CoachNet Campfire

While it was bitter cold outside this afternoon but it was getting warmer by the minute in my appointment. I was meeting with a leader who had asked me to consider becoming that leader’s coach. As we were getting to know each other and this person was explaining their ministry I asked him a straight forward question, “to whom are you personally accountable?”

This leader’s reply was quick and loaded, “ I believe if someone asks me who you are accountable to, that I should avoid them. They are only trying to control me.” He then went on to quote a well known celebrity leader’s position on the topic to give further justification to his position.  

I swirled my coffee and asked the same question several different ways but the answer was consistent.  I was both dumbfounded and heart-broken.  Obviously their is much, much more to this leader’s story and why this issue is so emotionally charged but in the end it represented a far too common posture taken by struggling leaders and it is a pity. 

Pity because it is either the dumbest or scariest statements I’d heard from a leader in a long long time. After alI isn’t accountability part of what it means to lead in the name of Jesus Christ? 

Leaders are immediately accountable to the people they serve, to the leaders they serve with and to the leaders they are raising up. And ultimately they are accountable to God.  Simply put, it’s called servant leadership and it finds its genesis in Jesus’ statement here:

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 NIV

Unaccountable leaders live down to the cliche’ that absolute power corrupts absolutely - even the very best of people can be corrupted by it. Strong leaders surround themselves with strong people who are unafraid to confront the leader with truth. Weak leaders surround themselves with “yes-people” who live in fear for there jobs.

Strong leaders create a culture of high-trust leadership where all people are valued equally - and where creativity flourishes at all levels. In a genuine leadership culture, people are viewed as equals even if they are in different roles. Roles are based on the development of individuals’ callings, giftings, maturity and capabilities and are not a reflection of the complete value of the person. As a result, people at all levels are acknowledged and appreciated as individual members and contributors — even those who sometimes break the rules in order to deliver value to the organization as a whole. The culture of leadership can tolerate its occasional “mavericks” because it can see the innovative power of nonconventional views of the world, their work or the overall mission of the organization.

As the coffee shop started to empty out this afternoon I looked at this leader and asked, “so how could I hold you accountable to the things that come out of our coaching conversations?” 

“You can’t and I’m not interested in accountability only in successfully implementing my vision,” he replied.  At least this leader was being utterly honest and refreshing as that may be it indicated a philosophical impasse and cultural disconnect that caused me to respectfully decline his invitation.  

What would you have done?

How do you establish mutual accountability with those you are coaching? 

What lessons emerge from this account?