THE LEADER, LEADERSHIP & TAP ROOTS, PART III. . .

This morning, gentle reader, we will continue to briefly explore some of the Major Tap Roots that feed, nurture and sustain the Leader and Leadership (as a reminder, ‘Leadership’ is a by-product of the relationship between the Leader and the Led).

THE TAP ROOTS:

• Balancing ‘Being Effective’ & ‘Being Faithful’: We seem to know that it is crucial for the Leader and for Leadership to ‘Be Effective.’ We also seem to know that in order to understand if the Leader and Leadership are ‘Being Effective’ that a clear, concise and concrete definition of ‘Being Effective’ must be defined and disseminated to all of the stakeholders concerned. In our culture we tend to emphasize ‘Being Effective’ while minimizing, discounting or ignoring ‘Being Faithful.’ One guiding question that might help re-focus ‘Being Faithful’s’ importance is: What must the Leader and Leadership be faithful to even though the Leader and Leadership might not ‘Be Effective’? For example, it might be more important to ‘Be Faithful’ to one’s ‘Core Values’ or ‘Core Guiding Principles’ or ‘Espoused Credo’ even though ‘Being Effective’ might be at risk. During the Tylenol Poisonings, which occurred in the early 1980s, the Leader and the Leadership of Johnson & Johnson made a ‘Being Faithful’ decision and took the risk that ‘Being Effective’ would be compromised. Their ‘Credo’ trumped ‘Product’ and ‘Being Faithful’ to their ‘Credo’ was chosen over ‘Product Placement’ (‘Being Effective’). Consider that both ‘Being Effective’ and ‘Being Faithful’ are crucial and hence a balance, over-time, is necessary.
• Definition & Integration of Three ‘Cores’: These ‘Three Cores’ are: Core Purpose, Core Values, and Core Guiding Principles. These are ‘Defined’ and ‘Integrated.’ Too many organizations ‘define’ them and stop short of ‘integrating’ them. This ‘integration’ must occur at the Personal, the Relational (think Team, Department, Division, etc.) and Organizational levels. Without the ‘integration’ the Leader and Leadership end up ‘espousing’ these but do not ‘live them out fully and wisely.’ ‘Core’ means that to the best of our ability we will never compromise these three. ‘Core Purpose’ is a response to the questions: ‘Why do we exist?’ ‘What needs in the/our world are being served because we exist?’ ‘Are the needs so great that if we did not exist then we would have to invent our organization?’ Our ‘Core Values’ are the three or four values that are so important to us that we commit ourselves (again at the Personal, Relational, and Organizational levels) to never compromise them (a ‘Core Value’ does not have to be a ‘virtue,’ it can be a ‘vice’ – think, ‘greed’). Our ‘Core Guiding Principles’ are, again, three or four principles that help guide our behavior and decision-making and, again, to the best of our ability we will never compromise them (here is one to consider: ‘To Act at all times with Integrity’). Like a ‘core value’ a ‘core guiding principle’ does not have to be rooted in ‘virtue’ it can be rooted in ‘vice.’