. It is not like skill training that can be developed in seminars.

My experience has brought me to a controversial belief about it. Character is sectionalized like a grapefruit, not homogeneous like a carton of milk. When we comment on the strength or weakness of a person’s character we often assume the person’s personality, values, and character are of one cloth. I have not found this to be true. Some totally honest business people are hypocritical and compromising in their personal lives. Some are trustworthy in one section while failing in another. It has been important to my leadership that I build on the solid parts of a person’s character. Few people indeed have all good sections, and few have no good sections at all. I like to think there is clay and iron in all of us. Our daughter once questioned my business relationship with a gentleman she didn’t trust. I listened then responded, “You focus on the clay and I on the iron.”

I have always been intrigued by the story that Willie Sutton, the bank robber, cried when he had to lie to his mother about his life. Criminals often exhibit impeccable loyalty to their own. In working with others we must identify the iron in order to successfully complete collaborative efforts.

Thankfully, God is the great strengthener of character. As the ancients say, God polishes his saints with tribulation, suffering, trials, and silence. I am convinced that God is much more interested in our character than he is in our intelligence.

This week carefully consider: 1) How long has it been since I seriously evaluated my character? 2) Where are my soft spots I need God’s strengthening? 3) How can I guard my heart day by day?

Words of Wisdom: “Few people indeed have all good sections, and few have no good sections at all.”

Wisdom from the Word: “May integrity and godliness protect me, for I rely on you.” (Psalm 25:2 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – September 10, 2024

Fred wanted his tombstone to read “He Stretched Others.” (And it does!) Strong leaders always developed others. They understood that personal and organizational growth always depended on the healthy stretching of others.

Leading Deep

While leaders at the top are evident and visible, leadership must be exerted all through an organization. That is why Jethro told son in law Moses to divide the responsibilities and authority required to manage over one million people. Moses wisely accepted and implemented the counsel instituting an effective delegation system which is still used in management today.

In any well-run organization, multiple layers of leadership must exist. There must be top management and a strong level of developing men and women. An organization cannot thrive ( or even survive) without bench strength. Moses gives us another example as he asked others to hold up his arms as he prayed for the people. He was not strong enough to sustain the physical strain. Anyone who tries to accomplish as a solo act will eventually fail.

Leadership is more than personality; it is character. To know that accomplishment requires synergy and teamwork is a sign of wisdom and ego control. One key of vision is understanding the effect of achieving minor goals in order to accomplish the major aim. To get distracted on the way to achieving the preliminary steps threatens the entire project. Having capable associates shows not only leadership acumen, but strong character. Keeping the focus on the main thing requires a team.

When one leads as part of an effective team it gives opportunity to share accomplishment. How satisfying it is to say to everyone, “Well done – we worked hard and got it done. We did it together.” Working in an environment like that is greatly preferred to one in which the “boss” wants all the credit. When the limelight only has room for one, the organization is in trouble. It can’t be all about just one.
One of the toughest bandmasters I ever knew was an Army vet named William Fenton. I can still hear him hollering at a quivering trumpet player “You can’t play like that and play in this band. This is a championship band!” Fenton didn’t emphasize his reputation, his ego, or even his personal displeasure. He emphasized the student’s contribution to the organization and the part he played in the quality of the organization. They worked for the group. His character, discipline, and produced champions. And when they won (which they did often) he celebrated with them.

This week think about: 1) How effective am I in developing others, including career, family, and community? 2) What does stretching others mean to me? 3) Who should I thank for developing my leadership skills?

Words of Wisdom: “Having capable associates shows not only leadership acumen, but strong character.”

Wisdom from the Word: “But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing men -men of truth, those who hate bribes and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” (Exodus 18:21 NET Bible Jethro to Moses)

Weekly Thought – September 3, 2024

Fred appreciated strong leaders. He understood the high cost and what it took to lead well. Many came to him as a sounding board knowing they could trust him, his skills, and his unquestionable integrity.

An Eye on the Destination

A leader should never try to lead without first being captivated by a vision. Paul never lost the vision of his divine appointment to be an apostle to the gentiles.

Intensity must always have focus, of course. If you are intense about the wrong things people will lose respect, think you are neurotic, and certainly cease to follow. In Christian work too many buy into the romantic notion of “Never attempt anything that isn’t too big for you, so you can be sure God has to do it.” I am convinced it is much better to tackle those things He gives that are at hand and doable.

