Dear Friends,
“The first responsibility
of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the
leader is a servant." These wise words came from Max DePree, the
former chairman and CEO of Herman Miller, Inc, the furniture maker that was
once named one of Fortune magazine's 10 best managed and most innovative
companies.
Today I still member De
Pree's book The Art of Leadership which I read over two
decades ago while on a cruise with my wife and family. Few books on leadership
have impacted me more than this one. The fact that I still remember
the time I read it after so many years is a testimony to the impact it had
on me.
One of the key aspects
of De Pree's leadership involved a principle he learned from his father. It was
called 'the rule of abandoning oneself to the strengths of others'.
His father was always
open to the ideas and suggestions of others. He cultivated the kind of
relationships with his employees that made them feel that their input was not
only welcome but encouraged. He knew that he could learn from the experts, but
he was far more interested in learning from the rank and file. They were the
ones who knew the company best, and who were in the best position to recommend
the kind of suggestions that would strengthen the company.
He introduced the
Scanlon Plan, a plan by which workers made suggestions to management for ways
to improve such things as customer service, quality,
and productivity. In 1987-88 Herman Miller employees made suggestions
that led to cost savings of some $12 million dollars.
Regardless of your
position, I believe this principle of 'abandoning oneself to the
strengths of others has significant implications for those
in any form of leadership. The best leaders, administrators, coaches, teachers,
pastors, and yes, even parents, are generally the ones that are open to the
possibility that they can always learn something from the suggestions of
others. They are not so arrogant to think that they have all the answers and
can never learn from those with whom they work.
Some of the most
valuable lessons I have learned as a parent, coach, teacher and
pastor have come from those times when I was willing to 'abandon myself to
the strengths of others.' Such learning can provide a valuable dimension to
one's growth. If we think we know it all, and that those we work with can't
teach us anything, we are indeed foolish.
The legendary basketball
coach John Wooden was fond of saying, "It's what you learn after you know
it all that counts."
A number of years ago the
late R. C. Sproul, a brilliant theologian, was the resident scholar at
Pittsburgh Seminary. He was one of the most creative and intellectual
scholars of our time, and he was giving a heavy lecture to a group of his students.
One of them raised his hand and asked a very complicated question. Dr. Sproul
smiled and said, "The answer to that is very simple, I don't
know."
Those who are willing to
confess that they don't know it all, are the ones who are most teachable. God
is not looking for those who profess to know it all. He is looking for those
who are willing to be quiet and ready to listen and learn from others.
And oh yes, don't forget,
"The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their
faces." (Proverbs 10:6, The Living Bible).
Yours in faith and
friendship,
Tom
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