Like journeys of spirit and faith, journeys of leadership are ongoing and ever forming. The Reid Group is committed to the work of walking alongside leaders to help them create stronger, more adaptive organizations. As we do so, we pose this question to you: “How are you sustaining yourself and your capacity to lead?”

Realities of leadership
Leadership is necessary and noble work—and risky. Leadership is fundamentally about purpose and possibility, which makes leadership an intimately human endeavor. Leaders are often left exposed, and most knowingly assume this risk for something more. Thus, “clarifying the values that orient your life and work and identifying larger purposes to which you might commit are courageous acts.” (The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, 2009)

Sustaining leadership
Sustainability refers to one’s capacity to add and create value in patterned ways over extended periods. Leaders who are sustained in wellness, spirit/faith, relationship, commitment, impact and performance are more nourished, fulfilled and effective. A leader’s tenure will be determined by a number of factors, both foreseen and unforeseen, such as culture and politics, institutional lifecycle and adaptability, and financial health. The question is whether the tenure ended because of a lack of sustainability. To what extent did one lose resilience, commitment, health, etc., to the point of no longer being able to lead effectively? To what extent was one unaware of one’s own internal operating system and derailed because he/she was unable to see and manage non-strength areas?

There are three core principles to consider in sustaining leadership:

Integration: Linking and bringing into agreement the various dimensions of a whole life with one’s values, strengths, beliefs and sense of purpose; aligning the interior life of leadership with the external demands and concerns of organizational leadership.

Adaptability: The capacity to maintain perspective, accurately assess reality and to clarify values and direction in the midst of that reality.

Resiliency: One’s ability and capacity to recover from adversity and to manage and regulate one’s energy and commitment for sustained productivity and performance.

Leadership is most effective when a leader is adaptive, when one is aware of and aligned with what one values and what one knows to be true about his/her sense of purpose, and when one can effectively recover from the demands and dangers of leadership.

While we have mastered the operational and technical aspects of leadership, we have a long way to go in helping people engage in personal transformation. Consequently, sustaining leadership in the future will depend on our ability to master the development of the interior aspects of leadership. Fundamentally, sustainable leadership is an ongoing conversation with the self and the enterprise so that the capacity of a leader and organization may continue to grow and adapt.

Sustaining heart in the leadership journey
It takes great heart to offer acts of leadership. The stresses of leadership can be severe because leaders are always failing somebody, shouldering the pains and aspirations of a community, and frustrating at least some people within it.

At the heart of sustaining your leadership, then, is preserving your sense of purpose. Commit the time, perhaps with the help of a professional executive coach, to understand the stresses of your particular leadership context. Remember to pace the work and respect the pains and loss of change. Know your tolerances, your triggers and your hungers. Be sure to distinguish your “self” from your role. Listen to yourself as data, and trust it. Have a sanctuary and use it. Lastly, surround yourself with allies and confidantes, and know the difference. (The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, 2009)

You and your leadership are valuable. If you care for yourself as you care for others, the gifts, strengths and talents you have been given will continue to be formed and sustained for the important work to which you have been called.

Steve Titus, Senior Consultant, Executive Coach
The Reid Group

The “mission leader” plays an increasingly important role in Catholic health care and higher education institutions today. As these institutions search for individuals to fill these positions, they must match the unique responsibilities of the job with equally distinctive qualifications of the candidate who will embody the “heart” and the “head” of the organization.

Effective mission leaders in higher education and health care have both knowledge of and passion for the high quality, purpose and integrity of their organizations. They typically are trained in ethical principles, have well-honed interpersonal skills, have more than adequate knowledge of either the health care ministry or higher education. In one sense they are like “renaissance” people—well schooled in many disciplines with a holistic approach to their jobs. They relate well to the CEO, CFO, housekeeping staff, receptionists, the senior vice presidents and provosts. They can engage benefactors in conversations which reflect their special interests in the organization.

As the “heart” and “head” of an organization with a passion for the very reason the organization exists, mission leaders focus their efforts in three areas:

1) They build genuine relationships with both internal leaders and community leaders, from the head of maintenance to the mayor of the city, from the student nurse to the major donors, from the lowest paid hourly wage earner to highest salaried staff. People are the most important factor for an organization’s success in fulfilling its mission. People in all kinds of jobs are the focus of the mission leader’s attention.

