Four Important Attributes You Want Your Church Staff To Have

One job that cannot be delegated, for any senior leader, is to get the right people in the right places on your leadership team. You must ask and answer, “Can and does this person get things done?” about each person filling a position in your organization.

In their book, Execution – The Discipline of Getting Things Done, the authors, Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, and Charles Burck, list these four attributes for the kind of people you should be looking for and developing:

1) They Energize People

An energizer helps enhance the performance of those around them. They help people feel like they can achieve. Energizers don’t have to be high-energy people, they just have to help other people know they matter. For example, anyone can devote their focus and physical presence when someone is talking with them. Being fully attentive is a little thing can help energize others.

2) They’re Decisive

I once heard it said that lots of people can do 95% of most CEO’s jobs, but the CEO gets paid for the other 5%. Good leaders are decisive, especially on tough issues. It’s good to gather information, but a leader must come to a decision, right or wrong.

3) They Get Things Done Through Others

Too many of us feel like we would just rather do it ourselves. We have this sense that no one else can do what we do. Without being able to work through others, we will never get as far as we otherwise would. Getting things done through others starts with the admission that we can’t do it as effectively on our own. We must determine those things someone else could easily do; and most likely would love to do and would do them better than we can. Pastors and leaders must create a culture where it’s safe for others to take on the mantle to lead, serve, and use their gifts and abilities in accomplishing the mission.

4) They Follow Through

Follow-through is a huge part of success. Others in your organization are counting on the senior leaders and those with roles of authority to follow through. One of the quickest and surest ways to undermine the credibility of the leadership/management team, is to make a habit of not following through. Responding to messages in a timely manner, doing what you say you will do, and sticking to deadlines is critical for quality leaders. Celebrate when your leaders follow through well, and take swift action when they don’t.