Statement of Leadership Style

Statement of Leadership Style

Effective leaders always seek to serve, not to be served. Every challenge presents unique technical and adaptive issues, so my particular approach adapts to the situation. In each case, however, I seek to practice a few core principles:
  • All leadership is relational, measured by how you treat those for whom you have responsibility and those who disagree with or oppose you. There is no substitute for integrity and kindness.
  • Leadership is a function of trust. Trust is accorded through consistent, fair, transparent, and accountable processes. Healthy processes make healthy organizations.
  • A leader practices self-differentiation, and maintains clear boundaries for personal and organizational behavior.
  • Leadership is less about personal success than empowering others to succeed.
  • A leader does not impose a vision on an organization, but assists it to discover and to claim a vision based on its own identity and mission; but even a compelling vision will founder without thorough planning and communication.
  • A leader must be confident and courageous enough to know and to do what is right and true, but must be humble enough to recognize that such knowledge often comes from the discipline of listening to others.
  • I once heard a candidate for church-wide office describe his personnel management style this way: “no secrets, no surprises, no subversion, and lots of support.” I think that is a pretty good model.