2) They are dedicated to transforming the organization by deepening its understanding of the implications of its mission. They ask the critical questions: Who is not here at the table or in the room? Who is not being served by the institution? Why aren’t they here? What do we need to do to get them here? Why is this important? In asking these kinds of questions the mission leader becomes a transformative person, empowering the organization to intensify its reason for existence. The responses to the questions can change a “pro-forma” department, unit or organization into one that is creative, challenging, and engaging. The mission leader does not have to have all the answers. But the leader must have the right questions and know when, where and how to ask them. The mission leader knows the reality of the “bottom line,” the essence of the mission and works with others to ensure that there is enough “margin” to splendidly achieve the mission.

3) They model and invite participation and cooperation among all segments of the organization. Mission leaders promote the sharing of meaningful information, explore diverse interpretations, and lift up collaborative approaches involving people across disciplines. They recognize a shared sense of injustice or a common, but under-defined dream and put it on the organization’s agendas at all levels for further discoveries. Increasing the health care institution’s or college’s capacity for change, dealing with loss and hurts, promoting the growth toward the vision of the organization are the paramount responsibilities of the mission leader.

The effective mission leader’s “heart” embraces the institution for all it is and all it can become. The “head” of the mission leader searches out ways to engage the organization in dialogue and planning for a more meaningful and deeper accomplishment of its mission.

Maureen Gallagher, Senior Consultant
The Reid Group

The Reid Group’s mission is to “help leaders and organizations transform challenges into opportunities to create a better world.” We promise transformation to our clients, and these are some of the ways we deliver on that promise: 

• We gain a solid understanding of our client’s background, situation and desired outcome at the beginning of the engagement.
• We create a team-based approach to each engagement, and involve a broad range of participants in the process.
• We build relationships of trust and respect and create an environment where people feel safe, empowered to take risks and encouraged to “think outside the box.”
• We identify action steps during the project and assist  our clients with implementation.
• We help our clients measure tangible results.

What does our promise of transformation look like to the clients of our core services? A few examples:

Prophetic Planning. A parish was transformed from a place where the Spanish-speaking members felt like “renters” to a place where the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking communities entered into a new partnership in faith. Through the tools of conversation and dialogue, the planning process uncovered both the pain of parishioners stemming from not knowing each other and the excitement and new energy generated when they discovered all they had in common.

Leadership Search. An organization that had several leaders in a short span of time used the opportunity of a planning process to clarify and renew their mission, vision and goals. This lead to a search for a leader who could help them be who they said they wanted to be—an organization with renewed spirit, energy and impact.

Leadership Development.  One of the most popular approaches to Leadership Development is Executive Coaching.  Many of our coaching clients are overwhelmed with the number of simultaneous crises they face and the complexity of the situations they face.  One of our coaching clients appreciated the way she was helped to identify each crisis on its own terms, to explore positive alternatives for action and to choose the most effective response that would transform the crisis into new opportunities for growth in her organization.

Mediation. A family experiencing a breakdown in communication and trust as they struggled with the best way to care for an elderly mother decided to try mediation. With our mediation services, they were able to articulate a shared set of goals—to care for their mother and to repair their own relationships  This led to greater harmony, a more secure future for their mother and more love in the family.

Fund Development. A religious community with aging members and expanding needs contracted with us for a capital campaign. Since they had never sought support from their friends before, they had pretty low expectations of the outcome. Although they launched their campaign rather hesitantly, they ended up raising more than three times their original goal and, just as importantly, unleashed a tremendous amount of goodwill among their friends they had served for so long.

John Reid, Senior Consultant
The Reid Group

Today many dioceses are embarking on or have completed diocesan wide pastoral planning efforts, often focused on reorganizing parishes because of the diminishing number of priests and/or other demographic and financial changes. At first blush, it might look like successful parish restructuring is good social science practice. While that may be true, it is much more than that. It is Catholic spirituality in action.

There are five key theological concepts that can influence diocesan pastoral planning:

Creation and Incarnation
Teilhard de Chardin’s statement, “By reason of creation and even more the incarnation, nothing is profane for those who know how to see,” applies to parish restructuring. It is a sacred process where the Spirit is engaging the community in helping to design its future. It is the deep respect for the dignity of the human person which is rooted in God’s creating humanity in the divine likeness that sets a planning process grounded in spirituality apart.

The empowerment given by the local bishop; the way the planning process is structured; the dialogue which happens; the accountability embodied in the methodology; and the prayer resources assembled are all based on the belief that all are made to the image and likeness of God and all have a share in the future of the Catholic community.

