The Joy of Leadership

Mel Kieschnick, Carlsbad, California

Lutheran educators are positioned for making a difference: They have the potential of being leaders. Few things in life bring more satisfaction than having a big wonderful dream and then seeing it come true. That’s what leadership is all about.

Have a Vision

     All leadership begins with a vision. Someone has an idea, a dream, an image of a preferred future. Workers in Lutheran schools get inspired to see something  that could be. This vision can come from many places.
God’s word paints a picture of how things could be. Visits to other schools, attendance at conferences, reading about what others do, observing what is happening in society, dissatisfaction with the present - all of these can be sources for a new and bigger vision. The vision can be quantitative: more teachers, more students, more money, more space, more programs, higher salaries. Or the vision can be qualitative: enriched curriculum, more spirituality, wider inclusivity, better relations with congregation, the community, parents, the public schools.
     The important thing is to dream it. The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it you can do it.”
     Do it. Take a moment right now. Write down one vision of a preferred future that you would like to see in place 3 years from now.

Gotcha!

     Now go back to the statement you just wrote. Make it bigger. Rewrite it, making it a bigger, bolder, more faith-challenging, more audacious vision.

With a Little Help From...

     No leader can do it alone. Every successful leader has secured the agreement, support, alignment of others. Think about your dream. Whose partnership do you need? Get specific: pastor, board chair, God, parent, staff member, congregation president, spouse, major donor, custodian. The list will include not only individuals but also groups,
like boards, committees, et sim. It’s critical that these names actually be written down.

Gotcha!

     Now look at the list and identify persons who will be the hardest to convince to support your dream. Encircle those names with a big heart.  Use a bright red marker.

Strategy

     It’s fun to dream. It’s challenging to get needed alignment from others. yet that’s not enough. It’s vital that one think through and articulate the specific programs, strategies and tactics to get from where we are to where we want to be. Involve others in this process. Outline the programs, name the strategies, add the time lines, spell
out the costs.

Resources

     Now you have the dream. Others buy into it. Many have worked together to put together the strategies to get from “what is” to “what is desired”.  Now it’s fun to marshal the resources. Pray those prayers for divine assistance. Motivate the people to want to be a part of it.  Collect all the supporting data. Get the money. People commit themselves to dreams that they get excited about. Money always flows to what people value, always. Your dream has now also become someone
else’s dream and they want to expend time, energy and money to see it come through.

Gotcha!

     The LAST thing leaders think about is money. That’s often the FIRST thing non-leaders consider and so their dream never ever gets dreamt because they are afraid the money won’t be there. But successful leaders know that the money is there, just waiting to be attached to a dream.

Confession

     Nothing has brought me greater satisfaction than seeing many of my dreams fulfilled. This has included an entire school system, as well as training programs, satisfied parents, inclusive, healthy Christian learning communities, millions of dollars, blessings on an
international scale. Some of my saddest moments have come when I was forced to confess, “I dreamed too small!”
     So dream on and may the God who often appears to God’s people in dreams give you the vision to see new possibilities and then the satisfaction of saying, “Together we did it!”

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