Several weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting a man I think is one of the greatest communicators and leaders I have ever known. Getting to meet him personally was a great honor. And his personal humility was refreshing. During our brief conversation, he asked me “What leadership books should I be reading that I haven’t read yet?”
I didn't give a very good answer at the moment, but I thought about it for a couple of days and then sent an email to a member of his leadership team.
It’s a pretty good list for all of us who are interested in leadership, so I thought I would share it with you as well.
One of the best "spiritual" leadership books I have ever read is J.I. Packer's book on Nehemiah, Passion for Faithfulness: Wisdom from the Book of Nehemiah. The intro was challenging, but when he gets into the book of Nehemiah it is great!
Other "spiritual" leadership book recommendations:
Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
Reggie McNeal, A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders
One of the best leadership books ever is Ron Heifetz and Martin Linsky, Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading. He has an interesting framework based on a distinction between technical problems and adaptive challenges. A technical problem exists where the problem is identified, the solution is known, and the leader provides the answer. An adaptive challenge exists when we have to learn our way to understanding the problem, learn our way to the solution, and the locus of the solution is the people with the problem. The leader's job is to facilitate the adaptive work. The last part of this book is the best treatment I have seen on what leader's need to do to guard their hearts and stay in the game.
Finally, if y'all haven't read The Arbinger Group's Leadership and Self-Deception, I highly recommend it as well. It's a fable, like Lencioni's stuff. Really good.
That was the original list I sent. With several weeks of additional thought I would also add:
Bill Hybels, The Courageous Leader
Andy Stanley, Visioneering and The Next Generation Leader
Craig Groeschel, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It
Let me know when you finish this list and I will give you some additional recommendations.
As I tell my students: Read Early; Read Often!
(kind of like voting in Chicago!)
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Languages of Appreciation
For several years I have taught The 5 Love Languages as part of the various marriage classes I have developed. I always thought there was an application for this material in the workplace. Well, I guess I was right because Gary Chapman and Paul White recently published The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.
Their book is based on the 5 Love Languages framework and focuses on a need we all have: the need to be appreciated. We can understand this by placing it in the context of the various need theories of motivation we teach in Organizational Behavior courses. You're probably familiar with one of these models: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. According to these models, a need is any perceived psychological or physiological deficiency. When we experience a deficiency, our behavior is driven to eliminate that deficiency. When the need is met, it no longer motivates our behavior.
Unlike the needs in Maslow's hierarchy that go away when they are satisfied, I think the need to be appreciated remains constant. But like feeling loved, each of us has our own unique way that we want that appreciation expressed. Successful leaders understand this and work hard to understand the "appreciation language" of their followers. In fact, these leaders become students of their followers and customize the way they express their appreciation.
So what are the 5 Languages of Appreciation?
1. Words of Affirmation: These can be expressed verbally or in handwritten notes.
2. Quality Time: Spending time with the person, asking - and actually listening to the their response - how they're doing, just dropping by their office and giving them focused attention.
3. Acts of Service: This would include pitching in to help on a project or sharing the load on an important deadline-driven assignment.
4. Tangible Gifts: Rather than generic awards and plaques, these gifts should be customized for the individual. What would be meaningful to them? Concert tickets to see their favorite band; World Series Tickets
5. Physical Touch: Chapman and White downplay this one for the workplace -for obvious reasons.
As with the Love Languages, we tend to default to our own preferred language when expressing appreciation (or love). If I am going to be effective in communicating my appreciation - and by effective I mean in a way that my appreciation is really felt by the recipient - then I must communicate in their language.
That may mean that I need to get out of my comfort zone, and that's OK, because leadership is not about me.
Their book is based on the 5 Love Languages framework and focuses on a need we all have: the need to be appreciated. We can understand this by placing it in the context of the various need theories of motivation we teach in Organizational Behavior courses. You're probably familiar with one of these models: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. According to these models, a need is any perceived psychological or physiological deficiency. When we experience a deficiency, our behavior is driven to eliminate that deficiency. When the need is met, it no longer motivates our behavior.
Unlike the needs in Maslow's hierarchy that go away when they are satisfied, I think the need to be appreciated remains constant. But like feeling loved, each of us has our own unique way that we want that appreciation expressed. Successful leaders understand this and work hard to understand the "appreciation language" of their followers. In fact, these leaders become students of their followers and customize the way they express their appreciation.
So what are the 5 Languages of Appreciation?
1. Words of Affirmation: These can be expressed verbally or in handwritten notes.
2. Quality Time: Spending time with the person, asking - and actually listening to the their response - how they're doing, just dropping by their office and giving them focused attention.
3. Acts of Service: This would include pitching in to help on a project or sharing the load on an important deadline-driven assignment.
4. Tangible Gifts: Rather than generic awards and plaques, these gifts should be customized for the individual. What would be meaningful to them? Concert tickets to see their favorite band; World Series Tickets
5. Physical Touch: Chapman and White downplay this one for the workplace -for obvious reasons.
As with the Love Languages, we tend to default to our own preferred language when expressing appreciation (or love). If I am going to be effective in communicating my appreciation - and by effective I mean in a way that my appreciation is really felt by the recipient - then I must communicate in their language.
That may mean that I need to get out of my comfort zone, and that's OK, because leadership is not about me.
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