Delegate, Don't Dump!

Have you ever had a manager come to you on a Friday evening and gave you a last minute project that had to be done before you could leave for the weekend and then he walked out the door to enjoy his? Maybe you have had a manager that assigned you tasks that belong to her. Well, leading is not dumping. I don't know how many times I have heard the complaint, "I feel like I'm being dumped on," or "Why do I have to do their job?" or “I have been given an assignment with little or no instruction on how to get it done.”

When leaders dump instead of delegate, it demonstrates disrespect for the contributions of the team, and it can lead to dissatisfaction and frustration.  Most good, hard-working people don't mind helping or pitching in to help get a job done for the good of the entire team and organization. Good leaders will never assign a task without first explaining what they want done and without making sure you have the ability to get it done.

Good leaders delegate, they don’t dump!

Leaders who don't lead

I think all of us have either worked for or have observed individuals in leadership positions who don' t lead. Some are reluctant leaders, some are leaders who have been placed in leadership because there was no one else to fill the role. Some individuals have been placed in leadership because they have "time and grade."  I consider this sad because in many cases their failed leadership can have  a negative impact on the people they are to lead.

The  inspiration for this post originated from a conversation I had with a friend who shared a story about a great employee who was literally torn down by a manager who said to her "I thought this team would be a disappointment and I was right."  What this manager failed to remember is that she selected the team she was complaining about. The problem, as I see it, is twofold.

One, she lacked ability to train her team properly in how to do their respective jobs.

Two, the problem is not with her people, but her inability to set the right expectations.

Ultimately, when a team fails, it is not the team that has failed, but the person who is leading.  Leaders who don't lead fall behind, and they can take a lot of good people with them.

Sometimes the ones in the front should be in the back, and the ones in the back should be brought forward.  True leaders lead!

A House Divided Cannot Stand

As a husband and father, I take my leadership role very seriously. I believe that I have the responsibility to lead our household, not as a dictator or an autocrat,  but by serving my family through love, understanding and compassion. It is not about my family serving me.  (No slippers at the door or an iced cold one while I kick back and wait for dinner to be prepared.) Sometimes it may mean that I make dinner or help out with some other task that isn't ordinarily mine.

My wife and I complement each other, each one helping where help is needed and working together for the good of each other and the whole family. For the sake of organization, we have mutually agreed that I should take the leadership of our home. This does not mean that my wife is subservient or that she does not have a leadership role. It just means that for any organization to function, there must be order, and that we each have different roles that enable us to best work together.

In today's society, it seems as though there is a lack of organization, communication, direction, and agreement in the home between husband and wife. This often leads to frustration and a lack of clarity and cohesion for entire families.  The world serves up many influences that can divide families, making it tremendously important for husband and wife to stand united with each other and with their children to take care of one another and support one another. In our family, it is our Christian faith that provides the solid foundation for our unity.

As a leader, I believe my role is to provide a vision for our family, and to support and serve my family. I am also charged with mentoring  my children and with loving each and every one in my family unconditionally.  It is not always easy, and it can be downright inconvenient and frustrating at times, but I believe it is all worth it.

Whether you have a single parent household or a two parent household, your leadership is desperately needed. The effect of your leadership will be felt in your neighborhood, your city, and beyond, possibly for years to come. The question is, will it have a positive or a negative effect?

I don't know about you, but I think household leadership is one of the most important forms of leadership in our society today, and it is being tested like never before.  Are you up to the test?

A house divided cannot stand (Mark 3:25).