New Year. New Decade. More drama!
I have been interested in the last few weeks to watch drama unfold in two very different contexts, related to individual’s refusal to accept change.
First, Bobby Bowden coached his last game at Florida State over the weekend. The Seminoles won and sent him out well. But the journey to that point was rough. His teams had lost stature since they dominated the 90s and early 2000s, and as Bowden moved into his late 70s, they just could not hang with Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators. The school and AD wanted him to retire, and he wanted to coach one more season. Finally, he was basically given a gentle nudge in butt and he acquiesced. But, not the transition anyone was looking for.
Second, James Dobson of Focus on the Family fame has stirred up some trouble in Colorado Springs. He will host his last radio show with Focus in February and is no longer the CEO of Focus. It seems that Dobson, who is in his 70s as well, was frustrated with the kinder gentler Focus being shaped by a new CEO and an evolving board. Dobson always dreamed of handing the reigns to his son Ryan, who is almost 40. But Ryan is divorced, so that just doesn’t fit for an organization that trumpets strong marraiges and families as the solution to society’s ills. Dobson recently sent out an email asking for 2 million dollars in start up funds for a new organization and new radio show he will be launching after he leaves the organization he founded in the 70s.
As I look at these two stories, and hear stories of others like them (such as Bill Hybels returning to lead Willow Creek Community Church), I realize that I have not seen older leaders transition well. Most of them fight it hard and they dont know to trust the next generation with the mission or institution they feel they have built. It almost seems at times as if some older leaders cannot separate the identity and future of the organization from their own identity and future.
Tomorrow, I will share about a transition that I have watched from afar. A transition that happened very well and put two different men in places to influence change.
Until then, how about you? How have you seen these kinds of transitions gone well? Who have you seen do it well? Who have you seen do it poorly?
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Scott,
I don’t have a bunch of concrete examples of transitions at the upper tiers of leadership that have gone well. Mainly, because I have not been a part of many and I am unfamiliar with the details of the transitions. However, the idea of transition was a lesson that I learned early on as a young Jarhead. Marines embrace the ideal that the organization and mission is by far greater than the individual and his/her impact. I will spare the often hilarious and scary details of how the Corps goes about getting Marine recruits (typically not the type of person known for humility) to grasp this concept, but for the most part the system works. The key idea that was taught to me is that the mission of the Marine Corps is of greater importance than my own agenda, well-being, preference, etc. If one Marine goes down or steps down the organization must keep moving… it’s to important not to. So, this concept led to a culture in which leaders focused on the development of younger Marines to fill their shoes. This happens in all levels of leadership in the Corps, from Pvt to four-star. Day-in a day-out in the Corps, leaders leave to their next duty station, retirement, or discharge. For the most part the organization is unaffected by these changes because the leader had developed the person below, left and right to take his position and do it as good if not better than himself. I don’t often find opportunities for the Church to learn from the Corps. Mainly because well… in the Corps we kill people when necessary to secure peace and well…Jesus didn’t. But in this area I think Church leadership could learn a valuable lesson. The mission of spreading Christ’s message and love is far more important than our own agendas, motives, preferences, etc. Leaders at all levels must develop others to take their place all the while listening to where Christ wants us to go/do/be next.
Esto
I think your example is perfect. I wasn’t just looking for top tier, but just the idea of transition and change. Great example and thanks for sharing. I have recently been reminded as a wrap up an intensive short-term crisis mentorship that focused preparation and transfer of wisdom can be the context for someone to make drastic changes. It’s been cool to watch someone from a very close distance do a 180 in about two months. Now the proof is in the continued action. I think EVEYRONE, not just the church, has a lot to learn from the marines here.
Scott,
Transition or another sequel to Generation Gap? Either way I take very strong offense that just because of my age I should be put out to pasture. If anyone ever thought about “Phasing” me out of my job, you would have better luck pulling the teeth out of a mad dog. On the other hand, if my intellectual maturity or ability to lead is causing the greater good to suffer then don’t hire some corporate sniper to take me out at the time clock, take me head on.
Let me put it this way Scott. One day you are hanging five in your office and the board introduces you to a younger person and inform you that you are to show this individual the ropes…in short, your job. Nothing was said of a new position, horizontal shuffle, and over time the neat little water cooler meetings dismiss as you approach. Eventually you’re out of the circle, what you’ve poured your life into is now vaporized and watching the clock in your office is exciting. This is corporate transition and you can take your gold watch…and well..figure it out.
Transition, performance, and the bottom financial line are all connected. Scott, transition boils down to the Golden Rule, “He with the gold rules,” the great circumference around all age groups.
Michael
7
well michael. One of the judges of my posts is the number of revolutions stirred in the pot. Guess this one stirred many for you. Success!
I say this half-joking.
Part of the post’s focus is transition that occurs at the highest level in organizations – particularly transitions that occur against the will of older leaders who have lost effectiveness or are unable to lead as effectively as they once did.
Another part of the post’s focus is that we all struggle with change – maybe not in terms of executive transition, but most people have a bias towards the status quo. Like Danny referred to, accepting that change is inevitable and the future is not guaranteed to maintain the status quo is predicate to healthy preparation and leadership reproduction. Reproducing marines, managers or followers of Jesus.
Give me the car keys
While visiting my family during the holidays, back in Iowa; my father volunteered to take a car load out to eat. As we pulled up in front of the restaurant my father said, “that wasn’t too bad.” Well if you discount holding up traffic, pulling out in front of a Mac truck, each of us exit the car talking to Jesus. Point is, and this is very personal; my father’s identity is connected to freedom and the greater feeling of purpose.
“I must decrease so he may increase.” A powerful sentence, which requires my generation to come to terms with our own self-actualization, the ball has lost its bounce; not its shape. I have to believe that corporate businesses, regardless if church or aerospace; both have a methodology on grooming the brightest, best, and conformity to the business/church business plan.
Overall bias to the status quo breeds contempt and complicacy. The transition between the two opposing factions is an ageless problem. However, what I have learned from my father’s personal transition is the greater need of freedom and purpose and my necessity of providing both until he decides the rocking chair is a better way of life than business.
Michael
7