With all the talk about vision and mission, we forget a simple truth. Through our leading, we are making something unique.
Now, we’re not all creating the same thing. Yet we’re all forging a new future.
Image via Creative Commons
The Mindset To Have
As leaders, our mission is to grow our organizations, our churches, or our businesses. We are tasked with bringing in more people or creating more disciples.
This growth mindset clouds the real mindset leaders should have
That mindset is to grow other leaders. That mindset is to influence our followers to take actions. That mindset is to help those we lead to make better choices.
What do the above tasks have in common?
Looking deeper at growing leaders, influencing followers, and helping others make better choices, we can see there’s a common thread. The common thread is that leaders are meant to make and create.
We have to latch onto the maker mindset.
How To Lead With A Maker’s Mindset
Shifting our mindsets to the maker’s mindset is difficult at first. We’re unsure of how to proceed and what we’re doing.
We will fail when we begin to think as a maker, as all maker’s do.
Makers tinker. Makers change things. Makers create.
Leaders with a maker’s mindset think differently. They see possibilities where others see stagnation.
So, how do you lead as a maker?
Look for what’s working… And break it – The creative leader will look for things that are working. When they find something that works well, they begin to tear apart the process and see where the weak point lies.
From there, they begin to change processes or implement new ideas into the old way. They craft a new, better process from what was working.
Look to companies outside of the organization’s market… And steal from them – Every organization has their core competencies. They’re good at manufacturing furniture. Or maybe their core business is selling computer software.
Leaders with a maker’s mindset know that innovation won’t come from looking at companies in the same market. Rather, they’re willing to look at companies outside of their market.
A furniture maker may look at a product distributor and see how they warehouse their product. From there, they see a new way to store their furniture that increases warehouse storage.
A church can look at a restaurant, such as Chick-Fil-A, and see how they treat their customers. The church may then see a new way to greet church attendees and make them feel more welcome.
A pizza chain could look at a delivery company,UPS for example, and see they try to make as many right turns as possible. The pizza chain begins to implement this right turn strategy when delivering pizza and finds out they cut down on delivery times.
Makers look not only to their industry but to others who are killing it. They take what works and leaves what doesn’t.
Look for new ideas – Leaders who are makers know that new ideas are all around them. Many have never been implemented because no one took the time to investigate the ideas.
You can find this happening in the manufacturing world. There are hundreds of workers on the shop floor.
They’re running their machines, day in and day out. They see what works and what doesn’t.
They know how to get the most out of their machines. But they won’t tell you if you don’t ask.
Snoop around the “shop” floor. See who’s innovating and see how they’re doing it.
Use their ideas and improve them company. Don’t forget to also give credit to those you borrow the ideas from.
Makers want to make things better. They know processes can be improved and they go about doing so.
Be a maker today. Snoop, steal, and break until you create something new.
Question: How are you being a leader who is a maker? Let’s talk about this idea in the comment section below.
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