Leadership
for Saints: Part 43
Delegation: Accountability is at the Core
by Rodger Dean Duncan and Ed J. Pinegar
By definition, accountability is at the core of stewardship delegation.
The bishop is still accountable for missionary work in the
ward. But Brother Gray now shares a portion of that accountability
through his role and performance as ward mission leader.
His primary accountability is to the Lord, with whom he has made
sacred covenants as a member of the Church and as a holder
of the priesthood. And in this instance, he gives an accounting
of his performance to his priesthood leader—the bishop.
Bishop Wilson and Brother Gray should now come to a clear, mutual
understanding and commitment regarding when those periodic
stewardship interviews will occur, what specific information
will be discussed and evaluated, and what standards will be
used to measure success.
Linkages constitute the element of stewardship delegation that’s
perhaps most often ignored in a Church setting. Yet linkages
are what leadership vision and individual service are all about
(see chapter 1, “What Great Leadership Is,” and chapter 3, “What
Great Leaders See”).
Bishop Wilson bears his thoughtful testimony of the divinity of
the Church’s missionary efforts and promises Brother Gray that
effective missionary work with just one family can have a soul-saving
impact on countless generations of Heavenly Father’s children.
(Brother Gray, as with every church worker, is sure to be interested
in such linkages.) The brethren then exchange stories of their
own conversions to the gospel and their gratitude for the members
who welcomed them into the Church.
You’ll notice here that these steps to stewardship delegation involve
delegating the assignment, not delegating the methods.
It’s important to come to agreement on the desired outcomes and
to share a common understanding and commitment regarding the
linkages between the work and its effect on bringing souls
to Christ. But if you then begin to get too specific about
the actual methods of getting the agreed upon results, you
risk short circuiting the steward’s own ingenuity. That’s called
micromanaging, tending to the small details of another person’s
stewardship.
Remember that we suggest reaching a clear, up-front mutual understanding
and commitment regarding (1) desired results or outcomes,
(2) guidelines, (3) resources, (4) accountability and (5)
linkages.
In doing this, you enter into a kind of psychological contract with
the steward. Then the temptation to “Micromanage” (regardless
of how you might define it) greatly diminishes. That’s because “micromanaging” often
takes the form of belatedly trying to clarify expectations.
When you do it in advance and there is a clear, up-front
mutual understanding and commitment regarding expectations,
your comfort level rises and the other person’s comfort and competence
are enhanced.
By the way, note that we continue to use the word mutual. Expectations
and understandings should be shared. This implies that you
can and should initiate a discussion on these five items even
when you are the person who is receiving an assignment. It
is not disrespectful to ask for clarity on an assignment. This
is the Lord’s work we’re talking about, and it deserves the
very best of us all.
Levels of Initiative
We mentioned earlier that the expected levels of initiative should
be discussed in the initial stewardship interview. Stewardship
delegation actually helps people develop initiative. Ideally,
this development process moves them through six levels or stages:
Quotes Worth Remembering
Responsibility involves stewardship
and accountability. – Richard
J. Marshall
Each is to stand firm within his designated
stewardship, for therein lies accountability. – Hoyt W. Brewster
Unrealized expectations often cause
a negative response. – William
G. Dyer
It is true that Nephi received much
instruction from the Lord in building the ship, but Nephi was
also prepared to exercise personal initiative in the project
from the beginning. …. the Lord tells him to build a ship.
Nephi's response is instructive. … "Lord, whither shall
I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to
construct the ship after the manner which thou has shown unto
me?" (1 Nephi 17:9). He asks for guidance in finding
ore so that he can make tools.
–Anderson,
Green, Dalton
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