It is a privilege to work with leaders world-wide. Ecole Sifton School in Camrose is a dynamic school teaching the next generation of leaders. Sifton is similar to other schools, yet with a significant difference. Every fall they teach an amazing Leadership concept.
The brief version goes like this. We all have an emotional bucket and a dipper. When our emotional bucket is full, we are happy, encouraged, excited and fulfilled. We work harder, share more and generally all goes well. However, when our emotional bucket is empty, we are sad, unhappy and difficult to get along with. The status of your bucket is influenced by your boss, your family, friends and work associates. A “bucket filler leader” encourages, listens, takes time, shows interest and reinforces their people each and every day.
Leadership research suggests that only 20% of us love our jobs leaving 80% dissatisfied (Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last,). The data is similar for volunteer staff. In your church, mission organization or business we interact with people continually. These interactions form your working culture. This culture of people is made up of bucket fillers or bucket dippers.
I’ve had the awesome privilege of working with dynamic people in healthy business and ministry organizations. The healthy organizations have a culture that thrives and the staff love to come to work. The staff are positive, encouraging and productive. However, in toxic organizations the tension is palpable. The productivity is down. It is an awful place to work. These organizations have high turnover, poor morale, low productivity, lack of a consistent Vision and will not survive. Working in the negative environment feels like a prison.
You can change the culture, productivity and health of your church by being a bucket filler.
Laurie D. Kennedy
Jethrogroup.ca Author of Leadership Is Devotions for Servant Leaders