What does it take to start a leadership team? More specifically, for student ministers, what does it take to develop student leaders? I’m going to spend some time over the next few weeks hashing out some of my thoughts. I hope they help!
As I’ve been on a journey of intentionally growing and developing leaders around me, there’s one thing that I am slowly but surely becoming more and more certain of: the importance of growing ourselves.
Put another way, we can not expect to grow other leaders if we do not have a growth plan for ourselves.
Seems like a simple statement, right? But I think it’s one of the biggest hang ups we, as leaders, face.
As ministers, it’s too easy for us to settle into an event planning mindset-planning for the next program that’s never more than 7 days away. Then add the major events we plan, and with minimal effort our calendar is filled.
We become very good at doing our job, but miss the benefit of the work we do.
That’s why it’s important to think through what you’re doing to develop as a leader. Are you growing? Are you being intentional about your growth? Do you have goals that you set and visit regularly?
Let me try this again. Answer these questions on a scale of 1 (not at all) to 6 (considerable growth).
- How much have you grown as a leader in the past 12 months?
- How much have you grown as a leader in the past 6 months?
- How much have you grown as a leader in the past 3 months?
What’s your answer? Do you see a trend?
Maybe you’re satisfied with your answers, and if so, I’m thrilled for you!
Maybe your answers are a little discouraging. If so, I’m cheering for you!
Maybe your answers are inconclusive. If so, I’m cheering for you.
Ultimately, if we want to help those around us grow, we have to take the initiative to grow ourselves. John Maxwell says, “We cannot lead anyone farther than we have been ourselves.”
So, how do you grow yourself? There are so many ways, but here’s one of the things I’ve done the past three years: set goals for growth. Pick a date about 3 months out and set a goal to read X number of books. Then, be intentional in doing so. If there are questions to be answered, answer them. If there’s an evaluation tool, use it. Then, after the set time, evaluate and see how you’ve grown. Then adjust and grow some more.
I’m curious. If you’d say you’ve grown lately, what have you done? What works for you?