Seldom does an unknown person win an Olympic goal medal. Seldom does a no-name catapult into a place of leadership. In fact, scripture warns against putting novices into leadership positions. Taking the inexperienced and thrusting them into big dreams and visions without seasoning often ends up unhappily. Leaders are grown- they accrete. That word is one of my favorites because it carries the sense of gradually adding layers to create increase. For me, that is an appropriate visual. Leadership requires experience and emotional control. It demands the ability to persuade, and the ability to solve problems. These skills take time.

After being named an officer at Principal Financial Group our daughter left a high level meeting impressed with the SVP’s handling of a problem. She went to his office and thanked him for this effective illustration. “I have seen that same problem in multiple variations for 20 years. After awhile you identity the core problem and know how to attack it. It just takes time and experience.”

The vision we pursue must be worthy. It must make the effort seem like a good investment. Those asked to do the work must say, “What I am doing is worth the cost.” A strong visionary sees beyond the odds. They must be able to see how they can change the odds. If not, failure is on the horizon.

Goals may not be reached in one lifetime. Sometimes we leaders have to realize we are laying foundations. We can’t get dissatisfied with the slow work. It requires a certain patience. In effective leadership our ego must be subservient to the vision.

This week carefully consider: 1) What is my core vision right now? 2) How do my visions for work, family, community work together?3) Who models leading through healthy visioning for me?

Words of Wisdom: “A leader must never attempt to lead without being captivated by a vision.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people.” (Colossians 3:23 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – August 27, 2024

Fred studied leaders to distill principles which could help others. As a lifelong learner, he consistently applied knowledge to situations for the benefit of developing leaders and organizations. This purpose gave him a strong reputation as a wisdom figure.

Strategy for Winning Leadership

Bill Glass, All-Pro football player of the 1960s, said he was never on a winning team that didn’t have high morale. But the morale came from winning; winning didn’t come from the morale. “That’s what people who are not in leadership don’t understand, Fred.”

It is important for a leader to generate some progress – some “wins” to show people. Browbeating them with their failures is a poor way to motivate. People need to see success, to catch a feeling of progress.

No matter what the circumstances, there is always some kind of progress to be made – and shared. The leader finds out what that is and leads in that direction. It may not be dramatic. But progress is imperative.

Charles Pitts, the man whose company built the Toronto Subway told me, “When you ride up to a site and find fifty or a hundred people standing there waiting for the boss to make a decision, you don’t call a committee meeting. You get them busy immediately. If you don’t know exactly what to do, you at least get them doing something that won’t hurt. People have got to feel the boss knows what ought to be done.”

A leader simply must have the confidence to lead. You can’t afford to get confused in front of your people. If you want to be confused, do it at home!

Every leader also needs to understand that early sacrifices have to earn a place in leadership. When you are young you can’t set out to be both a supreme court justice and a pro athlete. You have to pay the price of preparation.

Many books on the New York Times bestseller list offer the secret formula. Successful organizations understand the truth of what it takes. My friend, Glenn Baldwin, upon selling his very successful financial services company was asked the strategy he used. “Well,” he said, “back when I started twenty-two years ago, I worked very hard and had a good year. Twenty-one years ago, I worked hard and had my second good year. Then twenty years ago, I worked hard and had my third good year. The secret of my success was twenty-two consecutive good years.” The interviewer asked, “Is that all? Wasn’t there some secret?” Glenn replied, “there was no secret, no trick. I just put one good year on top of another.”

He created an energetic environment supported by vision, hard work, and progress. His people bought in and together they built twenty-two years “good years.”

This week consider: 1) How would I answer if asked for my definition of success? 2) Who represents for me a wise leader? 3) What would I say to a young leader about sacrifice?

Words of Wisdom: “A leader must simply have the confidence to lead.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success, and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:20 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – August 13, 2024

Fred’s understanding of the delicate balance between art and science in leadership built a foundation for himself and for his mentoring of generations of leaders. He knew the nuances of this interaction and studied examples throughout his lifetime.

Leadership Is Art and Science

There is no valid list of common denominators for leaders, no formula to follow. The ingredients vary with each situation. Sometimes, for instance, leaders must exhibit courage; other times, their decisions are so clear no courage is required.

