Getting the Right Person in the Right Place

Several years ago when I was working at the University of Cincinnati I was among several people who were candidates for one of the new Deanships. It was an exciting challenge to be considered and I desperately wanted to be in the chosen group. However, I hated the idea of being one of the Deans.

Now why would I want a position but hate the job? I wanted many of the things that the position offered but did not desire to do the tasks that having the position meant I would be forced to do. A Dean had to do budgets, lead and attend numerous committee meetings, sit in boring administrative meetings, play political games with the President and University Board. YUCK! I hated those things.

But I certainly was interested in having my picture on the Administrative Album and I was very interested in the title and pay scale. Man oh man I liked the sound of being called, "Dean Sweeten" and having people listen as I described my meeting with the President.

After losing out I told an old friend about my disappointment. He warmly tryed to console me. We chatted awhile and he said, "I can not imagine you in that administrative job." I agreed: "It is like I was in a bowling tournament with the prize a keg of beer. I hate beer but I would want to win the tournament anyway just so I could turn it down. It was the competition and I don't want to lose."

These days I am Coaching people who are in competition to make career decisions or take a new position. Many times they want to win but dislike the prize. No job is worth taking unless it allows us to use our gifts and talents.

In the following posts I have written about the skills and training needed to be in various positions. I see numerous churches, non-profits and companies hiring people who are unqualified by gift and passion as well as skill set to actually do the job. That is a terrible thing to do.

Many groups hire pastors, presidents and managers because they have long "experience" in the field without asking if they can really do the job. That is like selecting a flight attendant to be the pilot. Both have many miles in the air but only one can actually fly the airplane.