A dozen leadership quick takes

Cindy and I are vacationing again this week. Several of these leadership quick takes, initially published on September 28, 2023, have surfaced in conversations over the last few weeks. I hope you find them helpful to you this week.

Every leader needs encouragement. A retired 80-something pastor I have known for nearly half his life told me recently: “Many days I find myself questioning whether my life and ministry have made any difference.” I assured him of some of his ministry leadership's value on my life and leadership.

Our most significant hindrances are found in the mirror. My lack of patience and my pride have kept me from being as fruitful and effective as I could have been in several of the ministry leadership roles I’ve had over the last 29 years. Fear has driven the decisions of many pastors I have known. Internal insecurities have surfaced in various leadership malfunctions, like anger, manipulation, micro-management, and tribalism.

Failure can be our friend. Earlier this week, I told a friend, “The most valuable things I have learned, I learned by making a mistake and doing it better the next time.” The only time failure is really failure is when we refuse to learn and grow from it.

Growth is essential. While I have met many who think they have “arrived” and know everything they need to know, I have yet to meet any leader who actually knows everything they need to know. Most of what we know, we learned to meet yesterday's challenges. Tomorrow will bring challenges we may have never anticipated. We must be willing to grow if we hope to respond effectively to those challenges.

We must allow others to grow. Just as we need to grow, others on our staff or volunteer team need time and space to grow, too. That doesn’t mean we don’t hold them accountable. It does mean that we design that accountability in such a way that facilitates their growth.

We benefit from being around leaders who are different. Spending time with those from other generations and philosophical viewpoints with passions, skills, and gifts that differ from ours sharpens us. Beware those who refuse to be challenged or attempt to avoid being challenged.

Leadership is painful. The imperfections common to humanity mean that relationships bring friction, conflict, and disappointment. If we lead, we will feel it.

Leadership is about responsibilities, not rights. I’ve written several times about this reality, including last week. Yet, rarely does a week go by that I am not reminded of this truth and find the need to repeat it. And those among us who are most decisive need to ensure that we are reminded of it persistently.

Leaders must set boundaries. Any limitations we put on our time, relationships, and involvement will be challenged internally and externally. Give strong consideration to what those boundaries should be and stick with them. If we allow others to violate them, they will soon be non-existent. If we do the hard work of maintaining them initially, others will quickly learn to respect them.

Leaders must have a strong core. I’m not talking about a physical core that we strengthen through exercise, but it is similar. We face a barrage of distractions and temptations that can sidetrack us. It's easy to get wayward without a strong core that keeps us honed in on our mission. Over my years of working with church planters, this is what has wrecked most who never saw their vision realized.

Leaders must be trustworthy. A recent conversation with a ministry leader I have known for more than 25 years reminded me of why his ministry opportunities have been limited, though plentiful. He is a gossip. With him and others, I have learned never to say anything around him that I would not want others to know.

Healthy leaders respect others. Thankfully, I have known only a few ministry leaders who always have harsh criticism for anyone they know. More than constructive criticism, their assessment of others denigrates and devalues any efforts or contributions of those around them. This habit indicates that these leaders see themselves as the standard by which all others are measured. That pride results in an inability to lead faithfully and fruitfully. And if they are saying those things about others to you, you can rest assured they will say those same things about you to others.

What about you? Are there other leadership quick takes you have gleaned from your experience or relationships? Where do you see room for growth from these or other leadership principles? How can you help those in your circle of influence grow in these or other areas?

Enjoy your weekend.

The views and opinions expressed in my Thursday Thoughts on Leadership are my own. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina or any affiliated churches.