Some years ago, a good friend of mine became the head of an agency that covered a large geographical area. An experienced leader, he knew not only its internal dynamics but the external challenges as well. This highly successful organization was composed of a small board of directors; a diverse, scattered group of employees; and literally thousands of volunteers that had been directed—more than led—by a forceful, charismatic man for over ten years. My friend knew that abrupt directives on his part could hurt the thriving agency, so he decided to get acquainted with his new coworkers. After making the rounds and meeting as many people as he could, he set up listening posts throughout the entire region so that everyone would have an opportunity to speak. As the new leader, he wanted to listen to whatever concerns the affiliates deemed important enough to talk about. In fact, he was so committed to hearing from everyone, the information gathering stage lasted several months.
After compiling all the feedback he had collected with what he knew about the environment in and outside the agency, he set up another round of meetings. In each one, he gently discussed his vision for the future, integrating the stakeholders concerns, the external situation and his strategic thinking. He fielded questions non-defensively and gently reiterated his perspective. This entire process took over two years, but when it was completed, I noticed that the organization had taken a new, positive direction with energy and enthusiasm. And, my friend was the leader not only because of the position he held, but also because he had acted wisely and received the acclaim of the agency constituents.
CHAMPS are persuasive.
