{"id":21108,"date":"2019-01-31T19:00:36","date_gmt":"2019-02-01T03:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=21108"},"modified":"2019-01-31T19:00:36","modified_gmt":"2019-02-01T03:00:36","slug":"leadership-and-volume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/leadership-and-volume\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership and Volume"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erin Meyer\u2019s Culture Map <\/em>offers great insights into the struggle and gifts of getting things done in a globalized context. She reminds us that not everyone thinks, acts, responds, and leads the same way we do.\u00a0How helpful to understand better the \u2018water\u2019 I swim in and to see it plotted on a continuum alongside other cultures. This is not a continuum of poor to excellent but a continuum of differences. This language of \u2018different not better\u2019 serves us well in global leadership. It sounds right and good but can be difficult to practice, which is why I think the following quote strikes me as humorous:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I was struck by the the continuum of communicating. The US is the furthest left and there are more countries that fall on the high context end than on the low context end. The US is obviously a bit of an outlier here[1]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I have heard the old adage before that was shared in Meyer’s introduction \u2013 that humans were given two eyes and two ears but only one mouth. We should take the cue from nature and make use of them accordingly. It sounds similar to James\u2019 exhortation of \u2018everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry\u2019[2]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But I wonder why do I and in general, American leaders, find it difficult to be quick to listen?<\/p>\n

Simply writing that generalization makes me cringe slightly. But the Culture Map <\/em>is straightforward about the need for generalizations in order to establish a baseline, a foundational perspective from which to then establish and build more context and understanding[3]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The American assumption and my experience has taught me that the leader in the room is whoever is the strongest and loudest person. When you combine our explicit communication with a passion for clarity, you have an ideal leadership framework.\u00a0A large portion of my last two roles was to provide as much clarity as possible – both up and down. It was a full-time job. Leaders talk and tell.<\/p>\n

But I think a dangerous assumption can result. If speaking and directing is strong leadership, then by default, listening can be seen as weak. I have incorrectly equated leadership with volume.<\/p>\n

No matter our personality or cultural context, we can learn from Jesus\u2019 example. Yes, there are many words and teachings recorded but if one looks carefully, you can see a plethora of questions Jesus asks. In the Gospel recordings there are easily a hundred questions that He asks others[4]<\/a>. Who do you say I am? What do you want? Why are you afraid? Do you believe I can do this? And on and on. He asked questions and listened for a response.<\/p>\n

Early on in my role at Christ Fellowship I met with a mentor who asked how it was going. I responded \u2018Ok I guess. All I really have been doing is listening to people.\u2019 Here it was again \u2013 my secret tendency to see strength as talking and telling people what to do and to see everything else as well, less than that.<\/p>\n

Listening is not nothing. I apologize for the double negative but it is helpful for me to hear it this way. Listening to others is ministry. Listening is a part of strong leadership more than ever. This quote hits at what is in my mind for Christian leaders, no matter the nationality –<\/p>\n

‘Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.’[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

Meyer\u2019s writing and examples are a timely reminder to me as I look ahead at this semester\u2019s dissertation work. The very real and necessary work in the months ahead is to listen. To listen truly and openly, without assuming I know what they will say or only for my chance to respond.<\/p>\n

Yes, leadership will require words. Our dissertation will most definitely require words. May I see how necessary and powerful listening is \u2013 how requisite it is, even, for the words I do end up saying to have a chance of eternal impact.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a>Meyer, Erin.\u00a0The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures<\/em>. New York, NY: Public Affairs, 2015, 34.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a>James 1:19, NIV<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a>Meyer, Meyer, The Culture Map,<\/em>\u00a013.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a>http:\/\/blog.adw.org\/2012\/02\/100-questions-jesus-asked-and-you-ought-to-answer\/<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a>Augsburger, David W. Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard<\/i>. Regal Books, 1983.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Erin Meyer\u2019s Culture Map offers great insights into the struggle and gifts of getting things done in a globalized context. She reminds us that not everyone thinks, acts, responds, and leads the same way we do.\u00a0How helpful to understand better the \u2018water\u2019 I swim in and to see it plotted on a continuum alongside other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1433],"class_list":["post-21108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-erin-meyer","cohort-lgp9"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21108"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21152,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21108\/revisions\/21152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}