On Halloween, in between 'trick or treaters', I completed a book by Bill George entitled Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets in Creating Lasting Value. In short for him an authentic leader has purpose, value, heart, relationships and self-discipline. As I was reading it these were, for the moment, easy to determine.
Purpose: answer the door and give out the Halloween candy;
Value: stick with my purpose;
Heart: smile, laugh, tell the children how beautiful, handsome, looking just like _____, or scary they look (dependant upon costume);
Relationships: Love your neighbor as yourself;
Self-discipline: buy the candy, be ready to hand it out, have the candlelit pumpkin, have the front door open, read when you get a chance, and avoid eating the candy.
Of course, George went much, much deeper than this. Effective business he presented as mission/purpose driven and values-centered. From his observation, such organizations also had motivated employees, product innovations and superior customer service, increased customer satisfaction, revenue and profit growth that provided reinvestment in innovations and customer service as well as shareholder value increases.
Arlington UMC is in the process of nailing down our God-given vision. That is the mission that God has set AUMC apart to accomplish. At its highest quality in action this vision will help the members of AUMC realize that they are not the customers but the 'employees of AUMC' who are motivated to bring the world to Jesus Christ. And the way to do so in George's language is innovations, service, satisfaction of the customers (those who are attracted to and come in to AUMC), as well as adding value to the lives of those who are a part of AUMC (the shareholders).
It is worth the reading.
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