I love the book Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. He makes the point in Chapter 14 that is very simple and profound… If you are called to lead, then you are called to exert yourself (Romans 12:8). Keep growing. Keep leading. Improve on what you have learned and lead well.
Here are 5 ways in which you can improve your leadership:
Have Clear Goals That Challenge and Stretch
Small goals are good for some momentum, but to really keep a church or organization moving forward for the long haul, the vision needs to be big! What is your big dream? What big goals are you striving toward that are challenging you and the people you lead?
No Timid Faith – Take Risks
You can be content, but you can’t be comfortable as a leader. You must be willing to take risks. What is God calling you to do? Pray for faith, and jump in. Risks often help you realize God’s power and allow your faith to grow.
Be Enthusiastic and Show Zeal
This may be the most overlooked, yet most profound, aspect of leadership – attitude. Show some excitement about your work! Love your people. Have fun in life. Show a zeal for your calling, your ministry, your team. Enjoy it. Smile! Stay strong, even during tough seasons.
Courageously Deal With Difficulties – Don’t Postpone Tough Things
It’s easy to put the tough things on the bottom of the to-do list. But if something seems funky, attack it. Eat the frog early, as Bryan Tracy says. If you have an important letter to send, a phone call, or an issue that needs to be resolved, do it now. Mediocre leaders procrastinate the difficult things and they often become worse with time.
Focus – Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin
The temptation of every leader is to do too much. The irony is, the more you try to do, the less everything you do succeeds. Focus. Delegate all you can. Eliminate what doesn’t really matter and apply yourself to the main task at hand. Work, as much as possible in your giftedness. And utilize the word “no” as often as possible.
“Not every Christian has a major leadership role in the church. But every Christian is a leader, for we all influence others. We all must strive to improve our leadership.” J. O. Sanders
Which area will you improve today?
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