So true! I experienced this with my first releadership assignment. When it all became crickets I felt maybe the wind had left the sails. Yet, I knew nothing was wrong. Now, I’m only a few weeks into my new assignment as a Senior Pastor and the air is all abuzz with people talking about new change and vision. For now it feels good I must admit. Let’s see what happens when the change really starts. Thanks are this article Dr. Jon. Now I’ll look forward to the crickets again. lol
I have never seen it this way, but it is so true. As I have been leading and learning more about leadership, I have learned that Consistency might not always be flashy, but it's essential for achieving meaningful growth and results.
It is essential to act naturally towards things that have become routine. Unfortunately, they already are, and it won't be easy to identify how exceptional they are because they already have an identifiable color. What I find outstanding and a good nuance from time to time is when someone outside my team arrives and admires, applauds, and wants to know "everything" about what is already "normal" for everyone else. Explaining it feels ordinary, but it is a treasure for those who do not know it and do not have it.
Today I felt the need to remove the dust that has fallen on what we now call "normal"... Thank you, Jon! Truly, thank you!
Praying for continued growth with this one. Although I personally do not NEED on going praise from my leader in order to be productive - I do find that periodic and sincere recognition inspire me to deliver more productively and even beyond what is expected. As a result, I have at times been guilty of over praising my own team even for meeting simple baseline expectations. Love the thought here of the “New Normal” - where excellence becomes the baseline!!
I don't think its ever wrong to give compliments to our teams. That creates heathy environments. That challenge is us guarding our hearts against craving compliments. Great thoughts Heather. Thanks for sharing.
I think most parents would agree, parenting beings few compliments.
But God...
If we keep our focus on who we are trying to please-- Jesus, then it's all good!
Consistency makes Jesus proud of us, He notices.
I truly think that consistency makes people, especially the hurting, feel safe, which is a basic need. For those trying to be a "hospital for the hurting" it's a number one priority.
I do understand the point about not needing the validation of compliments after people's expectations have shifted to it being the new normal. It is a good sign of effective leadership.
However, sometimes the lack of compliments (and its corollary - the lack of complaints) makes me sit up and notice. I wonder if things have gotten so smooth and routine that we've grown complacent and/or lackadaisical? Not that maintaining “status quo” is ever the goal of leadership, but just wondering how to account for that when the compliments stop happening. Might it also signal something else? As I said, just a thought that I am still mulling over.
Man I love that you're always chewing on the articles and giving feedback. There's so many nuances to leadership isn't there? You make some really good points. Feedback and compliments are always good. I think I'm just trying to speak to the leaders heart to let them know that if we are craving compliments, we're missing it. And at some point in the life cycle of your leadership journey, the compliments slow down, and sometime cease. It could mean something wrong, but hopefully you've gotten really healthy feedback loops in your organization. If something is "off" we should be able to know it because of other systems we're hopefully put in place. And if we have organizational health, we are approachable with anything that needs fixing. You make some valid points and I don't disagree with you on them. But hopefully as the compliments slow down, we don't let it stop us from doing our calling and moving forward because of our insecurities
Thanks Jon for the response. As I continued to contemplate your article and the response above, allow me to share a personal story that informs my perspective.
When I was in Army basic training, we underwent weekly inspections of our platoon bay (roughly 48 guys to a platoon). Our company commander used this inspection as a competition against the other three platoons in our company. The first week, right before the results were announced, our platoon's drill instructors called our platoon into formation on the company "street" and proceeded to make us do low crawl, crab crawl, and burpees in the Alabama clay. This went on for 20 minutes until we were a filthy mess. Then we returned to standing at attention in platoon formation as the other platoons joined us for a company wide formation. The results were announced, and our platoon had won.
Same thing happened the next week. Call to platoon formation, 20 minutes of getting dusty and filthy crawling through the dirt, get back into formation, announcement that we won. This happened four weeks in a row. We finally asked our D.I.'s if we were winning the competitions, why were we being "punished" with extra PT (physcial training). Their answer was simple: "Never get comfortable with success."
The wisdom of that lesson has stuck with me (as do numerous others that I learned during my time in the Army.) I find that I become "extra alert" when things seem to be going well. It's not that I am perpetually in a posture of "waiting for the other shoe to drop." Good leadership typically leads to good results. But sometimes good results happen despite leadership. I just don't want me, or my team, to become too comfortable when there is good results and success.
Postscript: The week finally arrived when our platoon didn't win. Ironically, our D.I.'s did the exact opposite...which is to say...nothing. We simply showed up for company formation and learned the results. In a weird way, that motivated our platoon all the more. I think if I had to drill down into it, that motivation was not for the accolades of winning, but quite the opposite; a pride that comes with sharing a challenging experience together.
Finally, allow me to share a compliment for your leadership of all of us. Your care for us in this thread is both meaningful and makes a difference.
