This is the second in the Drucker series of articles. Read article 1 here for some background.
873 words – 3 minutes and a smidge reading time
Each of these articles will include three quotes from Peter Drucker and a personal story and reminiscence of my time with Peter.
Today’s reminiscence has to do with a time with Bob Buford and me out visiting with Peter as he was speaking at one of our Leadership Network conferences. This one was for our old “Church Champions” Network.
The photo was not the time we almost killed Peter.
Back then, one could take American Airlines to Ontario airport, and we traveled together. Our first task was to go pick Peter up at his home and take him to lunch.
Bob asked Peter where he wanted to eat. Peter’s response was “Marie Callender’s.” Think of a glorified Denny’s. Larry Osborne used to say Denny’s was never where you planned to go; you just ended up there. Marie Callender’s was Denny’s with better pie.
Bob thought we could do better than that and told Peter. But Peter was firm. There was a sandwich there he liked.
I was letting Bob do the driving that day in the rental car. (the last time I let him) While driving down the street, Peter pointed out the restaurant on the opposite side. Bob drove right over a low median, pointing the car towards the entrance, and we were almost hit by a car coming in the opposite direction. A scary moment for Bob and me. Peter was oblivious.
As we entered, Bob whispered: “I almost killed Peter Drucker!”
I don’t remember what was discussed that day. And after returning Peter home, Bob kept saying: “I can’t believe I almost killed Peter.”
I never mentioned it again.
But Bob did.
He constantly changed the story to say I was driving. But it was him. Just to set that record straight. On to the sayings:
Drucker saying 1: "The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said."
This one is a real challenge, of course.
In my consulting process, I try to get at this by asking interviews for letters ahead of time with some specific questions everyone gets asked. When I see a pattern, I know there may be something there.
If another interviewee doesn’t mention it and I think it is significant, I simply as: “What about_____?” in the most neutral way I can. Then just shut up and listen.
Secondly, I have learned to ask when I am working over time with a client: Has there been anything materially significant that would impact our work?
Believe it or not, sometimes folks want to hide bad news from me or significant changes they feel have no bearing on the process. At times, they are correct. But others, not so much.
So it never hurts to ask someone in the organization for a follow-up if you do not hear what you expect.
Drucker saying 2: "No one learns as much about a subject as one who is forced to teach it."
Why is that?
When it comes to skill training, repetition and illustration by the teacher to the student help remind both of the importance or desired end.
I first remember this in the Boy Scouts and knot tying. The task of the more experienced scouts was to teach the new scouts how to tie specific knots properly. There was a drill. One’s leadership was evaluated by how well you taught someone else the skill to do the task.
We should similarly evaluate some church staff roles in skill and task training. It is not the measure of great success they can do themselves but how well they teach others to do it.
I remember we were supposed to learn one knot and then instruct the tenderfoot – this knot may save you and a fellow scout’s life someday.
That never happened in real life in our troop, but I have seen people do it on TV!
The second type of subject is the wisdom, sage, adaptive challenge problem. In this “teaching,” we must reflect on the conditions and context and be able to communicate to someone why we made decisions the way we did.
It is the power of the proper illustration that helps a student understand. It gets to the why behind the actions or understandings.
It should not just be a rote – “this is what we believe” statement, but the why and logic behind the information as we understand the scriptures and our history.
More after the Ad….or anti-ad in this case:
Note: For those wanting help with Senior Pastor Smart Succession
My calendar has been filled for 2022. If we had a serious conversation earlier this year, I am holding you a spot for the fall. But others will need to schedule now for early 2023.
I only do so many engagements at a time to give good attention and service. That is limited to a certain number of national clients and a few local (no airplane travel) clients.
To answer a question: The ideal time to start for MOST clients is 24-36 months before you plan to hand off primary leadership.
I will make you this promise; if we discuss your situation this year by December 2022 and agree to work together in 2023, I will commit to the 2022 pricing.
To do that, we need to get a call on the schedule where I will outline the whole of the process.
Please reach out directly or to Linda.Stanley@generis.com to find an available hour to do that. Those slots go quickly, so reach out soon to schedule.
Story Continues
Drucker says 3: "There is nothing quite so useless, as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all."
This is the theme for the season as I work with churches in the covid comeback season.
Some churches are trying to do everything they once did. Others are adding to that list.
But if the season for that ministry program or activity has passed, we should let it go with dignity.
Numerous leaders have said: “It doesn’t take that much to do that.”
But they neglect the cost of time, attention, and focus. Forget the money.
Are we focused on the activities core to our mission that produces the results we seek?
If not, we should either deprioritize or drop it.
What needs to be dropped in your church’s next season?
As I close today, I want to give a shout-out to a consultant whose new book impressed me: Mike Bonem.
The new book is The Art of Leading Change. (That’s an affiliate link that benefits a new church planting foundation, not me personally.)
The book is best for mid-size legacy congregations in my view, but new leaders of any church would also profit. Way to go Mike!