By Sarah Thames
Below are notes our staff took from the RightNow Leadership Development Kit. I hope you find this stimulating.
6 Checkpoints to help improve the way I lead:
1. Leaders can strategically change reality but then cannot change people.
2. Nobody is the “Complete Leadership Package.” Therefore work depending on God and on a team of leaders!
The best teams:
~are small in number
~spend time together, know each other
~lean on their captain
~share vision, values, passion
~are vulnerable and communicate
~strive to empower people to achieve the vision
HUMILITY is key!!!!!
3. One of the most under-valued and least common skills among leaders is listening.
“You cannot listen effectively unless you are willing to have your mind changed.” “You should lead with your ears.”-Ken Blanchard
Bad listening leads to bad leadership!
4. Leaders must master conflict and confrontation.
Conflict is simply one of the realities of leadership! Expect it, accept it, address it… “normalize it.”
How do we handle it?
~Seize the initiative. Deal with it before wounds become too deep.
~Do your homework. Seek to understand all sides.
~Position yourself as a friend, not foe; remove any sense that would lead to “fight or flight” in a “party.”
~Ask clarifying questions and listen carefully.
~Seek a win-win outcome. Do not go in with the goal of proving you are right.
EVALUATE: Do people appreciate my leadership b/c it is safe and comfortable or b/c it is dangerous b/c of the truth?
5. What is success?
You get what you measure…so how do you measure success…by how many people attended, budget, and size? Jesus did not die for these things.
Great definition of success: happens when people are helped to achieve their potential (in Christ).
6. Do not accept a leadership position unless you are ready to pay a stiff price. The more significant the outcome you seek to achieve, the more substantial the price you can expect to pay.
Foundations:
~Lean on God for strength and encouragement.
~Know what you stand for and refuse to change your convictions.
~Rely on your family and close friends to give you input.
LAST NOTE TO REMEMBER:
People need to be led! Without good leadership, lives end up in a mess.
Leadership is not a job, it’s a calling!
