Don't Wait in Line

If you aspire to lead in some way, that is awesome! I love people with initiative, with drive to make an impact wherever they are called.  The Bible even says that desiring leadership is a good thing!

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.

1 Timothy 3:1

Tom and Kellie Agulia - two of the best Servant Leaders at Stuart Campus!

However, I want to caution you on how you pursue leadership:

Don’t wait for the position before starting to lead

Most of us see leadership as a high position where we have a team of people under our authority.  We have a picture of a leader who stands on the platform teaching and giving directions that others should follow.  It could be easy to think that we cannot start leading until we have THAT.  So, we wait our turn in line hoping that one day we will be promoted to that high position.  

Here is the problem with that:

People do not follow a leader because they have position and platform.   People follow a leader who they RESPECT, who they LOVE, and who they TRUST.  

RESPECT

LOVE

TRUST

Pastor Clint and one of our team leaders, Amanda both have earned Respect, Love and Trust of their teams

These are 3 things that you can gain with people RIGHT NOW, right where you are, before you have ANY position of leadership.  That’s amazing to think that you don’t need to be standing on the platform to gain these things.  You don’t need employees under your direction.  You don’t need the title.  

Maybe you think that gaining the title gains you influence and power that you otherwise do not have with people.  And while it is true that the position does give you power to make decisions and to give directives to people, it gains you little influence.  You see, when you gain the position, you now have a difficult time wondering if people follow you because they WANT TO or because they HAVE TO.  You will have a more difficult time to know if you truly have gained people’s RESPECT, LOVE and TRUST.

Here is a big secret that I want to share with you about leadership:

You don’t need to wait in line for the position

You can lead TODAY with no position

It’s like when you are at the grocery store and you are ready to check out at the cashier station.  You likely are looking for the shortest line so you can get out of the store as quickly as possible.  If you have a big cart full of groceries, you have to stand in the normal line where there likely is a longer wait.

If you are like me, you love it when you just have 10 items or less, because that means you get to go through the Quick Check Out lane! It’s so much faster!

People think the position gains them influence and power. But the position comes with:

• problems to solve
• expectations to meet
• responsibilities to carry
• people to please

When you have no position, you carry few items:

• the problems are not your problems
• no expectations on you
• the responsibility is not yours to carry
• people are not looking to you 

Think about this: when you do not carry what the position comes with, you can still solve problems, you can carry some responsibility, you can exceed expectations in your current role, you can serve people.  When you hold the position and do these things, no one is impressed.  They say “well, that’s what they SHOULD be doing.  After all, they are in charge.” When you hold no position and do these things, people say “WOW! Look how they solve problems.  Look how they step in and carry responsibility.  Look how they serve people around them!  They are awesome.  They go the second mile!”

Pastor Ismael and his wife, Margarita lead through loving and serving people

Leading without having the position or platform is like walking through the “Quick Check Out Lane” at the grocery store.  It earns you people’s RESPECT, their LOVE, and their TRUST quicker than having the position gains you.  

Don’t lead with the motive of gaining position or platform.  Remember this:

Position is not given to lift you.

Position is given for you to lift up others around you.

Start leading today where you are at, before the position.  Stop leading through directing what you want others to do, and start leading through modeling what you want them to catch.