Posts
In getting warmed up this morning for my long-term writing project, I had some thoughts about leadership that seemed to warrant writing down for consideration. My Masters degree is in Educational Leadership, as opposed to Educational Administration, the name given to the degree that many of my colleagues have. It might be an interesting search to discover any differences in the coursework required at various institutions.
I can liken it also to my change of roles between Assistant Principal and Principal. After being promoted, I spoke to my previous Principal, a mentor and dear friend. We laughed at how my desk went from orderly to order-less! I had moved from completing the “to do’s” she gave to me, to creating the “to do” list. At some level, this is illustrative of the differences in administrator and leader. An administrator is attentive to checking items off a given list, while a leader is intent upon defining shared purposes, goals, and plans to be accomplished jointly by her and others. A true leader has great vision and investment in the development of collective mission. An administrator tends to follow a given vision and plan. Both roles are necessary to the success of any organized body.
We all serve in both roles in different areas and seasons of life. It is said that everyone always reports to someone else. So in that way, we are all administrators at some level. But according to God’s timing and plan, we may be granted the privilege to be persons of greater influence, stepping beyond task-completion to group-development. It is when we shift our focus, even for a moment, from simple tasks to significant touches in the lives of others that we move from administrative thinking to leadership perception.
We have the opportunity and responsibility to be both administrators and leaders in the body of Christ as called by God. As administrators of God’s goals, we follow His vision, choose to be invested in His objectives and join Him in His activities. As leaders, we influence others to do the same. Leadership is about influence. A wise person once said, “If you think you are a leader, look behind you to see if anyone is following.” If there is, we should look back at our pathway and ensure we are leading her in the right direction.
As an educational leader, we often discussed the differences between “administrator” and “leader.” Certainly administrative gifts are necessary for effective leadership, and leadership gifts vital for successful administration. The difference is the focus of the mind. An administrator is focused on the administration of duties and tasks, the management of responsibilities toward a given goal. A leader is focused on the achievement of group goals, the movement of a group of people in a shared direction.
I can liken it also to my change of roles between Assistant Principal and Principal. After being promoted, I spoke to my previous Principal, a mentor and dear friend. We laughed at how my desk went from orderly to order-less! I had moved from completing the “to do’s” she gave to me, to creating the “to do” list. At some level, this is illustrative of the differences in administrator and leader. An administrator is attentive to checking items off a given list, while a leader is intent upon defining shared purposes, goals, and plans to be accomplished jointly by her and others. A true leader has great vision and investment in the development of collective mission. An administrator tends to follow a given vision and plan. Both roles are necessary to the success of any organized body.
We all serve in both roles in different areas and seasons of life. It is said that everyone always reports to someone else. So in that way, we are all administrators at some level. But according to God’s timing and plan, we may be granted the privilege to be persons of greater influence, stepping beyond task-completion to group-development. It is when we shift our focus, even for a moment, from simple tasks to significant touches in the lives of others that we move from administrative thinking to leadership perception.
We have the opportunity and responsibility to be both administrators and leaders in the body of Christ as called by God. As administrators of God’s goals, we follow His vision, choose to be invested in His objectives and join Him in His activities. As leaders, we influence others to do the same. Leadership is about influence. A wise person once said, “If you think you are a leader, look behind you to see if anyone is following.” If there is, we should look back at our pathway and ensure we are leading her in the right direction.
No comments:
Post a Comment