I work with a lot of hurting leaders, mostly who lead within our churches. My most recent Ministers Health Survey revealed there are some genuine concerns among our church’s leadership.
I’ve often wished I could say something to every leader. There are some things I’ve learned the hard way. I often share things leadership should do, but today I thought it wise to share some things not to do.
Here are seven things every leader needs to quit:
Measuring success compared to another’s success
Your leadership will not be like someone else’s leadership. It’s not designed to be. You’ll likely be successful in ways other leaders aren’t. Some of those may be visible and measurable, but some may not be.
The goal should be to be the best leader you can be and measure your success by your obedience to being the leader God has designed you to be.
Don’t Miss
Pretending to have all the answers
There’s an unfair expectation many leaders face to be the person with the answer in every situation. Seriously, how’s that working for you?
The sooner you admit you don’t have all the answers, the quicker your team will be willing to fill in your gaps.
Trying to be popular
If you want to be popular, be a celebrity. If you want to be a leader, be willing to do the hard tasks to take people where they need (and probably want to go) but may be resistant to along the way.
Leadership can be lonely at times. Be prepared.
Leading alone
Just because leadership can be lonely doesn’t mean you have to lead alone. Good leaders surround themselves with people who care, people who can hold them accountable and sharpen their character and their faith.
If you have a tendency to separate yourself from others, stop now and reach out to someone. Take a bold risk of being vulnerable and release some of the weight of responsibility you feel.