So true! I experienced this with my first releadership assignment. When it all became crickets I felt maybe the wind had left the sails. Yet, I knew nothing was wrong. Now, I’m only a few weeks into my new assignment as a Senior Pastor and the air is all abuzz with people talking about new change and vision. For now it feels good I must admit. Let’s see what happens when the change really starts. Thanks are this article Dr. Jon. Now I’ll look forward to the crickets again. lol
Haha! I'm sure crickets are coming soon. Just remember, the crickets are a good sign! Praying for you in your new endeavor Robert.
I have never seen it this way, but it is so true. As I have been leading and learning more about leadership, I have learned that Consistency might not always be flashy, but it's essential for achieving meaningful growth and results.
Thank you for sharing this Pastor Jon.
That's true and encouraging.
It is essential to act naturally towards things that have become routine. Unfortunately, they already are, and it won't be easy to identify how exceptional they are because they already have an identifiable color. What I find outstanding and a good nuance from time to time is when someone outside my team arrives and admires, applauds, and wants to know "everything" about what is already "normal" for everyone else. Explaining it feels ordinary, but it is a treasure for those who do not know it and do not have it.
Today I felt the need to remove the dust that has fallen on what we now call "normal"... Thank you, Jon! Truly, thank you!
Good word brother!
Praying for continued growth with this one. Although I personally do not NEED on going praise from my leader in order to be productive - I do find that periodic and sincere recognition inspire me to deliver more productively and even beyond what is expected. As a result, I have at times been guilty of over praising my own team even for meeting simple baseline expectations. Love the thought here of the “New Normal” - where excellence becomes the baseline!!
I don't think its ever wrong to give compliments to our teams. That creates heathy environments. That challenge is us guarding our hearts against craving compliments. Great thoughts Heather. Thanks for sharing.
Loved these thoughts!
I think most parents would agree, parenting beings few compliments.
But God...
If we keep our focus on who we are trying to please-- Jesus, then it's all good!
Consistency makes Jesus proud of us, He notices.
I truly think that consistency makes people, especially the hurting, feel safe, which is a basic need. For those trying to be a "hospital for the hurting" it's a number one priority.
Thank you, Pastor, I enjoyed the read!!
Thanks Jon - I'm still chewing on this entry.
I do understand the point about not needing the validation of compliments after people's expectations have shifted to it being the new normal. It is a good sign of effective leadership.
However, sometimes the lack of compliments (and its corollary - the lack of complaints) makes me sit up and notice. I wonder if things have gotten so smooth and routine that we've grown complacent and/or lackadaisical? Not that maintaining “status quo” is ever the goal of leadership, but just wondering how to account for that when the compliments stop happening. Might it also signal something else? As I said, just a thought that I am still mulling over.
Man I love that you're always chewing on the articles and giving feedback. There's so many nuances to leadership isn't there? You make some really good points. Feedback and compliments are always good. I think I'm just trying to speak to the leaders heart to let them know that if we are craving compliments, we're missing it. And at some point in the life cycle of your leadership journey, the compliments slow down, and sometime cease. It could mean something wrong, but hopefully you've gotten really healthy feedback loops in your organization. If something is "off" we should be able to know it because of other systems we're hopefully put in place. And if we have organizational health, we are approachable with anything that needs fixing. You make some valid points and I don't disagree with you on them. But hopefully as the compliments slow down, we don't let it stop us from doing our calling and moving forward because of our insecurities
Great thoughts Art. As always!
Thanks Jon for the response. As I continued to contemplate your article and the response above, allow me to share a personal story that informs my perspective.
When I was in Army basic training, we underwent weekly inspections of our platoon bay (roughly 48 guys to a platoon). Our company commander used this inspection as a competition against the other three platoons in our company. The first week, right before the results were announced, our platoon's drill instructors called our platoon into formation on the company "street" and proceeded to make us do low crawl, crab crawl, and burpees in the Alabama clay. This went on for 20 minutes until we were a filthy mess. Then we returned to standing at attention in platoon formation as the other platoons joined us for a company wide formation. The results were announced, and our platoon had won.
Same thing happened the next week. Call to platoon formation, 20 minutes of getting dusty and filthy crawling through the dirt, get back into formation, announcement that we won. This happened four weeks in a row. We finally asked our D.I.'s if we were winning the competitions, why were we being "punished" with extra PT (physcial training). Their answer was simple: "Never get comfortable with success."
The wisdom of that lesson has stuck with me (as do numerous others that I learned during my time in the Army.) I find that I become "extra alert" when things seem to be going well. It's not that I am perpetually in a posture of "waiting for the other shoe to drop." Good leadership typically leads to good results. But sometimes good results happen despite leadership. I just don't want me, or my team, to become too comfortable when there is good results and success.
Postscript: The week finally arrived when our platoon didn't win. Ironically, our D.I.'s did the exact opposite...which is to say...nothing. We simply showed up for company formation and learned the results. In a weird way, that motivated our platoon all the more. I think if I had to drill down into it, that motivation was not for the accolades of winning, but quite the opposite; a pride that comes with sharing a challenging experience together.
Finally, allow me to share a compliment for your leadership of all of us. Your care for us in this thread is both meaningful and makes a difference.