As I round out this list that I began the other day and reflect on it, I find myself thinking, “It just doesn’t seem that difficult to me.” After all these are things that any leader can do, right? But why do so few actually seem to employ such simple tactics? There’s probably a grocery list of reasons, including the excuse of simply being too busy. But at the foundation of it I believe lays an addiction to progress that is rooted in basic insecurities that are found in many leaders (and “regular” people too by the way). Often times as leaders we are so wound up in advancing the mission of the organization we’re leading, that we forget the most important resource we have is our people. And the most important step you can take in advancing the mission of your organization is developing the people on your team.
#5 Personal Touch
Most Churches don’t employ hundreds of employees. In fact most Churches don’t employ more than 10 employees. As a result you’ve got something going for you that large Corporations don’t, the personal touch. You don’t have to plow through layers in a complex organization; people can have access to you (the leader). That’s a good thing, unless you don’t like people, and in that case you’re in the wrong business.
#6 On-going Education
One way that you can show value to your team and develop them is to provide them with the opportunity to advance their education. This can go as far as completely paying for their schooling, to subsidizing it, to simply giving them time to pursue another degree.
#7 Annual Retreats
This may seem like the ultimate no-brainer on the list. But you’d be surprised at how many teams that should be leading together never get away together. If you can’t afford a week do one night. If you can’t afford a night find someone in the Church who has a great place for the team to be together for a day. A change of environment and pace is absolutely necessary at moments to think and interact differently.
#8 Monthly Leadership Advances
One simple step that you can take this month is to get your Staff or Lay Team together at one meeting with the sole purpose of advancing the leadership of those in the room. Begin building this into a monthly habit and you’ll be surprised how this simple step will help change the culture of the organization.
#9 Take advantage Internal Resources
Believe it or not, you are sitting on a goldmine of leadership development resources in your congregation right now. There are many sharp godly business leaders sitting in your church every week. Most of these men and women would be happy to share their leadership knowledge and experience with you and your team. The problem? No one has ever asked them.
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