Isaac Newton's third law of motion states, "For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction." Translating this logic to organizational dynamics, "The actions of one person will cause reactions in others." This is especially true when the first person serves as a leader. This common sense underscores the importance of a key leadership concept: Be deliberate.
Deliberateness is especially important for new leaders. Why? Simple: A leader who isn't deliberate will likely not remain a leader long.
So what does a deliberate leader do? Admittedly short of an exhaustive list, the following 12 descriptors provide a deep and unshakable foundation. A deliberate leader …
1. Prioritizes well. When a leader views everything as imperative, nothing will be important. This applies to a leader's own workload as well as the entire organization. Model this well by saying "no" and sticking to it.
2. Remains available. Stay behind closed doors too long, and you become a mystery. And the days of the "mystery leader" went away right around the time texting and social media emerged. Why? Because peoples' willingness to wait for information or have questions answered has dramatically decreased. And the feared leader approach? It never works. Although some leaders unfortunately see fear and respect as synonymous, their organizations don't. This only works in military, politics, and, of course, illicit organizations.
3. Models proactivity. A self-starting leader sets the pace for the team. However, he or she need not do everything. Rather, a leader should believe deeply in the importance of his or her unique responsibilities and need no prompt to get busy. It's contagious. When this doesn't happen, then a leader will simply work in reactive mode all the time—and will lose any ability to prioritize.
4. Stays inquisitive. Know-it-alls were annoying in school and they remain dreadfully unpopular in organizations—especially at the top. A leader should also serve as the most passionate learner. Let the team see their leader eager to understand and they, too, will adopt this trait. Plus, a person who knows more makes better decisions. A person who knows little relies on luck.
5. Displays decisiveness. Another of Newton's laws states, "An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." A leader must be willing, whenever needed, to apply force by making decisions to get the organization moving. Or turning. Or unstuck. While many people today give the priests in Joshua 3 credit for stepping into the Jordan River, that moment came courtesy of their leader when he said, "We've thought about this, prayed about this, and talked about this long enough; pick up the ark and let's get going" (my version).
6. Communicates clearly. It's hard to follow a leader who's hard to understand, whether it's because of ambiguity (too few details), overload (too many specifics), or wrongly assuming other people completely understand the situation (wrong details). Practice, practice, practice what to say—and when writing, pen multiple drafts until the message fits four criteria: clear, concise, complete, and compelling.
7. Focuses well. Leaders must absorb information in great volumes. Critical to making that practice productive, they also must find and lock onto details that have most importance. This ability—to shut out that which matters less in order to focus on what matters most—sets a person apart from everyone else observing the same situations.
8. Opens up. Receptivity to ideas catalyzes creativity. When a person believes his or her leader will listen to a fresh perspective, that person will grow in critical thinking and resourcefulness. Woe to the team that relies on the leader for every new thought. Yet, think of how many groups operate that way.
9. Persists expectantly. A leader with undeterred optimism toward the mission will create positive energy for the organization. Waffle a little, and authenticity disappears. Remain steadfastly convinced that great days are both happening and ahead, and people join the cause. Never entertain failure or it might decide to stick around. This might seem like advocacy for a rah-rah approach, until one considers what takes more deliberate energy: to remain optimistic and then find the ways and means to live into it, or to surrender. The hidden benefit is that it encourages and justifies stubbornness. Don't believe me? I don't care.
10. Appreciates authentically. And generously. Maybe not in dollar amounts, but definitely in frequency and effort. A leader can transform an organization by empowering every person through encouragement that uniquely touches their hearts. This concept stands at the center of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, a book and training that will create a work environment people love—and respond with their best efforts.
11. Looks ahead. Pay too much attention to the current issues/situations and the organization will stand relatively still, reacting to issues, similar to stopping on a hike to swat mosquitoes. Hey, they need to be swatted—but do it as you keep moving. And the only way to keep going is to look ahead. In fact, try to maintain a two-moves-ahead perspective. This means considering the next decision following the decision about to be made.
12. Slows down. And insists others do the same. Deliberate leadership requires significant energy and stamina. We've all heard the biblical reasons to rest. Here's a piece of the culture that's surprisingly insightful: The NCAA mandates that student athletes can participate in sports activities a maximum of six sequential days. That's right; college athletics has legislation that seems biblical. Diminishing productivity becomes damaging when done with too little rest and time to recover. Same holds true for leadership. Maybe more so.
David Staal, senior editor for Building Church Leaders and a mentor to a second grader, serves as the president of Kids Hope USA, a national non-profit organization that partners local churches with elementary schools to provide mentors for at-risk students. He also chairs the advisory board for a nearby college and served ten years in leadership for a local church following a corporate career. David is the author of Lessons Kids Need to Learn (Zondervan, 2012) and Words Kids Need to Hear (Zondervan, 2008). He lives in Grand Haven, MI, with his wife Becky. His son Scott and daughter Erin attend Valparaiso University.
