Leadership development has been a word that has been going around our office the past years. I think there would be no year where you would say, “let’s stop the leadership development of our disciples.”
Last week, our campus director Dave, went to my office to discuss his thoughts about leadership. He shared how he was reading the book Focus by Al Ries and felt that he needed to focus more on developing leaders and not just challenging them to be leaders.
Here are some thoughts on how we can attract leaders:
- You can’t recruit leaders from the pulpit.
If you think a super powerful anointed preaching would create leaders – you will be up for a disappointment. Leaders are to be challenged personally, mano-e-mano. It requires you taking time to talk to them on a personal basis.
2. Give them avenues to practice leadership.
Some leaders love to talk about leadership but never give their people the avenue to practice leadership. Find ways to empower and involve your people in leadership. Give them real responsibilities.
3. Leadership development is not about just you barking orders for people to follow.
The best leadership lesson are not learned in classroom but through impartation and internship. Teach them how to think. Give them tools early on to succeed in their work.
4. Leaders follow a compelling vision.
When a church/ organization is just managing the status quo and have not challenged themselves to grow – they will repel great leaders. Leaders want action. Leaders want something bigger than themselves.
As church pastors – if the only challenge you give them is to show up in church and do the usual thing every Sunday, your leaders might lose the fire and the reason why the church exist.
” When a leader can’t or won’t empower others, he creates barriers within the organization that people cannot overcome. If the barriers remain long enough, then the people give up, or they move on to another organization where they can maximize their potential.” – John Maxwell