Weekly Thought – February 4, 2025
Fred appreciated talented leadership. He studied them, and spent time associating with strong men and women always learning. He particularly liked the thinking of Max DePree, founder of Herman Miller Furniture Company and author of Leadership Jazz. Fred often quoted DePree: “The number one responsibility of top management is to define reality.”
Following the Mandate
Once the leader defines reality, sets the vision, and gathers a consensus around the mission the organization can move forward with the mandate: “designing programs, recruiting, culture, and an operational strategy. It is key to decide what the business or ministry will and will not do.
1) Loyalty to the mandate, not the leader is critical. The leader must say “I am subservient to the mandate; you don’t serve me. Your job isn’t to make me happy. And don’t keep me in charge unless I fulfill the mandate.”
2) Narrow the focus. There needs to be specificity in the mandate. It should not be possible to interpret a mandate except in a narrow sense. That discipline enables the leader to set boundaries within which programs are developed.
3) Create the right team. When a leader is sure of the mandate, he or she can create a more effective team. The proper team can generally be selected by the fit with the mandate.
4) Call is different from mandate. Mandate is institutional; calling is personal. A leader needs to have a clear sense of call and the dedication to serve effectively. A continuing measure of a leader’s call against the organizational mandate ensures the proper fit.
As leaders think about the mandate for their organizations, they should remember: the simplest way it can be accomplished is the most effective. Organizations tend to let what they do become too complicated. Albert Einstein once said, “God does what He does in its simplest form.” Einstein again counseled “Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
Define the reality and bring it to life.
This week stop to think about: 1) Where do I tend to move from simplicity? 2) How clear am I on the difference between my personal calling and my organization’s mandate? 3) Who models putting ego satisfaction away?
Words of Wisdom: “Call is different from mandate. Call is personal; mandate is institutional.”
Wisdom from the Word: “I heard the voice of the Lord say, ‘Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?’ I answered, ‘Here I am, send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8 NET Bible)