‘do more’ for 2012 (#3): serve by leading
I work with a fantastic team of people. Seriously. But I think I’ve short-changed them in a key area.
The EU Staff team I lead at Sydney Uni is full of Godly, gifted, interesting, committed, fun, thoughtful people: I love working with them every day.
My general approach (which was modelled to me on different ministry staffs) is to give a free reign to the senior members of the team. And because they are excellent ministers, they do a good job. Even better, because the freedom is appreciated, I’m a popular boss.
But that’s the problem. What’s attractively dressed up as ‘freedom’ can be ugly ‘conflict avoidance’ and ‘craving approval’ underneath. Sometimes giving enormous ‘freedom’ is the default because there seems no time to do anything else. Or maybe I never realised how giving greater feedback, direction & goal-setting is a way I can serve key members of the team and help the ministry at large.
I’m not about to go all ‘KPI’, but I will be working more collaboratively & regularly with each of our staff this year to set specific directions & plans in place.
Do it Rowan – usher in SUEU KPIs! (Although this craving for KPIs reminds me of Lisa S. in a Simpsons episode when her school’s teachers are on strike. She goes a little crazy, wandering around the house muttering “grade me, grade me …” I’m sure this is not what you mean.)