Christians are called to walk by faith. This includes Christian leaders. A part of our calling in leadership means we won’t always know what the future holds, but we steadfastly follow God’s leadership.
I must be honest. As I work with Christian leaders—and I observe the culture and leaders in the world—I sometimes see more confident leadership outside the church than within. How can this be?
Having faith should never be mistaken as insecurity, however. In fact, the opposite is true. People of faith have assurance in Whom we are following. We can lead people with confidence, strength and conviction.
Insecurity always shows up in a person’s life. It can possibly be disguised, but it can’t be hidden. Insecure people—or people who aren’t secure in who they are personally or comfortable with their abilities—display some common characteristics.
Insecurity is a normal emotion when we are exposed to something new, but as we mature in leadership—and especially in our faith and calling—we should guard against the negative impacts of insecurity.
Here are seven traits you may see in an insecure leader:
Defensive toward any challenge
The insecure leader flares his or her insecurity when ideas or decisions they make made are challenged in any way. They remain protective of their position or performance. They are constantly looking over their shoulder expecting someone to question them or their authority.
Protective of personal information
The insecure leader keeps a safe distance from followers. Their transparency is limited to only what can be discovered by observation. When personal information is revealed, it’s always shared in the most positive light. This is about them and their family. They only want you to believe—and know—the best about their world.
Always positions him or herself out front
Insecure leaders assume all key assignments or anything that would give attention to the person completing them. They are careful not to give others the spotlight. They use words like “I” and “My” more than “We” or “Our.” They tend to control information—everything goes through them first.
Limits others’ opportunities for advancement
The insecure leader wants to keep people under his or her control, so as to protect their position. They are leery of strong personalities or other leaders. They have “yes” people around them and guard against anyone who displays leadership potential. They hand out titles only to those they believe will never question their authority.
