Interesting article on partnership in the office. As a pastor, I’ve seen this in ministry for years, although the majority of my “business” experience has been with volunteers (and that does bring with it its own set of factors and limitations). While this particular model was nowhere in mind twenty plus years ago, when I was a youth pastor, I made “partnership” a goal because that was the model I was essentially trained in when I was a volunteer and then an intern in college. Empowering my volunteer youth leaders, sharing vision, sharing credit and taking blame? These were regular parts of how I treated those who volunteered to do ministry to youth and their families. And I’ve tried to carry that over in my position as senior pastor, working with Elders, as well as “regular” volunteers.
I’ve found that this sort of organic form of leadership and team building is natural in the church for two (there may be more, but it’s Monday morning; so, …) main reasons. First, in the Christian traditions I’ve the most experience in (Anglican and Presbyterian), we view Jesus Christ as the head of the Church. Pastors are understood to be under-shepherds, who serve the local church. Second, we are literally given an organic model for the local church (along with many others) — the church as a human body, where again, Jesus Christ is the head, and everyone in the local church is a different part of the body (cf. the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 12). By way of a necessary caveat, when you’re actually looking at the local church in real time, it’s obviously going to be at least as messy as the Apostle Paul made it out to be, because we’re talking about real people and the baggage each of us brings with us — and then factor in American hyper-individualism, and oye!!! But I digress.
It’s a good model, and when practiced consistently and well, it makes for a better, healthier, and nurturing environment.
I’m curious why the arrow guy didn’t keep shooting those arrows to up his number. Looked like he could’ve done that all day. Why stop at 7? I mean…he doesn’t want the record BEATEN, does he?
It’s amazing that most of these criteria require a boss simply to have a disciplined strategy...and not be a reactive, flailing tw@t. And how rare this is. Can someone please estimate how many leaders fit this simple model?
When Jim Collins published his study of public companies entitled “Good to Great” he was surprised to find the impact of how the CEO acted. A Level 4 leader seems to be the boss boss. A Level 5 Leader a partner boss. He noted that Level 5 Leaders showed a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. And thank you David Feiser for your comment as a pastor (which is my identity as a now retired Episcopal Priest who coaches other clergy). Here’s link to an article I posted some years ago entitled THE SACRED OF ST. BENEDICT MEETS THE SECULAR OF LEVEL 5 https://balconyperspective.com/influences/. Thanks Bill for such a good topic!
Thank you for including the Professor Roubini/Dr. Doom article where he predicts New York City will be destroyed by nukes and storms in the next 20 years. Superstorm Sandy showed how vulnerable the city is to storm surges. This weekend I was reminded that 24 people died on Staten Island. It took years to completely re-do what had been the new South Ferry subway station and get the escalator to the ferry terminal replaced. Years. And years for the repairs to the tunnels between Brooklyn and Manhattan. After the storm we were without electricity for 7 days because trees fell on the wires
and the trees needed to be removed first. Crew from North Carolina restored us.
Remember reading that the old timers at the MTA saved the entire subway system from going down through their understanding of the way water would move through the system. They, armed with
plywood and hand drills, put in place the necessary protection.
As far as nukes go I pray for the city I love. The Biden administration buying $290 million in anti-radiation drugs is a huge red flag, though millions probably would not live long enough to need them.
I was a partner boss all through my career as a city manager and as a business owner. The only thing that happened in following this concept was that I was occasionally taken advantage of. I have always been a trusting person and tried as best as I could to be up front and ethical, which with a few meant they could do what they wanted and I would not take action against them and that it would not be harsh. It was always very disappointing and no one wants to be taken advantage of, but as a boss you also must understand not everyone wants to "gee haw" with your ideas of management, especially when you own the company. No question that being a "partner" with those who have worked for and with me was critically important. I was much more successful following the partnership tenet than I ever would have been being dictatorial.
An arrow through a keyhole, huh? And I thought I need to get a life.
