5. Show up at least a half-hour early.
Always have everything done and set up before the first volunteer gets there. This might not sound like a leadership principle, but it is. If you want others to show up early, don’t just set the example—knock it out of the park. Being late is not the sign of a leader. I tell those I lead, “If you can’t be on time, be early.” The best way to get others to come early is for you to get there earlier. Have it all set up ahead of time so you can speak to people as they come in. Sooner or later, someone’s going to ask, “When do you get here?” or better yet, they start showing up earlier to give you a hand. Appearances matter—they really do. What do your facilities and the shape they are in, when people show up at your church, say about your vision?
6. Look your best.
I guess you know by now I live in girl world. Yes, living with three women is like living with the fashion police. I love it when I’m ready to leave the house, and head to the church, and one of the Wideman girls will say, “You aren’t going to wear that, are you?” No, sweetheart, I just put this on to see if you’d catch me before I left the house.
A great question to ask yourself is “What’s your decade?” If you have the same hairstyle you had in high school, you need a makeover unless you just graduated. Get some young people on board to see if you are stuck in a past decade.
Represent your pastor well—that’s really what it’s all about when it comes to your personal style! Find people your age in magazines. For me I like Men’s Health; there are plenty of stylish people my age in both casual and dress clothes that I can learn from. One of my goals is to not dress like I’m going through a mid-life crisis. A good rule to follow is when in doubt on how to dress, dress up. If you find yourself needing a fashion tune-up, have a makeover by someone trendy. You might even know a stylist in your church. Study to show yourself approved.
