The Leadership Lottery
Posted on 14. Sep, 2009 by Admin in Articles, Resources
Have you ever tried to lift something that was really heavy? You realize after you pick it up that you are probably going to pull something. Rather than do the smart thing and set it down until you have help, you just go ahead and continue doing mortal damage to your body so that you won’t have to ask for help.
The other day I am bringing in the groceries for my wife and she has completely filled the back seat full of groceries and me, being the brilliant genius that I am, decide that I can get them all in one trip. As I get to the door, with the plastic bags leaving two-inch indentions in my arm, I begin to think of how stupid I am. At the moment of my epiphany one of the bags slips and a can of beans lands directly on my little toe, which already has a complex. I yelp in pain and dive over the threshold of the door desperately trying to get inside so that I can win some small victory by saying I carried all the groceries with just one trip.
As ministry leaders we often do the same thing. We try to do everything ourselves without asking anyone for help, because after all, no one can do it as good as us so why try. By keeping this method of leadership up you will soon begin to see a reduction in productivity from your team and a decrease in your personal well-being. In order to be a successful leader you have got to learn the value of building a team. I didn’t say forming a team, I said building a team. Big difference! Often times we are experts at forming a team but we quickly steer the team into a mud hole with our poor decisions and inability to recognize individual skill sets and put them into action.
E4 Staffing Method
Evaluate!
1. What am I doing right now that a student leader could help me do?
2. What am I “NOT” doing right now that a student leader could help me do?
Estimate!
1. Make a list of your team leaders and their capabilities.
Educate!
1. Explain to your team clearly what is expected of them.
Elevate!
1. Put them out there and let them go for it!
You have to empower your team for success. Formulate a plan and implement it. Your team will only be as effective as you are. You can’t attract what you are not. If you are disorganized and erratic in your approach to your ministry, the chances are much greater that your staff will be the same way. This collision of disorganization and inefficient leadership will result in poor results and a management domino effect.
Allow your team to have input on the major decisions and be positive about their input. One thing that will kill team mentality and the unity of your ministry is negativity. I can’t stand someone who is always saying, “No, it can’t be done” or, “Why are we doing it that way, we’ve never done that before”. I want someone who is going to be positive, especially in the face of adversity. I understand that every idea will not work but we can use the bad ideas and develop them into a springboard to help us expand and test our limits.
Too many leaders have a lottery mentality when it comes to their team. They think, “One of these days I am going to have an awesome team and then we are going to get some incredible things done.” Keep living in dreamland if that makes you happy but there is no such thing as the leadership lottery. Great leaders are made not born so start making your team great now.
