Committed to Professionalism in Leadership

Written by Kenneth Dobbs

Leadership is not a technique. It is the result of an individual commitment that exemplifies pride and caring. It is not something that a person calls on for special tasks; rather, it is a lifestyle that compels us to do our best. People, churches, and benevolent ministries succeed because they do the right things, not because they do things right. You can do what you do right, but you may be doing the wrong thing.

Ten Characteristics of a Leader

1. An effective leader gives priority to long-term solutions to a problem, rather than a quick fix. Another way of saying it is, don’t put on a temporary bandage. The bandage may cover the problem, but it’s still there. Think and pray and plan steps to change the situation. Our mission gives us passion and patience for the long journey.
2. An effective leader gives priority to risk taking rather than risk avoidance. Be willing to stick your neck out.  If you have leaders in the church who never make mistakes, you don’t have a creative organization. The key is to learn from your mistakes.
3. An effective leader gives priority to creative thinking rather than conformity. Is there a way to solve a problem creatively rather than traditionally? A worn-out excuse for not seeking new and positive ways for implementing change is, “I know how to do this; we’ve always done it this way.” Creative thinking will question why things are done a certain way and work to discover a better way.
4. An effective leader gives priority to decisiveness. A successful leader makes definite decisions with indefinite information. Don’t study until you are paralyzed. Good leaders don’t lose because of wrong decisions; they lose because of indecision.
5. An effective leader gives priority to smart work rather than busy work. We tend to reward people for time and not for productivity and results. The focus is on input and not output. In other words, it is not how much time you put in; it is what you produce. Are you time-oriented or goal- oriented? Don’t mistake activity for results.
6. An effective leader gives priority to simplicity, not complication. Cut the red tape, such as unnecessary forms, reports, meetings, and telephone conversations. Use e-mail and one-sentence notes rather than memos. When you do this, morale and productivity will increase. Good leaders keep things simple and eliminate tasks that are unnecessary. What forms or meetings could be eliminated to make your church or organization less complicated and more efficient?
7. An effective leader gives priority to effective producers, not squeaky joints. Be alert to squeaky joints, but don’t oil them. Rather, offer constructive criticism. As ministry assistants, you are in a position to identify negative thinkers. Staff and church committee members may need your help in overcoming weaknesses and obstacles that slow or hinder progress in reaching ministry goals. You could be the motivation.
8. An effective leader gives priority to doing it right the first time. Set a goal to give 100 percent. Leadership is getting it right, not getting it close. How many good, worthy projects fail because careful attention is not given to details? When you accept a responsibility, as a leader you should gather enough information to accomplish a stated purpose. It takes much more time, energy, and resources to redo a task than it does to do it right the first time.
9. An effective leader gives priority to commitment. You can buy a person’s time, but you cannot buy a person’s heart. There is a correlation between the quality of your work and the work environment. Organizations that count their employees as assets and invest in their welfare will receive loyalty and commitment. Training costs money, but ignorance costs more money.
10. An effective leader gives priority to work that creates interaction. Design some common goals and give attention to the overall ministry of the church; this projects a collective identity. Not one of us is smarter than all of us. Teamwork is essential to success. As a leader, you are to encourage others in their tasks. A helpful way to maintain the necessary level of cooperation among volunteers and coworkers is to remember the power of language:

• The 6 most important words are “I admit I made a mistake.”
• The 5 most important words are “You did a good job.”
• The 4 most important words are “What is your opinion?”
• The 3 most important words are “Let’s work together.”
• The 2 most important words are “Thank you.”
• The 1 most important word is “We.”

We are laborers together with God. Leaders are key people in God’s kingdom. As you fulfill your responsibilities every day, remember that God deserves your best efforts.

Kenneth Dobbs is director, Georgia Baptist Children’s Home, Palmetto, Georgia.

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