By James Castellano
The final two pieces of VALID leadership are not as concrete as the first three. They are important and necessary to master. They are also flexible. Because of this flexibility VALID can be molded to fit a leader's specific need.
In review, the first three pieces (Vision, Association, and Love) are essential. Effective leaders must master these areas. The "I" and "D" can be matched to the leader's experience and needs.
Let's begin with the "I" factors. They are:
1. Involvement: Effective leaders will be involved. There is no substitution for getting your hands dirty and doing the little things. Your people will respond positively and enthusiastically when they know you are with them. See James 2:14-26 (MSG)
2. Ingenuity: Effective leaders find solutions. They are not afraid to try new approaches and will take calculated risks.
3. Improvisation: Effective leaders will adjust when needed. They don't give up when they hit obstacles.
4. Intuition: Effective leaders have a keen sense and awareness of their surroundings.
The "D" factors are:
1. Discernment: Effective leaders have a keen insight and sound judgment. Similar to intuition, discernment allows us to sense what is happening and make solid decisions. See John 7:21 (MSG)
2. Determination: Effective leaders don't give up. They keep forging ahead to realize their vision.
3. Development: Effective leaders understand that developing themselves and their team is absolutely necessary. Change is inevitable, but self-improvement is optional. It is the great separator between greatness and mediocrity. See John 15:15 (NIV).
4. Demonstration: Effective leaders are masters of letting their actions do the talking.
Here's how I put it too work. The VAL is under control already. For me to step up my leadership, improvement was needed. My two specific areas were involvement and development. My VALID needs to be Vision, Assoc., Love, Involvement and Development.
I satisfied the involvement portion by moving my workstation out of my huge, awesome office. I chose a desk in the middle of the dispatch area and work from there. This gives me the opportunity to work side by side with my teammates. It also shows them I am part of their team (demonstration).
The development portion for me is helping two teammates who are viewed as up and coming stars. For me to be successful, I must develop others into strong leaders. My ability has limits and can only go so far. I'll need other leaders to step up so we can reach our goals together. Hiring the right people makes this portion much easier (intuition).
Your "I" and "D" may be different from mine. Pick the factors you need to improve upon to complete your leadership profile. Your success depends on it.
James authors the popular leadership blog, Leading The Way. You can participate in the daily discussions by visiting www.leadingisreading.blogspot.com. He also founded the concept of VALID Leadership and has published numerous Christian and secular articles.
