Are You a Leader? Or a Functionary?
One of my objectives at Canyon Ridge is the development of a robust leadership culture. That objective informs the way we identify, recruit and develop coaches. It also gives focus to the development of our leadership pathway.
The pursuit of the development of a robust leadership culture has added a theme to my reading this year. Two great additions to my reading list have been John Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and A Year with Peter Drucker: 52 Weeks of Coaching for Leadership Effectiveness.
Last week, a line from A Year with Peter Drucker grabbed my attention and won't let go.
"A focus on mission and purpose and the creation of trust are among the key differences between effective leaders and functionaries."
I think what caught hold of my attention was the importance of the creation of trust. Drucker went on to define trust as "the conviction that a leader means what she says. It is a belief in integrity. A leader's actions and a leader's professed beliefs must be congruent. Effective leadership...is not based on being clever; it is based primarily on being consistent."
Oh my. I believe most of us are focused on mission and purpose. We as a tribe are quite passionate about connecting unconnected people and making disciples. But are we as focused on the creation of trust? Am I?
What if the creation of trust is the key differentiator between a leader and a functionary?
See also, Laying the Foundation for a Leadership Culture and My Most Intriguing and Haunting Takeaway from re:group.
Image by Alden Chadwick
