In the marketplace, a good leader tries to earn the respect of those he or she leads, but those working for the leader follow directions most often simply because they are paid to do so. The bottom line for many employees in paid roles is that they work to take home a paycheck. Though money can’t be the only motivating factor in the marketplace, it does give a manager the leverage that leaders of volunteers don’t have. Yet even in the marketplace a Leadership Manager can choose not to use that as his or her leverage and build a team that doesn’t just work for a paycheck, but works because they love doing a great job for the company and their leader. Often times people don’t leave a job because of the job itself as often as they leave for something better, or simply because they can’t stand their manager. So in reality they are leaving because of a person. I’ve heard it said that people don’t leave companies, they leave people.
That’s why the true test of leadership is leading volunteers. Volunteers don’t serve in order to get a paycheck. Neither do they follow because someone has a leadership title. To help you be a more effective leader of volunteers you must be able to do the following:
- Communicate a compelling vision and effectively focus efforts towards that vision.
- Help people find their core purpose and match them to roles in which they feel valued and find fulfillment.
- Excel in developing collaboration, giving volunteers appropriate ownership, and creating authentic relationships where team-based serving is the expectation and the reality.
- Do everything you can as a leader to resource your team with the necessary tools to be successful.
- Become a Leadership coach rather than a dictator.
“He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.” – John Maxwell.
Whether in the marketplace or in a volunteer organization, let your leverage be shared vision and strong relationships. Such aspects go much further than just the need to get a set of tasks accomplished. Leaders who lead in this way have teams who love to serve with them, and who have a bigger picture of the entire organization and their important part in fulfilling its mission and bringing success.
Kameron Lombard © 2011
Leadership Fridays!
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Good blog on Positive Leadership, I like the quick read with the quick to apply content from this morning’s post. of yours. Hope you’re having a good Friday!
I hope other users think your post right here as helpful as I have. I run a blog personally and would be more than happy for you or the visitors on your site to check out. Please go ahead and browse through my website like I have with yours and leave a remark or two if you discover anything interesting. Thanks again.
Glad you enjoyed the reading, got to figure out how to change the language on your site right quick so I can read it. I don’t know a second language, as I’m sure you probably know a few! I look forward to checking it out! Kameron.