The Chronicles of Denver: Leadership

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The Chronicles of Denver

"If you want to build a ship, don‘t drum up people to collect wood and don‘t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." Antoine de Saint-Exupér

Monday, January 09, 2006

Leadership

It‘s been a long time since I‘ve posted anything. The holidays took away some steam, but allowed some time to think. My holidays were quite lazy, almost too much. Back in college, I relished the days of being home for a month doing nothing. My life is different now, as I have a life and a job that I love, a place to call home and a place to call now. I don‘t need that month, in fact, I don‘t want that month anymore. I love going home, but I was too passive. I started to realize the areas I am too passive in my life. That‘s what brings me to the discussion of leadership.

I‘ve realized that most of my leadership decisions are reactions to situations. Perhaps that‘s good management, but is that leadership? There‘s aspects of my life, especially my job, where I take initiative and the lead and take ownership of my decisions. If I had waited for a job, I‘d still be working construction. But there‘s too many areas where I‘m passive. I sit back and wait for something to happen so that I can react to it and call it good leadership. Now there‘s an entire aspect of leadership which we could call "damage control," which is essentially reactionary, but I‘m speaking of being a leader, a visionary, a risk taker, a presence in which others follow.

This Christmas I directed a youth choir for my church service. I‘ve led a lot of music services, but never a large choir. I had it on video and showed it to my parents, which was fun, considering their resumes. I thought the choir went really well and that I directed quite well for my first time. My dad, however, had a profound reaction. He said, "You look good, but you‘re reacting to them." "What?" "You‘re letting them direct you. We all do that at first, but the more confident you are, the more you command their attention and they follow you. Then you can create music." (paraphrased)

Passive. I thought I was leading, but if I am honest with myself, I was scared that the kids would derail. I wasn‘t in fact directing them, but following. I think we all do that in certain ways. How often do I play the victim when things don‘t go my way, when in actuality I just never fought for it, went after it, or even really wanted it? Do you have those moments where you sulk over something just to play the "things never go my way" card, and then you come to find you didn‘t even want it? I used to. There‘s no place for that attitude in leadership. Those moments are masking the fact that I‘m too passive for what I want, and who I want to be. I want to be the aggressor, to take risks and go after what I want, "and not when I come to die, discover that I had not lived."

These aren‘t profound ideas, but I‘ve learned a lot about leadership over the last few years, and this is just another step of becoming someone I respect. Confidence, strength, listening, patience, sacrifice, love. William Wallace over Mr. Rogers. Passion over passive.

What is leadership to you? What are some good leadership quotes? What are your thoughts?

5 Comments:

At Tuesday, January 10, 2006, linz said...: Mr. Rogers has his moments.

Poshak, you are one of the good ones.
At Wednesday, January 11, 2006, Dad said...: Here are two quotes I found that apply to your recent blog (and a great one it is). Didn‘t think I would ever be quoted in your blog :). Thanks.

Norman Schwarzkopf:
When placed in command - take charge.

Anonymous: Often, the greatest challenge facing an organization is recognizing and acting on opportunity rather than solving a problem.

Well actually three. Obviously I could not pass on this one....
laine Lee: The great leaders are like the best conductors - they reach beyond the notes to reach the magic in the players.

Love, Dad
At Wednesday, January 11, 2006, Mark Williams said...: Your dad stole my quote. Norman spoke at C of O and mentioned that he has two rules by which he lived his life.
1. When given command take charge.
2. Do what‘s right

Another that isn‘t necessarily leadership, but could apply is one that I love from Charles Stanely.
"Obey God and leave all the consequences of your obedience to him."

Anywho. . .
At Wednesday, January 11, 2006, Cary Murphy said...: I felt like I was reading a popular Christian author while reading your blog. You had the whole package...definitive intro, real-life example, questions, and challenges. You are on your way. I‘m the last person to speak of leadership. I slipped quietly into passive many moons ago. But I don‘t think that is the opposite of passion, as you eluded to. If you need advice on conducting, however, I‘m your girl. Example: my stellar debut as guest conductor for your dad‘s concert on the loop. Holla. You know what I‘m talking about, Mr. Poshak. I was smokin good. Mark, I love the photo, of course. I always love the photo. You have the eye of an artist.
At Friday, February 10, 2006, Amanda Tate said...: oh tommy po. he tells it like it is. just catching up on your blog...