Trinity—God in Relationship
The mystery of the Trinity is significant to pastoral planning because it is the relationship within the Triune God that calls us to be in relationship with God and one another. Just as the persons of the Trinity share their life in relationship to each other, so we are shareholders in the life of God through the “body of Christ.”
As shareholders in the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ, we need to be involved in planning on how the mission and ministry will be carried out in the local Church. Planning provides a stellar opportunity for the whole body of Christ to work together.

Life-Death-Resurrection of Jesus Christ
At Baptism we are initiated into the life, death and resurrection of Christ. The poignancy of the life-death-resurrection mystery is felt in parish restructuring when people have to share a pastor, when church buildings close and communities are asked to merge and form something new. In the planning process, not to identify the “endings-wilderness-new beginnings” with the life-death-resurrection of Christ is to miss a wonderful, strong and effective way to assist people to develop a sense of direction, purpose and meaning as shareholders in the mission and ministry of the Risen Christ.

The Eucharist and Sacramentality
At Eucharist those who share in the life of Christ gather to hear the Word proclaimed—a Word that is living as it is proclaimed—a Word that fosters the conviction that when God speaks, something happens. Sacramentality refers to the belief that all reality is potentially a reflection of the presence of God and an instrument of God’s saving activity.

How does all this relate to planning? Planning in Catholic Communities is always done in the context of prayer. Rooted in scripture and faith-sharing, the gathered community situates itself in the presence of God and prays for guidance of the Spirit. As people plan and prepare for change, sharing the stories of the past, connecting them to the Scriptures and using the rituals of the Church can be part of any meeting. Prayer and ritual sharing prepares people for greater appreciation of the Eucharist and empowers the shareholders of the mission and ministry of Christ to discern the will of God for them in the future.

Stewardship and the Common Good
In many ways, this principle encompasses the heart of parish reorganization. Good stewardship of resources and promoting the common good are Catholic values which support pastoral planning.

When first encountered in a planning process, working for the common good may seem to conflict with parochial loyalties—”the way we do things here.” But one of the challenges in pastoral planning is moving away from such parochialism and toward what is good for all. The theological tool for achieving the common good is conversation. Kristin Heyer, Professor of Christian Ethics at Loyola Marymount, suggests using the lens of the common good, along with conversation to move from “I want…” to “what would be good for the community to which we belong.”

By incorporating “best practices” from the social sciences and rigorously integrating theological principles and spiritual practices, the challenges facing the Church related to restructuring parishes can be turned into transformative moments for both the hierarchy and the faithful. Along the journey we find many opportunities to grow in appreciation of who we are called to be as Church in the 21st Century in the United States.

Maureen Gallagher, Senior Consultant
The Reid Group

Unrelenting focus on a clear identity and an unwavering commitment to mission are the marks of a great institution. It is just good business. This dynamic reality of identity and mission explains why we do what we do, prioritizes what we do and shapes how we do what we do.
 
As Catholic institutions of health care and higher education, our motivation is to be faithful disciples of Jesus striving to assist in ushering in the reign of God, the realm of peace and justice that is God’s dream for humanity. 
 
At one time certain distinguishing characteristics of motivation and manner could be assumed as part of the culture of a Catholic school or hospital. That is no longer the case. While they are more important than ever, they also need to be more deliberate and intentional than ever.
 
This work entails three fundamental, continuous and inter-related tasks: 
 
Awareness. It is critical that people understand and articulate in a clear and concise manner exactly what the mission of the institution is. This is the statement of who we are and what we do. It is important that it be clear in the minds of the public whom we serve. It is equally important that those of us who belong to the organization are of one mind about our purpose and our values. 
 
Appreciation. How people feel about our mission will motivate them to seek out our services or inspire them to join us in delivering them to others. Obviously this presupposes that people are aware of and understand what our mission is. But understanding alone is not enough. How people respond—in an affective manner—to our mission and identity is the deciding factor. In inviting people to care about our mission, we must provide some firsthand experience of what we are about and share personal stories that engage our listeners.
 
Action. We want the public to act by choosing us to provide the services they need. Within our institutions, each individual must realize how he or she contributes to implementing the mission and promoting the identity of our school or hospital. In the ideal situation each person’s vocation or calling will be in harmony with the mission of the institution. 
 
While sometimes wearisome, questions about mission and identity cannot be avoided. They provide a marvelous opportunity for us to tell our story, to communicate our priorities and to share our passion with others. They deserve to be taken seriously and responded to in a deliberate and intentional manner.

Lucien Roy, Senior Consultant
The Reid Group

The month of January takes its name from the Roman god Janus, the god of doorways, transitions, endings and new beginnings. At this time of year, as we make the transition from one year to the next, leaders need to “make like Janus” and pay attention to both the endings and new beginnings happening in the life of their organizations.

