Cemetery Leadership

Bill Clinton reportedly said, "Being President is like running a cemetery; you've got a lot of people under you, and nobody is listening." 


Leadership books are replete with metaphors descriptive of the task of modern day leadership. Some are understandable and some are difficult to comprehend, but I think I understand what Bill is saying.


Recently I was talking to a group of leaders who were lamenting the fact that their followers weren't holding up their end of the bargain. I listened and tried to discern whether it was a leadership or a follower-ship issue. Sometimes it's tough to tell. Looking back on our conversation, I am still not sure.


Here is what I have observed both as a leader and a follower. I have seen it in churches, businesses, politics and non-profit organizations. It doesn't seem that any organizational structure is immune. Here are my random thoughts, my two cents, if you will.


Leaders are often reluctant to be led and are some of the toughest people to guide...another way of saying it is, "they don't play well together in the sandbox." (You Type A people know what I'm talking about.)


Leaders are often the most critical of other leaders..."this is where jealousy and cynicism most often shows itself".


Leaders sometimes think they are and they really aren't..."just because you have an opinion on everything doesn't make you a leader."


Followers are looking for someone who leads authentically with the heart of a servant.


One thing about "Cemetery Leadership" is that there is never any resistance to your ideas. Not a bad gig if that's what you are looking for.