My definition of a leadership is, “The ability to obtain and retain followers, organizing them, unifying them, and directing them to accomplish a God-given vision.
There are six elements of leadership, each of them easily embraced and vitally important:
Vision. Vision is “a mental image of the final outcome.” A leader being able to describe the vision God has given them is necessary for the recruitment of group members as well as the retaining of them. Vision is what gains long-term buy-in and followers will come together over the long haul working together to see the vision become a reality if progress is being made.
Obtain Followers. Cast the vision, tell them what gifts and abilities you’ve seen in them, and that you have chosen them out of the crowd to work alongside you. If they seem to be hesitant due to lack of belief in themselves, remind them that you’ll be there to help them and if necessary and will make sure they have the training they need.
Retain Followers. Give them the resources they need to accomplish the work given them. Give them your time and attention away from meetings. Build a friendship with them, not just a working relationship. Honor and/or affirm them when they do well and when they try and fall short help them learn the skills they need to do the work effectively next time.
Organize Followers. Find out and utilize the pre-existing spiritual gifts and the abilities of each person you’re leading. They’ll do the work well and find fulfillment in it.
Unify Followers. The vision is a unifying factor but to have a healthy unified team… A few ideas… 1) Create social time together by hosting parties, picnics, cookouts, etc… for your team. 2) Gather the team for a creative prayer experience praying specifically for the work you are doing together, 3) Go away on a retreat for brainstorming and/or long-term planning. Be sure to build in play time. 4) Establish traditions like going to a local sports team game annually. 5) When someone has a home project, get the team to come work together on it, 6) Do a mission trip together or simply spend a Saturday working on behalf of the poor together, 7) Celebrate accomplishment. When a major event or work is completed ALWAYS get the group together to celebrate the completion of the work and save evaluation for another time.
Direct Followers. Like a head coach or movie director, remember that you as the key leader are the one individual with the authority and responsibility to see that the vision is known, that co-laborers are obtained, retained, organized, and unified. You must be a proactive leader spearheading a movement, not just managing workers.