I could list several “Traits of a Leader,” it would be like assembling all the ingredients for a recipe without giving the proportions and instructions for use of each. A cook may have the proper ingredients but without knowing how to correctly put them together the proper result would rarely occur. The list of leadership ingredients may be seen as science, but the correct use of them is the art of leadership.

For example, knowledge of human nature is a top requirement for leadership. But an effective leader understands the appropriate application of this knowledge. Napoleon was reputed to be one of history’s finest wartime generals. He had precise knowledge of human nature under these conditions. In battle he knew how hard he could push – how far he could go. This was the source of his power. However, he was inadequate in a postwar political environment.

Another example is Winston Churchill whose grasp of wartime emergency management is still considered textbook. However, when he attempted to transfer the same skills afterwards without the same success. Leadership is not a constant science, but a combination of principles and the artful execution based on the study and understanding of human nature.

I am frequently asked if leadership is innate, or a learned skill. I am convinced it can be coached but not implanted. The great violinist Heifetz could be coached, but the underlying giftedness could not be taught. In the early days he could learn to read music, understand rhythms, and patterns. A teacher could instruct him in bowing and fingering. But later, as one great conductor said: “I can only tell him whether he is doing what he tells me he wants to do.” He had taken responsibility for the innate gifts and developed them to the level of virtuoso.

I don’t believe you can make a leader from someone without any inborn leadership. It generally shows up in early years. As you look at three or four year olds you can see emerging patterns of leadership. With proper use, excellent coaching, and opportunities this gift grows. Clearly the art and science of leadership blossoms more fully under the right conditions.

My lifetime goal was “to stretch others.” Key to this mission is my own ability to identify leadership talent, connect them with others who can encourage growth, and be available when asked. Working to mor effectively translate the concept of art and science is also a critical element in the use of my leadership gifting.

This week carefully consider: 1) Where do I see leadership gifts in myself? 2) How am I working to develop growth in my clearer understanding of effective leadership? 3) Who exhibits leadership skills that I can encourage?

Words of Wisdom: “Leadership is both art and science.”

Wisdom from the Word: “He has filled him with the Spirit of God – with skill, with understanding, with knowledge, and in all kinds of work.” (Exodus 35:31 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – August 6, 2024

Fred spoke, and wrote about leadership for decades. His thinking was not formulaic; he did not offer keys, secrets, or stepping stones – just principle-based approaches established through experience, scriptural study, and conversations with wisdom figures.

Leadership is More Than a Position

As the son of a preacher, I noticed a curious thing growing up. People in church leadership positions didn’t necessarily know how to lead.
My fathered pastored a number of small churches in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Unfortunately, many of the people were unprepared to lead. Factory workers who ran plant machinery by day came to church board meetings at night and tried to become executives. It didn’t work. Even in my early teens, I could sense the ineptness.

A man once told me “At work Bill is my boss, but at church I am his boss.” He served as chairman of the deacons and enjoyed the exchange of positions. He, like others, served the church without leadership training and often became dictatorial. Too often lacking understanding of organization, strategic planning, human dynamics, or vision, those deficient in these skills become religious mini-moguls.

Leadership is not a position; it is a function. It is not a title that grants power over others. It is a skill you perform, a service you render for the entire organization or institution.

I saw my father as a genuine man of God. His longest stay was in a small church in the cotton mill section in Nashville. He became something of a padre of the slums. He had no fear of walking through the most dangerous parts of the city. In the first place, he was strong physically as a former blacksmith with great power. In the second place (and most importantly) he was revered by many in the neighborhood as a godly man. It marks a son to know your father is held in that high esteem and regard.

But he was neither an adroit politician, nor an organizational expert. He was a people person who served the Lord and his people, but he struggled with the power plays.

My Mother was the manager. She was a very well-organized person, and I admired her skill, even as a young man. She saved a family of seven from starvation, stretching the $125/month my father made to cover meals (and often others who came to the door). I could see the church “leaders” were woefully lacking the leadership and managerial skills my Mother had.

These experiences convinced me of the value of an orderly way of doing things. I grew up wanting to become a leader – not just to occupy a position, but to perform capably.

This week think about: 1) What leadership traits do I have? 2) How am I developing them and using them for the benefit of others? 3) Who models effective leadership for me?

Words of Wisdom: “Leadership is not a position; it is a function.”

Wisdom from the Word: “If it (the spiritual gift) is leadership, he must do so with diligence;” (Romans 10:8 NET Bible)