Why Leadership Matters

July 21, 2016

Learning From Military Movies

This past Memorial Day, I watched the movie the “Green Beret,” staring John Wayne. In scene after scene, the Duke led his men into and through some very dangerous missions. As I watched the 1968 film, I was reminded that leadership really does make a difference. A little later that day I watched Heart Break Ridge, and again I noticed a leader making a difference.

I said to myself, “Well sure they’d follow, John Wayne. He was their Colonel who commanded them.” That’s true, but the Duke exhibited other relational characteristics that had nothing to do with his rank. In fact, he hand-selected his men, and in so doing demonstrated confidence both in their potential and their abilities. Experiencing the Colonel’s confidence motivated the men to a higher level of performance, because they trusted the Duke and didn’t want to disappoint either the colonel or their fellow soldiers.

Relationships are Key to Leadership

The motivation of the men following John Wayne into battle had very little to do with his position and much more to do with his relationships with them. They were empowered by the Colonel to use their various gifts to help achieve the mission and that helped build trust. Later on, I noticed that the same thing was true of Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge.

In fact, the motivation of the men in Heartbreak Ridge again had very little to do with the position of Clint Eastwood. He played a Marine Gunnery Sergeant, and his success had a great deal to do with his battle tested experience and the relationships he built with the men. He wasn’t the commanding officer of his unit. The men all served under a 1st Lieutenant who was fresh out of college. Fortunately, though the lieutenant allowed Eastwood’s character both to lead and to mentor him. That trust he exhibited allowed them both to complete the missions successfully and for the 1st Lieutenant to become a leader.

In both movies, the missions could not have been accomplished without the contributions of the team members. However, those individuals would not have been anywhere near as effective, apart from the leader who brought them together and developed them into that team.

Leadership in Real Organizations

Well, you might be tempted to think, that may be true in the movies, but in real life it’s different. But is it? Believe me when I say that in my work as a fundraising consultant I’ve seen many organizations that are far more successful when they have leaders who engage the people around them. How does that happen? Just like the Gunnery Sergeant and the Colonel did, those leaders care about the mission, recruit the right people, believe in those people, know how to motivate church members and/or staff and empower them to contribute.

Leadership Lessons from Hollywood

That all sounds simple, but you’d be surprised at how many organizations don’t have leaders who can or even want to do these things. On the contrary, we find many who don’t. Among other things, our company helps churches that are planning for a capital campaign organize and manage the scope of work. We’ve never had a church campaign fail to achieve its goal, but the ones who have struggled getting to the goal often lack the kind of leadership necessary, either in the senior pastor, elders, deacons or parish council members. Of course the Duke and Clint are unique examples, but if you want to lead effectively, a good place to start is to follow their examples.

“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

Why Leadership Matters

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