Every great organization has great leadership… period. It’s going to be nearly impossible to become great if your leadership is sub-par.
Believe it or not, this relates to churches as well. Many times, in church work, we find ourselves in a tough spot; desperate for help, so we compromise in the area of leadership and we get ‘Volunteers’ to serve in our ministries instead of ‘Leaders.’
So the question is…
“What’s the difference between a volunteer and a leader?”
This is actually pretty simple: A Leader is a person of influence. Leadership = Influence!
Ask yourself this question:
“How do I influence the people that I’m in leadership over? How are they influenced by my leadership in these 3 areas?”
Personally
Spiritually
In their Decision Making
If you’re leading people well, you’re influencing them. And many times you aren’t even aware how you influence the people that you lead. Here are 5 ways a leader influences the people they’re serving.
- By position—If you’re in a position of leadership, you will naturally influence people.
- By character—People are watching you! They watch the way you carry yourself, how you make decisions, how you live… and you will influence people based off of your character…or lack thereof.
- By example—Imitation is the greatest form of flattery…it’s also the result of good leadership. If you lead well, the people following you will lead by your example.
- By experience—If you’re more experienced, the less experienced people will look to you for leadership. Use your experience and wisdom as a tool to benefit your organization and also influence your people.
- By relationships—The greatest way to influence a person is within the context of a relationship. If you want to lead someone…invest in them. If you want to motivate someone…get to know them. It’s a simple concept that will generate great results in your leadership.