Patience with New Things.

We have just recently switched from a printed church newsletter to an e-newsletter. We were simply following a trend to try to go digital whenever possible. Board meetings, annual meetings had already gone to a paperless format so this last week I labored with the new software to create our first edition of a paperless newsletter.
Along the way I was reminded of numerous leadership principles that are so easy to take for granted. While I admit they are all elementary, I felt like I was back in leadership 101 learning them all over again.

The idea of an e-newsletter was easy. Finding the right software, the right publishing service, and the right e-newsletter management site was more difficult. Having done some research, I settled on resource and began the process of setting up an e-newsletter.

Writing the articles was easy. Learning how to enter pictures, text, formatting on the new software took time. Learning the intricacies of formatting the pages and imbedding hyperlinks took time.

Sending the newsletter was easy. Doing it well the first time was a challenge. After three drafts, and input from my chief editors (an office manager and an administrative assistant) I thought we were ready to move ahead and publish. I was eager to see the finished work (that tendency we all have to want change to be quick and easy). Thinking we had arrived at the place of perfection, I clicked the send button and promptly sent out a draft copy instead of a corrected copy. ARGH!! So two days later I found myself writing an explanation and encouragement for others to be patient with the change and forwarded a corrected copy of the newsletter.

So what was I learning again? Just the basic stuff of change.

- Change is never easy. It always requires hard work.
- Change won't happen without a few snags along the way. No matter how hard we try we will always fail to foresee every detail, we will always make mistakes along the way.
- Change will always challenge our patience. Leaders see where they want to go and they'd like to get there NOW. Patience in change begins with leaders.
- Change is a process. First attempts always lead to tweaking the system, adjusting the plan, editing the process. When things go wrong leaders don't blame others, they assess what's needed and continue to move forward.

Leaders lead. . . especially when it comes to change.

Leaders lead....

I have been reading Joshua these last few days and I was struck by an incredible expectation Moses had for his protégée. Repeatedly Moses challenges Joshua to be strong and courageous. It is easy to understand why Joshua may be struggling with fears. Moses will soon be gone. He is the appointed leader. As leader he would have to lead the tribes to a place they had never been before, and getting there would be no easy task. He has seen how rebellious and difficult the Israelites could be. Walled city and giants wait in the land he is supposed to conquer. Sensing his angst, Moses repeatedly encourages him.

But just a few chapters later, Joshua gives the same exhortation to the Israelite tribes. Just a short time earlier he was the one struggling, he was the one in need of a good locker room speech. What happened? Why the change?

Did he suddenly become such a hero that he no longer faced any fears? Did he suddenly become indifferent to dangers they would face as they conquered the land? Was he no longer aware of the responsibility that rested on his shoulder. I don't think so. All the fearsome challenges still lay ahead.

Joshua had done what every leader must do. To take those he is leading to where they need to go, he must face the fears, face the challenges and move forward. Why? Because if the leader hesitates in the face of challenge, those who follow will stop.

Joshua has no idea what each of the battles ahead will look like. He only knows, he must face the battles in order to fulfill the vision--taking the land.

Leaders are not fearless, but they fearlessly face the struggles, the challenges, the battles to lead others to the fulfillment of the vision. Leaders lead… Even when faced with fearsome challenges.