Black+White Thinking » Discipleship

Leadership Styles: Learn When to Use Them

ebrown — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:02:12 +0000

By E. Brown

In the previous article I discussed the 4 leadership types: Dictatorial, Authoritative, Consultative, and Participative. I discussed the unique traits of each one and some of the pros/cons. Finally, I covered the fact that there was no “One Style” that fit all — no silver bullets — and that a good leader recognized when to use one style over another.A question that is often asked is, “When? When do I use one style over another?” In this article I’ll provide some tools for you to better understand when to use the dictatorial style over the consultative style, or the participative style over the authoritative style.

How Leadership Styles Affect Productivity

ebrown — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:44:53 +0000

By E. Brown

There are 4 primary leadership styles, many of which you can find within most businesses or organizations around the world. These styles are: Dictatorial, Authoritative, Consultative, and Participative.

Each of the leadership styles have impact on reforming and/or creating company culture. There are short-term and long-term effects for each style. For instance, the authoritative style may produce great results in a short amount of time. However, excessive use of authority will decrease productivity in the long-term. People either get fed up and leave or fall into a malaise of hum-drum repetitive tasks without creativity and innovation.

All the while, a participative style will be unproductive in the short-term. But, the longer this style of leading, the more productive a company can become.

Many leaders never make it to a point of high productivity.

The Number One Question At NRB?

dblack — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:09:17 +0000

By D. Black

At some point during the week, every convention begins to look and feel the same. Another breakfast meeting, breakout sessions, long walks between meetings and booth after booth of smiling faces, each with a one gallon fish bowl filled with various types of candy. Somewhere in the history of conventioneering someone figured out that candy was necessary to keep weary attendees blood sugar up.

This year’s NRB in Nashville, Tennessee had many the same elements but woven through the familiar, I found an unusual twist. My schedule was filled from early morning to late evening with meetings, presentations, reviews and events. That’s the plan – to take full advantage of the opportunity. You can rest when you get back home. Both on the floor and in private sessions the same basic question arose; As faith based communicators how are we going to change our methods to match the shift that is occurring in our culture?

Indeed, this is our ground zero. It is good that we are asking the question. To be completely transparent, no one has really figured it out.

Our age demands instant, relevant information that is pertinent to daily life. Gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all approach. We must get to know our constituents needs, help them in a real way and then enlist them as partners in a common cause.

If we authentically commit to this process, we will bring light into an ever darkening world.

On The Road To The NRB

dblack — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:08:20 +0000

By D. Black

Last week I packed my bags and traveled up I-75 from Atlanta to Nashville. I almost always choose to drive the 225 miles, because believe it or not, it is faster than flying. It is really quite a nice drive, winding through the North Georgia mountains, the Tennessee River and the city of Chattanooga, past Lookout Mountain the site of a famous Civil War battle and on up into South Nashville. My work has a presence in the “Music City” so I make the sojourn on a pretty regular basis.

This time I was driving up to attend the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) convention held at Opryland, USA. This is an annual gathering of mostly ministry broadcasters and the stations that they air along with a potpourri of vendors who sell them hardware and software. And who knows, maybe even one or two strategic consultants may show up. This convention is a good opportunity to find tactical solutions, meet new people and network with old friends and colleagues.

I’ve been attending the show since the winter of 1984. It used to be always held in Washington, DC at the Sheraton Hotel, near Capitol Hill. Those were the days of Jim and Tammy, Jimmy Swaggart and other high profile television personalities walking the floor with their entourages. There was an air of celebrity and personal power as the “superstars” traveled from book signing to media interview. It was quite interesting to watch the parade. I was a young man attending graduate school at Regent University and working as a production manager for Victor King Marketing, CBN’s inside advertising group.

Now 24 conventions later, the atmosphere has changed dramatically. Gone is most of the glitz and glamour, replaced by a more businesslike, professional atmosphere. During my walk on the convention floor, I only saw three television broadcasters -James Robison, Charles Stanley, and Jeff Shreve, none of them are pretentious.