It is tempting to give short shrift to the endings and forge ahead into the future with all our New Year’s-resolution-fueled energy. But seasoned leaders know that damage can result when the past is left unresolved.

As we navigate through these dark days of winter, take some time to consider what you need to let go of or say goodbye to:

• Are there unfinished tasks that are burdening you and the organization? Which of these are important to complete, and which need to be let go?
• In working relationships, are there residual hurts or dysfunctional behavior that burden the organization? Are these relationships important enough to resolve the conflicts, or do they need to be let go?

Once we deal with what is ending, we are free to dream, to be “10 times bolder” in our plans for our new beginnings. As one way to start that planning, begin with the end in mind: imagine you are at the end of 2010 and looking back. What are the accomplishments you are most proud of?

In a very real sense, organizations exist in a state of constant transition—something is always changing, ending or just getting started, and the effective leader will be attuned to the dynamics of those transitions all year long. These first days of January, however, offer a special opportunity to step back and gain some perspective on yourself as well as the major changes the organization has had and will experience as you move from 2009 to 2010. Spend some time affirming the good you helped your organization to accomplish and be gentle with yourself as you reflect on your struggles. In addition, take a few minutes to consult with yourself about your deepest hopes for 2010 and include these in the goals you set for the coming year.

When appropriate attention is paid both to what is ending and what is waiting to begin, you set the stage for a very Happy New Year.

John Reid, Senior Consultant
The Reid Group

Leaders today have the daunting responsibility of motivating their people to combine vision with action to produce dramatic, positive results for their organizations. One dimension of this task is performance evaluation. The purpose of these efforts over a given period of time is to learn what is already working well and to identify areas where individuals and teams (parish staff, school faculty, Board members, etc.) may be struggling.

Too often, leaders view performance evaluation as drudgery and avoid it at all costs. But effective leaders use evaluation opportunities as a way to improve performance. The Reid Group believes that performance evaluation over three- and six-month cycles is an invaluable tool for leaders to reinforce the positive and address the negative.

There are two approaches to organizational evaluation that we have found to be user-friendly:

1. Criteria, evidence, assessment
Identify a set of criteria for measuring performance and assemble evidence showing the degree to which each criterion has or has not been met. Based on the evidence, give performance in each area a rating, using a +3/-3 system:

+1 Performance meets criterion to a minimal degree.
+2 Performance meets criterion to an average degree.
+3 Performance meets criterion to a high degree.

-1 Performance meets criterion to a marginal degree.
-2 Performance did not meet criterion.
-3 Performance is having a negative impact.

2. Ask a series of questions
Conflict

• What is causing conflict, stress, or struggle in the organization?
• What is being done to reduce conflict?
• Which of those strategies is helping the situation, and which is hindering it?

Achievement

• Where are we achieving beyond our goals?
• Where are struggling to achieve our goals?
• What can we do to support success?
• What do we need to do to boost performance in areas that are struggling?

Managing change

• What are the major changes facing us now?
• How well are we managing those changes?
• What actions can we take in the future to be more effective in addressing change?

Regular, effective evaluations are not only a tool for effective leadership. They also enhance organizational learning, fostering greater focus on the mission and vision of the organization and enabling it to be more focused on the future.

John Reid, Consultant, Mediator, Coach
The Reid Group

When I was at the International Catholic Stewardship Council’s annual meeting in Dallas last month, I made note of some emerging trends in the work of Stewardship across the country.

I presented a workshop on “From Maintenance to Mission: Developing a Parish Strategic Plan” in a new track ICSC created for parish administrators and business managers. I was told to expect about 100 people—and 150 showed up! There were a number of comments along the lines of “It’s about time ICSC recognized our importance,” but the participants also expressed appreciation for ICSC’s efforts to bridge the gap between Stewardship and the business side of parish life.

Another emerging trend in the field of Stewardship is the growing emphasis on balancing Stewardship of Treasure with Stewardship of Time and Talent. The Gallup organization, which has a division focused on faith-based organizations, has adapted its StrengthsFinder assessment tool in an exciting development that is taking off in parishes across the country. StrengthsFinder helps parishes assess the level of engagement of their parishioners in the life of the parish. With this assessment, parishes can create strategies for increasing parishioners’ commitment of time and talent.

Have you noticed other new ideas and trends in Stewardship in your parish or diocese? Add to the dialogue by leaving a comment on this article.

