How Leaders Grow - Part 1

When I first set out to find a ministry position in 2008, I felt that experience was overrated.  Churches wanted the energetic passion of a young rookie pastor but also the cautious wisdom of one with 10+ years of experience.
This felt unfair (and probably is to a degree).  But not every church wants to play guinea pig for a newly minted Seminary graduate.  

I used to enjoy sparring online with people in different debate forums.  A response I received once jolted me a bit: "Experience has to count for something."  Over time, my perspective has changed some.  I still think there are pastorates out there for guys who have never done it before.  At the same time, I definitely see the value of experience.  So - wait a minute - the headline of this post is "How Leaders Grow," but the opening paragraph is all about experience.  Yep.  You guessed it.  As a plant needs exposure to sunlight, water, and rich soil - it also needs time.  And it is not true that experience is the best teacher.  Evaluated​ experience is the best teacher.

No matter what academic program, personal development plan, or other strategy you employ for growing as a leader, I'm not sure you can learn certain skills without plowing headfirst into  challenges.  You cannot possibly anticipate how every person you lead will react in certain situations; you may be amazed that people can draw such varied conclusions from the exact same facts.  Growing out of my recent evaluated experience, here are some areas I am developing personally, and I plan to develop some resources along these lines.

• I recommend intentionally managing communication with followers.  It seems unwise to give people 50 different ways to contact you.  You can create different pathways for different kinds of communication.  Not everyone in your life needs 24/7 access to you.  Being intentional here will help you avoid miscommunications, missed messages, and so much more.  There will definitely be a resource here soon.
• Beware second- and third-hand information.  If the information is important or has actionable implications, get your facts from the source.  This is especially true if new information contradicts existing information.  You may have developed a gut instinct at this point also; if it doesn't set well with your gut - investigate.  Trust, but verify.  
• Ask questions.  Questions can take the guesswork out of things, and they help you avoid assumptions.  
  • What do you need from me for this event, this project, this task?  This question may feel like you are inviting someone to add to your plate.  You aren't.  You are uncovering what the person thinks he or she needs from you.  You can redirect as needed.
  • What do you think we should do about this?
  • What thoughts do you have on this?
  • What do you think we should do? Again, this doesn't commit you to their plan.  It measures their alignment with your own thoughts.
  • You're taking the lead on this, aren't you?
  • Where do you see yourself in this plan?

I'll save the rest for another post.  Get in touch, and let me know how I can pray for you in the experiences God is using to grow you as a leader.