Three Questions Leaders Must Answer

December 30, 2016

Pearls of Wisdom

Recently I found some “pearls of wisdom” online under the heading of leadership: “When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.” It reminded me of a boss or two that I’ve had during my career, but it didn’t really speak to leadership.

Another pearl said, “When in charge, ponder. When in trouble, delegate. When in doubt, mumble.” The mumbling part reminded me of a few Congressmen. However, this too said little about leadership. When people evaluate a leader they are generally trying to answer three questions.

3 Important Questions

First, is the leader credible? Credibility comes from honesty, consistently keeping your promises and acting with integrity. Consider that the stated core values of ENRON were respect, integrity, communication and excellence. Certainly those are admirable, but problems came from their practices not being aligned with their values. That’s what leaders do. They align their own practices with the core values and hold everyone else accountable for doing the same.

But credibility also comes from demonstrating that leaders care about others. My son-in-law was a pilot in the Marines, deployed to Okinawa. My daughter set their wedding date for a month after he was to return. Unfortunately, some issues escalated there, so his deployment was extended. His Colonel knew Brian planned to be married, so he told him to go on with his wedding plans. The Colonel then made special arrangements to get him home. He didn’t have to do that, but when he did, it certainly elevated his credibility with the men in his command.

Second, is the leader competent? Followers need confidence that leaders know what they’re talking about, that they’re experienced and have put in the time. This is true in nonprofit fundraising organizations as well as multinational corporations. One of the best pure shooters I ever coached took about 400 shots daily. A study of 20-year old violinists showed that the very top performers averaged 10,000 hours of practice, while the next best performers averaged 7500 hours. Warren Buffet is reported to spend weeks of long hours studying the financial statements of potential investments. All of these people have achieved competence by putting in the hours. Followers expect that from leaders.

Third, is the leader committed? Greatness and excellence require commitment to a worthy cause beyond one’s self, something with meaning that serves others and transcends circumstances. However, commitment is proven, not just by saying that you serve a worthy cause, but by demonstrating it through your actions. Police officers and firemen consistently say that they are committed to protecting the people of their communities. However, the NYPD and NYFD teams proved their commitment through their actions on 9/11, as many gave their lives to save others.

People want to know that leaders are committed to sacrificing their own self-interest in favor of a greater purpose. In the 3rd century a terrible plague devastated Rome with about 5,000 people dying daily. While many people fled Rome, Christians went towards the city to minister to the sick and dying. This clearly demonstrated their commitment to a higher calling.

Level 5 Leaders

In Good to Great, Jim Collins discussed level 5 leaders as ones who have a combination of personal humility and fierce resolve to achieve the goals. Translated that means it’s not just about the leader; it’s about the company, the goals and the people involved. These truths apply to fundraising, church growth and corporate sustainability.

When leaders demonstrate that they are credible, competent and committed, success is not far away!

“I really support The Covenant Group’s strategic planning process because their approach encourages staff-based support with board buy-in, and I felt that was important given what we were trying to achieve. The outcome is an effective plan that builds consensus and provides a clear sense of direction.”
- Jennifer Scott, Director of Development - The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

“The Covenant Group is highly competent, very experienced and knowledgeable. They provided a broad perspective by equipping us with useful data…and best practices in the field. All in all, they are excellent.”
- Dan Jones, CEO - 21st Century Parks

“The campaign has truly been a miracle. People were committed from the beginning, but…even raising $650,000 seemed like a stretch. To nearly double that amount is incredible! When the plan they developed allows you to hit a goal like that, it builds such a sense of community. The momentum built by the campaign is spilling outside the walls of our church and benefiting others in the process.”
-Father John Hollowell - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

“For those of us who don’t do this everyday, The Covenant Group instilled confidence in us. They helped us get through the fear and apprehension by providing us with a process, training and motivation. They taught us and helped us plan in a way that was for the better. We have built lasting relationships with donors and we will continue to steward these relationships long into the future.”
- Sue Finke, Director of Institutional Advancement - Covington Catholic High School

“No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results. People stand around talking more than they did before the campaign. There is also a renewed and energized spirit among the parishioners. It’s the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
- Gary Libs, Campaign Co-Chair - St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church

“The Covenant Group’s process involved a lot of people in our congregation doing small tasks … that built ownership. They took our vision and put it into a concrete plan. They helped us understand the importance of making our vision clear and laid out the steps to make the vision a reality. Their process built consensus and showed people how they could help. Their methods are based on a solid theological foundation that includes key documents, prayer support, and requisite training … all of which were invaluable.”
- Daniel Montgomery, Pastor - Sojourn Community Church

“Everything The Covenant Group did to help us…in the initial stages was helpful…the development of the case statement; our materials; the training of our Board members; strategies; all these steps laid the foundation for eventual success. They brought such a high level of professionalism, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of integrity and success… just being associated with The Covenant Group helped us.”
- Nancy Doctor, Development Director - Wellspring

“The structure The Covenant Group provided was excellent. It allowed our members to use their God-given talents to benefit the church community They helped us develop a plan and identify key leadership candidates to chair the effort, as well as engaging between 80 to 100 people to carry out the work of the campaign. It was truly a whole congregation effort and The Covenant Group helped facilitate that. They helped us reach our full potential as a congregation.”
- Ron Poisel, Pastor - Christ Lutheran Church

Three Questions Leaders Must Answer

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