Yesterday I posted about spiritually weak leaders. Today, here are some thoughts about ways to lead better:
- Read more. Set a leadership reading plan in place (perhaps at least one book per month) that includes spiritual books on character and practical books on competence.
- Listen more. Many leaders have stopped learning because they can’t stop talking. Listen to other leaders around you. Learn from some podcasts.
- Pray more. All of us need to pray more, but some leaders don’t pray much at all. They live on their charismatic personality.
- Exercise more. God gave you a body, too. Take care of it.
- Sleep more. This one’s tough for me, but I know what the doctors say: Get sufficient rest if you want to be at your best.
- Think more. Like . . . before you speak. And before you tweet something. And before you send that angry email. And before you make that phone call.
- Study more. Earn another degree. Study your Bible more. Exegete your community more. You’ll grow as a person and as a leader.
- Evangelize more. It will remind you that the kingdom is not yours . . . and only God can change hearts.
- Fellowship more. No matter how introverted you are (as I am), get out of your office into the lives of people. You’ll lead them better if you know them.
- Network more. Not with just anybody, though—intentionally get to know some godly, gifted leaders. Learn from them.
- Walk more. Walk in your community. Walk in the halls of your church during the week. You’ll learn about your community if you’ll slow down, walk, and pay attention to what’s around you. In your church, you might even get to know your staff better if you spend more time with them.
- Recreate more. Take breaks, and relax a minute. Hang out with a friend. Laugh a little bit—and then get back to work.
- Evaluate more. Don’t be afraid to ask for honest feedback about your work. If you’ve decided you have nothing left to learn, you’re a stagnant leader.
- Cry more. I realize that some people can manufacture tears, and others never cry. My point is that some of the best church leaders I know deeply grieve lostness and false Christianity around them.
- Ask more. That is, ask for help. Eventually, you’ll get more done, and somebody will love helping you. Plus, asking for help can also break the idolatry evident in the worship of self.
What other ways would you add?
Solid advice. Thank you
I would suggest listening to other people, even those at the bottom of the pecking order. Some of them know how to lead in the secular world but aren’t allowed to in the religious world. You can’t lead people if you don’t know how they think or some of what they need. Listening to other leaders is fine provided they know something about what people need.
some great tips for self-reflection and evaluation.
Just a thought: if I try to do all of these more, at the same time…
Select two or three that will add the most value; then evaluate activities I’ve been doing that don’t add value and stop doing those.
If I try to do more, even of good things, without giving up something else, then all I’m doing is adding more things to my To Do List. The idea is to slow down and simplify so I can focus on the few things that really matter.