Most Top Level Leaders Have This 1 Thing in Common.
In my limited experience, one of the greatest things that strong leaders I know have in common is this:THEY ARE GREAT COMMUNICATORS.
I am not talking about speaking communication from a stage, etc. I am talking about communicating across the hundreds of needs, requests, and demands they are swamped with.
1. I am amazed that people cannot return or reply to simple e-mail. [I generally return an e-mail the same day and believe we should all strive for that courtesy. If non-urgent, within 24 hours.]
2. I am amazed that people cannot reply to a twitter or facebook thread. [How hard is it to hit REPLY? I work hard on twitter and facebook to not "selectively" reply. If you are that important, get a fan page:]
3. I am amazed people cannot return phone calls and/or texts. I now use google voice to have my voicemails transcribed to e-mail and sent to my inbox. [Are we that important and is the person that non- important?]
4. I am amazed at the lack of thanks offered. [Cards, calls, verbal, etc.]
I am not saying we need to put our prayer, study, family and other things ahead of communication [Mark Batterson talks well of e-mail addiction, and I used to have a very hard time with it as well], but if you want to be a top level leader, you will figure this piece out and keep it healthy. And I am not saying I am 100% on this either, but dang, we have to address this mess.
**I have a habit to keep my inbox clear at all times. If I have an e-mail that is a task, I assign it or put it into my gmail task list.
**When I head out for a drive, I take my call list.
**I check e-mail during different times of the day, I make calls during the afternoon only unless urgent, and I generally check twitter and facebook in the morning and evening, sometimes more often when I need a little "break" during the day. That can be an addiction as well. And I don't do applications, games, etc. I actually block those because of time constraints.
**If all else fails, hire someone to HELP YOU! But don't be so important that you can't sign your own cards of thanks! We know when you assistant signs your cards, etc. and that is tacky.
The busiest of the top leaders are busy for a reason, and they have their hands in a million things, but this one characteristic seems very consistent across the board.
The same holds true of those who are not as top-level [but you can be disciplined to get there...key word: discipline]. They seem to not be as concerned with communicating, which I believe is a top key to any relationship, vision or mission. Nothing is more frustrating than lack of communication.
If you want to go to this next level as a leader, these things you must do.
Have you noticed the same in whatever career God has placed you?
Labels: Church Leadership
posted by chazzdaddy @ Monday, December 07, 2009
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