Resource Management Innovations

A Crisis of Credibility: An Open Letter to Leadership

Let me acknowledge from the outset that there is no science in my conclusions … but there is a general malaise in anything that originates from behind a podium. And lest politicians feel as though they are disproportionate fodder for late night comedy stand-up routines … I see no evidence of a distinction in orthodoxy vs orthopraxy in our churches or parliaments. Neither in business nor education. In the family or in the community.  It has long since been a source of derisive humor in our home that the behavior we see demonstrated during Question Period in our own House of Commons on Parliament Hill would not be acceptable at the dinner table … regardless of whether guests were present or not. That measure of disrespect would not be acceptable as a demonstrated commitment to family. Simply, words and their resultant behavior do matter.

 

 

In the news just this week, we question the behavior of (a host of) presidential candidates, senators, congressman, athletic coaching staff, investment bankers, commissioned military and police officers ... and most regrettable of all, at the local community level … the ever growing tawdry laundry list of the criminal behavior of our church 'leaders'. It seems from macro to micro, from the federal to the municipal … the credibility of those in positions of leadership is in crisis. In fact, the governance model for oversight is broken.

Is it any wonder then that ‘we’ have lost faith in our institutions and the individuals who govern them? One of the filters that has stood the test of time regarding the authenticity of leadership is, credibility. Is the audio in sync with the video? Lest you think this unfair, let’s look at marital fidelity statistics and the influences behind separation. What were the drivers of broken trust? What in contrast would the drivers of loyalty be? How is it that something approaching 50% of these relationships fail … which is roughly equivalent to the failure rate of seminary students by year #4 … serving in a parish.

Leadership and its resulting credibility is not the result of position or title. It is an activity. It is a lifestyle. It is not a once for all time event or lone occurrence but a pilgrimage over time. It is earned. Hard, earned. It can also be lost in a single act of indiscretion. If in fact credibility is something we truly value and seek to find in those we elect to authority over us, we need to make some fundamental behavioral commitments.

For example;

• I will do what I say.
• I will live what I teach.
• I will be honest with myself and others.
• I will put what is best for others ahead of what is best for me.

And,

• I will be transparent, authentic, genuine and vulnerable.

If those around me had license to speak their observations into my life, indeed it was expected of them, and knowing others were watching with license to report back … might that affect my behavioral decision making? When my son Daniel was born, my dad gave me some very wise counsel that has stuck with me and shadows my day some 27 years later. He advised that “A careful man I must be, because a little man follows me.” It is Daniel’s character development that is a personal accountability of mine. Here is one that just haunts me;

‘The theological and relational disregard that flows from the institutionalized church (which is not an original design flaw by the way … but rather, what we have made it) … whose main habit being the bench warmers rejecting God’s call on them to mutually participate and build up when they gather (and in between) … instead they hire acedmics to do all the thinking, visioning, watching, teaching, organizing etc for them. It is a 90% outsource of God’s call on their lives … to hired men. This in itself producing a ‘crisis of credibility’ to the churches witness in a community’.

 

I am reminded of the Palestinian model of shepherding. One that scripture uses to model effective leadership. The shepherding model is NOT one of getting behind the flock and driving them as we would cattle. That would simply (and we see this modeled all too frequently) scatter the community. The model is one of going on ahead, living a life of integrity, resulting from earned trust … which is why the community is inclined to ‘listen to the shepherds voice’ to begin with. The community will flee from, be repelled by (in good judgment, from learned experience) a voice they do not recognize. It is humbling to consider there is a life lesson to be learned from sheep: (John 10). It does however speak to the interdependent relationship we desire to have with those charged with a shepherding relationship over us. Hey! There is an idea! What if …

What if ... we could learn to recognize a shepherd? A trustworthy shepherd. Well you know what? We can. This came to me way too late in life, and only as a result of broken trust. A result of my own unconscious incompetence. Please, for the sake of the little women and men who follow you … and maybe more importantly who you take your instruction from, consider this as an inventory of required and demonstrated shepherd gifting, before you (I / we) dutifully tug the forelock and follow someone simply because they hold the position, but may not hold the qualifications. Please give these two thoughts some opportunity for practical application:

Thought One: You will recognize a good tree by its fruit (Matthew 7: 15 – 23)

The primary consideration here is that, seemingly ageless … that folks have been presenting themselves to be something they are not for a very, very long time. So it is ‘my’ responsibility to be able to discern those who bear ‘good fruit.’ Not what they say … but rather by what they do. Is the video and audio in sync? OK, so what’s the fruit? Well, we just happen to have been given an inventory of that as well … ‘lest we be deceived.’

Thought Two: OK … so what’s the fruit (Galatians 5: 16-26)

What do you suppose it would be like to follow a shepherd who demonstrated a life of: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.’ If you think those characteristics might be inconsistent with leadership and authority … I can tell you from personal experience that I have worked for and reported to:

• A Regimental Sergeant Major,
• An Airborne Jump Master,
• A Father and Grandfather, as well as
• Several private sector supervisors and managers, who have consistently and intentionally demonstrated those mature, required, leadership gifts.

Isn't it the absence of them we recognize all too late? Isn't it the absence, that disappoints?

There was / is no common denominator as to where you will find the qualified vs the unqualified … but they will both be found in all of the organisms and organizations where we seek them. Our job, is to be able to recognize them when we find them … and to flee from those whose video and audio just don’t synch up.

If we have been misled, we at least share in the responsibility for having done so. Get yourself equipped … be able to recognize the shepherds from the wanna-be’s (cause there seems to be good money in deception) … and lets ‘You and Me’ bring back the integrity and credibility that we so earnestly desire. It’s not too late. If only, for the little woman and little man who follow us. 

 

 

I now have a leadership filter to take to market. Let's you and I pledge to becoming more effective Fruit-Inspectors. Time to take a quiet inventory. 

Cheers;

Rick@RMI
 

Posted By: Rick Kneeshaw 2011/11/12
Categories: Leadership and Management