Leadership Solutions Newsletter

January 2010

This humble consulting firm is excited to announce that God has taken us outside the United States and across the Pacific to Cambodia. Merle traveled to Cambodia this past October to formally begin designing a leadership development program for a network of more than eight hundred Christian churches in cooperation with Agape International Missions (AIM).

The purpose of this trip was to learn more about the culture, build relationships, conduct a needs assessment, meet pastors in different towns around Cambodia, learn more about training in that culture, and discuss the program with a group of nationals who are potential trainers. The trip proved to be an awesome experience, with a variety of unexpected outcomes. Three examples include:

An opportunity to speak with two large groups of army soldiers.

To meet a gifted translator, Sophy Mong, who agreed to assist with this project.

To attend a celebration involving five young girls who were rescued from years of forced sexual slavery and who have completed a restoration program operated by AIM. These girls had completed the first two weeks of training to operate a coffee shop/bakery. It was so exciting to see these young girls who now have hope, and upon completion of the training program will be able to support themselves by running this business. The cake and coffee was very good too!

Merle has completed a course outline draft. Upon approval, Merle will begin developing the training and will be sending sections to Cambodia. Sophy will translate the material and forward it to the training cadre. These individuals will review the material for cultural fit. Changes will be made, as appropriate.

Merle anticipates returning to Cambodia in mid-April to conduct a two-week train-the-trainer. The course is designed to be challenging, preparing the training cadre to roll this training material out through the network of churches. Several additional trips are anticipated in 2010 to coach, support, and assist this training cadre.

More information and a brochure about this project can be accessed by clicking AIM4Leadership. Prayer and financial support is needed and appreciated!

5 WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM A 360-DEGREE FEEDBACK

In my leadership training, I find that the majority of people in leadership positions have never received 360-Degree Feedback. For some, it may be that their organization does not have the capability to provide 360-Degree Feedback. For some, it may be that the culture discourages asking employees for feedback, while for others it may be the fear of hearing what they dont want to hear. Below are five ways you can benefit from 360-Degree Feedback.

1. 360-Degree Feedback provides answers to the vital self-management question, "How am I doing?" As leaders rise in the hierarchy, they receive less and less honest information about themselves, 360-Degree Feedback can provide them with the information they need to take corrective action.

2. Asking for 360-Degree Feedback is a mechanism for continuous improvement. For leaders to apply that notion to themselves; and serve as models for others, they must have reliable, valid, and timely information on how they are perceived.

3. The use of 360-Degree Feedback can help leaders validate their self-perceptions. They need honest feedback from others to test their own understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

4. It has been observed that people are the only animals capable of self-deception. We need 360-Degree Feedback from trusted others in order to ensure that we are viewing ourselves realistically.

5. Perhaps most important, 360-Degree Feedback gets organizations to invest in the effectiveness of leaders. Soliciting feedback from bosses, peers, subordinates, customers, and others actively involves them in a process of improvement; they are more likely to support leaders who ask for feedback, act on it, and follow through with them afterwards.

I was a young supervisor the first time I employed this concept. I found my perception was the same in some cases and higher or lower in others. However, as a result of the feedback, I consciously began working to close the gap where my staffs perspective was lower than mine. Over the years, I took advantage of 360-Degree Feedback and experienced better results as a leader. Is it time for you do get 360-Degree Feedback and improve your leadership? We can helpgive us a call today at               (916) 788-1094         (916) 788-1094.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS

As I teach this topic, I often ask people if they have ever worked on a high performing team. Unfortunately, most have not had such an opportunity. I have and it is FUN! I loved going to work wondering what the team would accomplish that day. Here is a list of characteristics associated with high performing teams. Place a check in the boxes that you feel your team possesses.

* Commitment
* Goal oriented
* Cooperative
* Synergistic
* Have necessary skillscompetencies for the task at hand
* Effective team leadership
* Understanding their roles and responsibilities
* Team supporting processes in place, such decision-making and conflict resolution skills
* Buy into continuous improvement
* Volunteer mindset
* Trust in the team

Team Learning activity Using a scale of one to six (where one is strongly agree and six is strongly disagree), ask your team members to what extent they believe the team possesses these characteristics. For those items where the collective score is less than five, consider prioritizing them and taking steps to enhance these characteristics.

CHARACTER AND HUMILITYA LESSON FROM THE LIONS DEN

In the Old Testament, Book of Daniel, we read of a young Jewish exile taken to Babylon in about 530 B.C. In Daniel, we find an example of character, humility, and dedicated service to God, as well as to his employer.

The king had a dilemma and he calls upon his advisory staff to help him, but none of them could help. The king is so furious that he decided to have them killedwow, thats some kind of motivation! Daniel, however, approaches the king and asks for a one-day stay of execution in order to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery (2:18). God answers Daniels plea and gives him wisdom to figure out the mystery. As Daniel meets with the king, Daniel doesnt take credit for understanding the mystery, but gives the credit to God saying, There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries (2:28).

The king responded by giving Daniel a bonus and promoting him to a high administrative position, making him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and plac(ing) him in charge of all its wise men (2:48). Nice promotion!

Babylon was conquered some years later and Darius the Mede took over (5:31). You knowa corporate takeover! The new ruler appointed Daniel as one of three administrators over the kingdom and charged him with holding lower level officials accountable in order to protect the kings interests (6:2).

Some of these officials didnt like this new arrangement. Heres what they concluded about Daniel:

the administratorstried to find grounds for charges again Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally, these men said, We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God. (6:4-5)

These administrators convinced the king to pass legislation that required all people to worship only the king for thirty daysever work for a boss that wished for this? Violators were to be thrown into a lions den (v. 7). When Daniel went to pray, these administrators caught him and reported his action to the king; demanding that Daniel be thrown to the lions (v. 10-11, 15).

Daniel was put into the lions den, but in the words of Daniel, My god sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king (v. 21-22). Those who had sought the demise of Daniel ended up in the lions den themselves without the protection of an angelgulp (v. 24).

In Chapter 9, Daniel sought to understand the Scriptures. He turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes (9:3). In Biblical times, fasting and dressing in sackclotha kind of burlapand placing ashes on themselves was an extreme act of humility. Even today, the spiritual discipline of fasting is considered a way to humble oneself before God.

In Chapter 10, Daniel had an encounter with an angel who came in response to his prayers. The angel commented to Daniel, Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them (10:12). Wow, Daniels prayers were heardand answered.

In summary, we learn the following lessons about Daniel.

He had strong religious convictions and remained true to them in spite of temptation and opposition.

He turned to God for wisdom and understanding to deal with personal and professional challenges.

He acknowledged God as the source of his wisdom and insight.

He was a man of character; being trustworthy and competent, while avoiding corruption.

Daniel has always been a source of inspiration and encouragement. I often feel like I need wisdom beyond what I naturally possess.

There are still those who resent men and women with characterat a time when character is so important to restoring trust and confidence in the marketplace. Do you know anyone like that?

How about you? Do you possess character and competence? To whom or to what do you turn for wisdom and insight? We can benefit by taking time to assess our leadership and setting goals to improve our character and competence.