Masters of Leadership

How are we leading?

It is always funny how when I talk about my wife Janice Wright the first mention is that she’s a certified John Maxwell Leadership trainer. I have always been fascinated by leadership. I remember trying categorize all of the forms of leadership; Leadership by example, Leadership by influence and leadership by directive or proclamation. Leadership by example is the most utilized, that is what you do by training in sports or on the job training….etc. Then there is Leadership by influence, which is where you have established enough credibility where you have authority because you have proven yourself with the fruit on the tree. Then there is Leadership by Discernment where you take the time to actually get to know someone and tailor your instruction to meet their manner of learning or acceptance and communicate with them in that manner. Leadership by directive or proclamation is like the military’s UCMJ or the Ten Commandments. This type of leadership is used when the individual with the knowledge isn’t around to lead by example. So there are a couple of issues with it, first it is left up to interpretation and people can modify it according to their understanding of the wording. It is good for self-starters, people with initiative. They use the rules to keep them between the shoulders so to speak. The challenge I always noticed while I was in the military is that people considered the UCMJ as the baseline minimum requirements to not be punished and that is all that they would do.

 

I love Toastmasters but I have also seen clubs bend the rules/guidelines so much they the members either don’t get the full benefit of Table Topics for example or they are to ridged when it comes to the discretion of the Toastmaster in setting up the theme of the meeting or introduction of the speakers. It works best to have someone who knows the flow and provides an example of how the guidelines or directive have to be followed.

Usually leadership by Influence has to be witnessed and deemed effective by someone else who will edify the leader. I have seen this many times with sales trainers. It creates an expectation that the leader is going to say something that can completely change your outcome. This can work without taking the time to actually discover the needs and expectations of your audience. Have a level of desire and expectations which they looking for a clue in the information the leader is imparting on them they will use as a road sign to point them in the right direction that they can stand on the gas and go full speed in that direction towards success.

I have witnessed awesome leaders in the Navy SEALs who had the fruit on the tree as far as respect and recognition, you knew they knew what they were doing because of the respect they were given with their area of expertise and they would show how good they were at it too. They used leadership by directive very well, their directive and you had no other choice but to do things their way or else! Not too many of them exercised leadership by discernment. They didn’t care what your dreams, needs or desires were except to keep them off of your back.

If you don’t have that kind of clout to make someone do what they are supposed to do or the fruit on the tree giving you influence you can get it through discernment by really caring enough about whoever you are trying to lead and by listening you can figure out exactly what they want or need and even exactly how they desire to obtain it. Once you show someone how to get what they are asking for they will accept your leadership. Both my wife Janice Wright and my son Devin Lowing are masterful at this.

Devin on his job with Solar City in San Diego has an uncanny ability to get people who initially say “No” to say “Yes”. Gets them to tell him why they are saying no then he explains how whatever issue they have a concern about can be solved. Then they have to have it.

Janice is pleasant, serving and she listens. People open up to her and she puts her heart into getting what it is that they need. She is patient and comforting making them feel good about her and then she either gives them what they are asking for, shows them how and where they can get it or lets them know that she is in the business of making it happen for them. It is really her example of being warm, comforting and understanding and then she pulls out her knowledge and competence on top of that. I had to have her in my life.

It is one thing to understanding these methods of leadership, it is another thing to put them in effect and you become a master leader when you know how and when to use them all. In the Bible on the Ten Commandments is where “Leadership by Directive” is used. The rest of the bible is leadership by example by the stories of those with faith and some example of leadership by discernment by Ruth and Ester and especially by Jesus Christ and Apostle Paul use every form of leadership and what is ideal.