It's easy to think a person isn't capable of doing more than what they're doing now. People make mistakes and it might appear that they can't handle what they're doing now. We can't conceive of giving a person more responsibility. If they stumble while they're walking, forget trying to push them into a run.
However, if you've been involved with raising kids, you know that kids get past their current competencies and develop new ones. As a parent, you have to push them a little bit. I had a staff member who was pretty good at his current job. We needed a little more strategic thinking in the position. So, I challenged him to take on a project that stretched him a little bit in that direction. I coached him through it. Let him provide feedback as to what was working or not. Stretching him a bit more, he completed the project. Then we moved onto the next little-bit-larger-scale project. Stretch, complete. "Rinse and repeat," as the shower bottle advises.
Just like teaching to swim or ride a bike, you don't push kids "out there" without thinking you might have to jump into the water to get them out if they flounder too much, or grab the bike again to steady them if the wobbling becomes too severe. With our teams, we need to make sure they're still going in the right direction and aren't going to hurt themselves too badly. It's okay to fall into the grass, just not on the pavement. It's okay to suck a little water down, just don't breathe it. We can learn from the little mistakes, and we get better as we learn. We develop those new competencies.
Today, or someday soon, find an opportunity to build another competency in a person who seems limited in their abilities.
For C12 and Truth@Work members, the apostles knew that the young congregations couldn't chew spiritual "meat" (i.e. get into the meatier theologies and devotional acts of discipleship) right away. However, they also encouraged those early churches to get past the "milk" after a while. Look at Hebrews 6 as Barnabbas (or whoever was the writer) leads his readers from the basic understandings into heavier issues of a new covenant, Christ's eternal priesthood, etc.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Servant Leadership Practice--Teach Another
Not everyone is a teacher or a coach, but we can be responsible for teaching moments and not ignore them. A good friend, consultant and speaker, John Behrends, told me that we don't train people. We train animals. People, we educate because we tell them the purpose behind what they are to do.
I have done education sessions at work with the whole company, a small task-force, and teams. More often, I find myself teaching in one-on-one sessions. When the Accounts Payable clerk asks about whether we should deduct from a certain invoice, I will coach her through the answer. I will then ask if she wants to understand the rationale behind the conclusion we reached and how it might apply to other situations. She might say, "No, not at this time, but later, because I want to get this processed while I remember what we decided" or "I think I understand what we'd do in a similar situation" or "Sure." Then we'd talk about and how different circumstances might change the conclusion. These kinds of moments happen a lot.
Not only are they helpful to your staff, but they can reduce the number of interruptions you have in a day--whether they come through an open door, catch you in the hallway, or send you an email. They feel better about their job, feel more responsible, feel like they're contributing to the organization's success, and don't feel so stupid because they have to ask you a "hundred" questions every day.
Today, teach someone. Recognize the teachable moment and build someone up.
For C12 and Truth@Work members, Jesus' goal was to create disciples who were clones of himself. A disciple was thought capable of doing everything the rabbi could do with enough training. Our task is to work ourselves out of job so that the organization can run without us. You can take that long vacation without having to worry, or check your emails every hour. Like it says in Romans 12, there are many members that make up the body. So too, your organization is made up of many people with many gifts. Don't let them be wasted because they can't function effectively and efficiently. Teach them.
I have done education sessions at work with the whole company, a small task-force, and teams. More often, I find myself teaching in one-on-one sessions. When the Accounts Payable clerk asks about whether we should deduct from a certain invoice, I will coach her through the answer. I will then ask if she wants to understand the rationale behind the conclusion we reached and how it might apply to other situations. She might say, "No, not at this time, but later, because I want to get this processed while I remember what we decided" or "I think I understand what we'd do in a similar situation" or "Sure." Then we'd talk about and how different circumstances might change the conclusion. These kinds of moments happen a lot.
Not only are they helpful to your staff, but they can reduce the number of interruptions you have in a day--whether they come through an open door, catch you in the hallway, or send you an email. They feel better about their job, feel more responsible, feel like they're contributing to the organization's success, and don't feel so stupid because they have to ask you a "hundred" questions every day.
Today, teach someone. Recognize the teachable moment and build someone up.
For C12 and Truth@Work members, Jesus' goal was to create disciples who were clones of himself. A disciple was thought capable of doing everything the rabbi could do with enough training. Our task is to work ourselves out of job so that the organization can run without us. You can take that long vacation without having to worry, or check your emails every hour. Like it says in Romans 12, there are many members that make up the body. So too, your organization is made up of many people with many gifts. Don't let them be wasted because they can't function effectively and efficiently. Teach them.
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