The feeling that you can do the job better yourself makes delegation difficult. But I've been a more effective leader when others have actually done the work.
Donald Seibert

Donald Seibert has seen the inside workings of not only churches but high-pressure corporations. As chairman and chief executive officer at J. C. Penney, he gained a reputation as an effective organizer and peacemaker. And in peace, the company prospered.

In 1981, a year when most retailers were taking their lumps, Penney's earnings rose 44 percent on a mere 4.5 percent increase in sales. What was the secret? Business Week pointed to a new management style "keyed to group decision making … consensus management."

Seibert, architect of that new atmosphere, is now retired, but his philosophy remains unchanged: develop a team that can continue without a hitch when key individuals leave.

Seibert was vice-president for the White House Council on Families during the Carter years and has served on the Advisory Council for Productivity ...