Mentoring Questions > > From Function to Friend
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From Function to Friend
Years ago I met John Stein, the famous impresario who brought several of the great stars to Broadway. When I asked him if there was a secret to the stars popularity and longevity, he said, “They go on the platform as an entertainer; they come off as a person.”
He explained how they moved from function to friend. They were not interested in image; they were interested in the function and becoming real as individuals to the audience.
This is an important lesson in leadership. The great doctors I have known have been able to move from function to friend. But in their friendship they do not lose their objectivity. My great friends at the Mayo Clinic performed their function so beautifully that their friendship made it a joy to be with them. Mary Alice used to think that I was going on vacation when I would head to the Kehler Hotel in Rochester. They knew their medicine, but they also knew their friend Fred.
This applies, of course, to other fields of work as well. Anyone who has to maintain an image will suffer loneliness and alienation. The important thing is that there be a real person, a real friend, behind the competent function.
Function can become a shield and a mask, aiding us to hide from closeness. But others know when we lead from duty rather than desire. I am not recommending that you create social relationships with all in your leadership sphere, but that you have an attitude of friendship which lends a personal touch.
Jesus went about "doing good." I like to think He exhibited more than just good works. My friend Ken Blanchard talks about Leading Like Jesus ----moving from function to friend is key.
This week think about: 1) What will it take for me to move from function to friend? 2) Where am I successfully doing this? 3) How different would my leadership look with this approach?
