Thursday, June 2, 2011
"Leadership" in Winning by Jack Welch, pgs. 61-80
In this chapter, Jack Welch offers two important principles concerning leadership: (1) Live the Vision, and (2) Celebrate Followers.
Welch believes that it is not only a leader's job to conceptualize the vision of an organization, but also to get followers passionately excited about the vision. A leader must consistently and creatively instill the vision within the followers DNA. So much so, Welch claims, that your followers should be able to communicate the organization's vision in the middle of the night when they are half awake (pg.67). Not only must vision be communicated to the core leaders, but to every member of the organization. A vision will not produce transformation within an organization until the entire organization both internalizes and is excited about the vision. In order for this to occur, Welch believes that the leader must always be talking about the organization's vision, "[even] to the point of gagging."
In addition to vision, Welch also discusses the importance of leaders celebrating their followers. According to Welch, a leader must consistently ask the following question: "Do we celebrate enough?" (pg.78). Leaders who regularly celebrate their followers "create an atmosphere of recognition and positive energy" (pg.79). In my opinion, followers who are genuinely celebrated will feel valued and appreciated. Moreover, they will likely be more effective and loyal employees/volunteers. As a leader in your context of ministry, how effective are you at communicating your vision with passion and consistency? How do you create opportunities to celebrate the achievements of your followers?
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I think that I communicate my vision with great passion and consistency. I have not felt like I lacked excitement or vigor when sharing those things that I care about. I have found that the challenge for me is finding the vision that I care deeply about. I suppose when it comes to consistency, I am not as strong. I believe this is because I can, at times, be uncertain of my vision. At the time I am expressing it, I am usually confident. When I come across another successful ministry or church, I wonder if I should adopt what they are saving. There are so many strong visions.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to celebrating others, I feel that I do a good job with this. My personality very easily sees the positives and strengths in others. It comes quite naturally for me to express these things to those that I lead and serve with. The challenge for me is to celebrate someone who has hurt me in some way or attacked me personally. I know in the church this will happen. The challenge will be to have found my identity completely in him and hear his words of encouragement.