How do you communicate to your team? Are you a preacher, a teacher or a friend? Our guest, Cesar Arocha, talks about what it takes to grow and evolve as a leader of an organization. As the Senior Associate Pastor at Dallas Bay Church in Hixson, Tenn., he has a unique perspective on life as a leader of volunteers and as a champion for a mission.
TUNE IN NOW
Cesar told us that he is always measuring himself on his leadership ability so that he can achieve greatness, which for him is simply being the very best at what he's doing. There are three major areas on self-assessment:
Character: Am I keeping promises? Are my actions based on integrity?
Competency: Am I producing? Are there areas where I could improve?
Clarity: Have I give clear direction to my team? Is our mission the foundation in what we are doing? How can I be more precise in how I speak and deliver directions?
One thing that really stands out from this man who's lived several lifetimes for his age is that greatness may never really be achieved. "You never arrive," he told us, because there's always something more that can be learned or improved upon.
Cesar is one amazing guy! Get to know more about him by checking out our episode resources below!
Of the many lessons he's learned, Cesar wanted to share that the way we communicate can really make a difference in our effectiveness as leaders. The three ways someone can speak to a group are:
Preacher: Although the word "preacher" often correlates with someone who is approachable and a good listener, this communication style can actually be more dictatorial. Cesar explained it more as a "telling" method that can create a disconnect with the audience, which can turn people off quickly.
Teacher: Teachers educate and nurture, but when this approach is used in speaking with peers, your work colleagues or volunteers, Cesar says to watch your step. You can bring people together this way, but it still creates a hierarchy between you and your audience.
Friend: True friends are reliable people that are on the level with each other. In fact, they're on the same level, making it a relationship based on respect and sharing. Cesar explained that communicating as a peer encourages a "do it together" atmosphere where everyone is valued and has ownership over the steps needed to reach the group's goal.
We had that perspective totally reversed in our mind, but get where vulnerability with leadership in the right context can be powerful, especially when your audience is very passionate about what's taking place.
Still, there's a need for clarity, as Cesar outlined in his self-assessment steps. To give our listeners an understanding of how to lead with purpose, particularly for any non-profit or religious affiliate leaders, there's another three-step process that will keep your team or volunteers engaged and on the right path.
Direction: Your audience needs direction, a clear message. This isn't just a to-do list; this should be a mission-backed statement about what the group's goal is. This may be something as simple as organization a fundraising event or as complex as a marketing campaign for a new client.
Purpose: Direction without purpose lacks the energy and inspiration needed to success. People need to clearly understand the purpose behind everything. Otherwise, they can get sidetracked or disinterested in what's going on. Being invested in the purpose keeps them engaged and makes them feel empowered as part of something bigger. In the fundraiser example, the purpose would likely be the mission behind it, for instance, raising money for the homeless. For something more corporate, it may be the mission of your company or simply a tactic that's going to help the team build a multi-year partnership.
Encouragement: Negative reinforcement is rarely effective in the workplace and definitely doesn't work with unpaid volunteers! Cesar emphasized that a pat on the back does wonders for morale and builds the relationship with you and each member of your team.
Not only do we love listening to Cesar speak (his voice is perfect for radio!), we also love his inspirational attitude. There's a lot that we can't package in the show notes that you can only feel when you listen to him speak, so check out his episode on "Greatness & Organizational Leadership."
Guest Deets: Cesar Arocha
- Favorite Quote: Leaders learn what they need to learn so they can do what they need to do.
- Favorite Book: Just Like Jesus
- Favorite Podcast: Andy Stanley's podcast
- Best Life Lesson Tip: Let go and let God.
- Latest Favorite Business or Marketing Strategy: Absorbing the best of what Amazon and Netflix are doing
Knowledge & Nuggets
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