Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, offered his usual cogent insights on leadership in yesterday’s teleconference on leading through a financial crisis.
He suggested, “It’s the same job description as in any other crisis, and that is to know where you end and where other people begin.” He said that out of that separateness “you need to know what you believe, that is influenced but not under the control of what everybody else believes.” Then leaders need to chart the course from those beliefs, and have no fear to stay the course. This may include some course correction, but not caving in to the anxiety of everyone around you. Finally, he said, leaders need to stay connected with everybody in the system. “That’s the job description of the differentiating leader, over and over and over and over again.”
Bacon also talked about the importance of leadership development over time, and finding partners who have this same ability to know where they end and other people begin, and who are able to manage themselves and think creatively. It’s hard to face a crisis, or even an anxious board or committee meeting, without someone else in the room who can think clearly and take a stand.
The recording of the teleconference is available. E-mail me at Margaret@margaretmarcuson.com, and I’ll send you the link.