You’re not my parent.

As kids we ask lots of questions - why do I have to…

• Clean my room?
• Be nice to my brother?
• Eat my veggies?

Sometimes parents explain the why.

• Other times they fall back on the time-honored, traditional answer.
• “Because I said so.”
• (It’s a parent’s privilege - or so I’ve been told.)

We zoom forward to adulthood.

• Serve as leaders.
• In a time of great change.
• And lots of transitions.

You analyze options to determine best actions.

• Think every angle has been covered.
• Present the new plan to your team with a flourish.
• And to your amazement hear, “Why are we doing it that way?”

Your jaw hits the floor!

• Were they not listening?
• Didn’t they withness your brilliance?
• Don’t they understand you made tough decisions?

“Because I said so!” is such a tempting answer.

• Stamp down rebellion.
• Get them in lock step.
• March into the future using your plan.

The challenge: Blind faith is out of style.

• And you are working with adults.
• People can’t appreciate what they don’t understand.
• Forced will kills morale.

So what do you do?

• Polish your people skills.
• Learn how to manage change.
• Involve your team in the process - rather than be a bossy parent.

Your team will go farther faster with you when you don’t treat them like children.

Makes me think of chapter leaders…Does your leadership team know how to to manage the changes facing your chapter - without going parental on volunteers?

Originally posted @ Cynthia D'Amour on Leadership and Life