Interesting article on partnership in the office. As a pastor, I’ve seen this in ministry for years, although the majority of my “business” experience has been with volunteers (and that does bring with it its own set of factors and limitations). While this particular model was nowhere in mind twenty plus years ago, when I was a youth pastor, I made “partnership” a goal because that was the model I was essentially trained in when I was a volunteer and then an intern in college. Empowering my volunteer youth leaders, sharing vision, sharing credit and taking blame? These were regular parts of how I treated those who volunteered to do ministry to youth and their families. And I’ve tried to carry that over in my position as senior pastor, working with Elders, as well as “regular” volunteers.
I’ve found that this sort of organic form of leadership and team building is natural in the church for two (there may be more, but it’s Monday morning; so, …) main reasons. First, in the Christian traditions I’ve the most experience in (Anglican and Presbyterian), we view Jesus Christ as the head of the Church. Pastors are understood to be under-shepherds, who serve the local church. Second, we are literally given an organic model for the local church (along with many others) — the church as a human body, where again, Jesus Christ is the head, and everyone in the local church is a different part of the body (cf. the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 12). By way of a necessary caveat, when you’re actually looking at the local church in real time, it’s obviously going to be at least as messy as the Apostle Paul made it out to be, because we’re talking about real people and the baggage each of us brings with us — and then factor in American hyper-individualism, and oye!!! But I digress.
It’s a good model, and when practiced consistently and well, it makes for a better, healthier, and nurturing environment.
Thanks for sharing this, Bill.
I’m curious why the arrow guy didn’t keep shooting those arrows to up his number. Looked like he could’ve done that all day. Why stop at 7? I mean…he doesn’t want the record BEATEN, does he?
It’s amazing that most of these criteria require a boss simply to have a disciplined strategy...and not be a reactive, flailing tw@t. And how rare this is. Can someone please estimate how many leaders fit this simple model?
When Jim Collins published his study of public companies entitled “Good to Great” he was surprised to find the impact of how the CEO acted. A Level 4 leader seems to be the boss boss. A Level 5 Leader a partner boss. He noted that Level 5 Leaders showed a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. And thank you David Feiser for your comment as a pastor (which is my identity as a now retired Episcopal Priest who coaches other clergy). Here’s link to an article I posted some years ago entitled THE SACRED OF ST. BENEDICT MEETS THE SECULAR OF LEVEL 5 https://balconyperspective.com/influences/. Thanks Bill for such a good topic!
Thank you for including the Professor Roubini/Dr. Doom article where he predicts New York City will be destroyed by nukes and storms in the next 20 years. Superstorm Sandy showed how vulnerable the city is to storm surges. This weekend I was reminded that 24 people died on Staten Island. It took years to completely re-do what had been the new South Ferry subway station and get the escalator to the ferry terminal replaced. Years. And years for the repairs to the tunnels between Brooklyn and Manhattan. After the storm we were without electricity for 7 days because trees fell on the wires
and the trees needed to be removed first. Crew from North Carolina restored us.
Remember reading that the old timers at the MTA saved the entire subway system from going down through their understanding of the way water would move through the system. They, armed with
plywood and hand drills, put in place the necessary protection.
As far as nukes go I pray for the city I love. The Biden administration buying $290 million in anti-radiation drugs is a huge red flag, though millions probably would not live long enough to need them.
I was a partner boss all through my career as a city manager and as a business owner. The only thing that happened in following this concept was that I was occasionally taken advantage of. I have always been a trusting person and tried as best as I could to be up front and ethical, which with a few meant they could do what they wanted and I would not take action against them and that it would not be harsh. It was always very disappointing and no one wants to be taken advantage of, but as a boss you also must understand not everyone wants to "gee haw" with your ideas of management, especially when you own the company. No question that being a "partner" with those who have worked for and with me was critically important. I was much more successful following the partnership tenet than I ever would have been being dictatorial.
Very cute. But stay out of the forest!