Some Best Practices for Stewardship

A best practice for Stewardship Commissions is to do personal follow-ups with any parishioner who does not submit a stewardship renewal form during the normal fall renewal process. By following up in person, it lets the parishioner know:

• We noticed you did not participate and you have in years past.
• We are calling to make sure all is well with your household…Is there anything the parish can do if there has been a change in their financial status.
• We want to thank them for their support in the past.

Especially in this economy, a parish should never accept no response as acceptable.

What are some of the Best Practices used in your parish or diocese? Share them with all our readers–make a comment on this post.

Carol Guenther, Consultant, Mediator
The Reid Group

Life is full of paradoxes! At this time of the year, when the beauty and abundance of all creation is at its zenith in Washington State, I am reminded by National Geographic that by the year 2030, there will be no more ice that presently makes up the polar cap during the summer months due to global warming.

As I enjoy peaches, apples and berries in my own back yard, I am reminded that in Asian, African and Latin American countries alone, well over 500 million people are living in what the World Bank has called “absolute poverty.” The air is clean and refreshing as I sit on my deck and watch a pink Mount Rainier fade into the sunset, drawing me into a trance of wonder and awe. At the same time, I know that I am the citizen of a country with the dubious distinction as a leading emitters of greenhouse gases, which are poisoning our planet.

How can I enjoy such abundance when so many do not? How can there be so much lack in the midst of such plenty?

I have struggled with this question for years as a follower of Jesus and an advocate for stewardship as a way of life and I have come to several conclusions:

• I believe without question that God wants all people to experience the abundance that I enjoy each day.
• I believe that to those who have been given much, much is expected.
• I believe unwaveringly in God’s abundance; but, at times, I question the human capacity to share.
• I believe our world does not face a shortage of resources, but we do face an unjust distribution of those resources.
• I believe Jesus knew and lived this tension as well.

We have big issues to decide as a nation, as municipalities and as communities and many of them focus on ways to share the abundance in life with all in our care. Stewardship, grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, calls us to be faithful to receiving, developing, sharing and returning the abundance of this life at all levels of human design. We do not to sacrifice what we enjoy in order to live in right relationship; but we do need to remember that we are caretakers, not owners. We are recipients and not the source. May the abundance of your summer days overflow with the desire and commitment to appreciate, care and share all that God gives.

Carol Guenther, Consultant, Mediator
The Reid Group

It’s summertime and that always brings summer ‘projects’ around our house. Some involve routine maintenance that needs yearly attention, like cleaning out all the gutters on our sharply- pitched roof. But often we take on a new house project to improve the value and enjoyment of our home and this year’s choice could be the all-time winner- replacing a gravel driveway with cement pavers…4000 to be exact!

There is nothing like challenging manual labor to help one reflect upon the meaning and value of work. In Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, the US Catholic Bishops write about the importance of work and its close connection to stewardship:

“Work is a fundamental aspect of the human vocation. It is necessary for human happiness and fulfillment. It is intrinsic to responsible stewardship of the world….. Life as a Christian steward also requires continued involvement in the human vocation to cultivate material creation. This productivity embraces art, scholarship, science and technology, as well as business and trade, physical labor, skilled work of all kinds and serving others.”

With so many in our country losing their jobs due to changes in the economy, the importance of how work defines us (beyond the paycheck) is even more clear. Meaningful work is a necessary component to a full and satisfying life.

So, here are a few lessons that I have learned from working of this summer’s family project:
#1. Physical labor reminds me that the human body is a magnificent, powerful and productive instrument for good. I thank God for the gift of my body each night as my aching muscles hit the mattress.
#2. It is incredibly fun and exciting to create something out of ‘nothing’ and see it take shape before your eyes. It draws me into reflection on the first act of creation and how much God wants us to experience the joy of creation in our own lives.
#3. Big work projects require planning, patience and team work. There are a variety of skills and expertise needed at different times in a project and it is far more difficult and much less satisfying to accomplish the task alone. In our case, even friends with physical limitations contributed in meaningful ways. I am reminded that the community that forms around a project is as important as the final outcome.
#4.  Attitude is everything! Hard work can be a drudgery or an adventure. I am reminded of what happened to the third servant in the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30). Fear, anger, laziness, selfishness and other negative human emotions can obstruct our ability to accept the invitation to collaborate with God in the ongoing work of creation.

Blessings on your summer projects, whatever they may be! We’d love to hear about then and how they reflect your understanding of stewardship. Please share your thoughts with us so that we can all continue to learn together.

Carol Guenther
Consultant, Mediator