On my way home back down I-75 to Atlanta, I thought of the difference between my first and last NRB. It is a big change, but come to think of it, our world has also changed dramatically. But the fundamental reason that thousands of faith-based communicators come together once a year remains the same – to learn to more effectively proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The need for this truth hasn’t diminished, but the methods of communicating it certainly have.

Next time: The number one question asked this year at NRB!

What Non-Profits Need To Know About Online Learning and Relationship Building

ebrown — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:22:03 +0000

By: E. Brown

As more and more non-profits head into the world of computer based learning, training, and relationship management, they often venture into territory that is very new and very unfamiliar. Listed here are some (not all) of the potential issues non-profit organizations need to consider before forging out to build their new online initiatives.

We hope you find this article helpful.

The Reciprocity Principle

ebrown — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:07:32 +0000

By E. Brown

Did you know you cannot out-give? If you give to someone, they will almost always want to give more back. This is the Principle of Reciprocity.

When you look out for your friends and co-workers, they will want to return the favor. Giving is infectious.

The only drawback is the motivation for giving. If you give out of selfish ambition, then guess what? You may get something back, but it will never be what you hoped or as much as you hoped for. And, when you do not get anything back, you only done harm to yourself because you are the one left feeling hacked-off.

Don’t give to get.

When you give, not expecting a return, the reciprocal giving is that much sweeter. And, when you give, not expecting a return, your feelings will not have been hurt if you receive nothing in return.

Take a look around your “world”, your social network, your clients, your friends and family — who can you give to?

Have fun!

Have You Learned The Power Principle?

ebrown — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:29:37 +0000

By E. Brown

Ever heard the term, We’re living on borrowed time? For those of us in positions of power and authority a variation holds true: We’re living with temporary power. This is what I call the Power Principle.

I was reminded of this the other day by my friend, Andy Stanley. He commented that we’re all given a certain degree of power. We all have influence in certain arenas of our lives — for a time. The power will not always last and it can be taken away. How we use the power we have is tantamount. Are we leveraging our power for the good of others or for our own selfish ambitions?

Is Your Content Going Global?

ebrown — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:21:45 +0000

By E. Brown

“Going Global” can be the Midas touch or death touch of any organization. Understanding the unique aspects of language and culture is time consuming to say the least. In an effort to “get to market” quickly, many companies and non-profits overlook (and sometimes hop over) the requirements for a successful launch into other countries.

For those leveraging the Web, content is a primary source for positioning in the global market. Translating the content is a must and good translation is tantamount to establishing a successful worldwide brand.

Online Training: Why Do Non-Profits Sit On The Fence?

ebrown — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:35:42 +0000

By E. Brown

I have talked with numerous Not-For-Profit (NFP) organizations about online learning and knowledge management. Almost all are interested in the subjects and would like to distribute their content online for learning and training. Yet, they are all sitting on the fence when it comes to execution.I was reminded of this again while at breakfast the other day. I ran into an acquaintance who knew of a VC that wanted to invest in online learning to reach an international audience. His issues were the same. All the NFP’s he had met with were waffling when it came to “doing the deal” and taking the eLearning plunge.

Why?

Getting In The Game
I witnessed this same attitude when the Web bubble started to grow in the early 90’s. Many NFP’s watched from the sidelines. I made three observations as to why this attitude prevailed:

They didn’t understand the technology and were intimidated by change
Many were simply waiting for “critical mass” before jumping onboard
Most had not planned on the cost of the technology infrastructure or outsourcing

Be Careful What You Say

ebrown — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:26:09 +0000

As a leader, any little thing you say and how you say it comes under scrutiny. Your words can impact like a gentle whisper or like a roaring lion. If you are in any kind of leadership role take heed to what former professor Gene Jennings had to say.