If you desire to lead, you MUST HAVE this

I love people who step out to lead.  Nothing ever happens good without good leadership.  This is true in a business and it is true in our church.  

Most of us can describe what a great leader does, what they look like: bold, strong, outspoken, courageous.  They are action oriented.  They are willing to take risks.  Leaders share the vision and lead others to accomplish the vision.  Leaders delegate responsibility - they are “large and in charge.”

However, there is one essential ingredient that a leader must have...one that you might not think of immediately.  If he does not embody this critical characteristic at his very core, it does not matter how bold, how brave, how articulate he is.  If he does not carry this vital piece in how he leads, he will soon lose his privilege to lead.  What could be so important? What could be so detrimental?

every leader must have:

Humility

I love this verse in the book of James:

James 4:10

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Humble yourself.  

The author of this Biblical passage shows the path to leadership.  It’s a formula - a holy equation.  If you willingly humble yourself, God will lift you up.  God WANTS to use you.  He WANTS you to step up and lead, to fulfill your divine calling.  But it starts with taking the first important step of humility.  

You see, humility has to happen IN you.  Others cannot make you have humility.  It is a mindset you must embrace.  My mom used to teach me growing up: "better to humble yourself than to have God do it for you.”  Great wisdom.  

Humility is often misunderstood.  Some of us try to display humility by always putting themselves down.  But that’s not humility.  

A great definition I have heard on Humility is:

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself.  It is thinking about yourself less.”

Here are some practical aspects of what it means to be a humble leader:

Humility begins with:

Listening before talking

If you are a passionate person, you will naturally want to share your vision and your passion with others.  But humility listens first to those around you.  When you actively listen to others using your eyes, your body language, and showing that you are not in a rush to move on, you communicate that you are interested in them.  People will feel valued by you.  You show them that what they think and feel is important to you.  When people feel respected by you, they will consider what you have to say.

Serving before leading

You may have leadership skills; you may already have a vision and a strategy that you are ready to implement.  But a humility mindset understands that in order to earn the right to lead, you must always start by serving.  Leadership is not a “top down” structure.  Jesus taught an “upside down” structure.  The Leader should serve and support his team.  In my leadership at Christ Fellowship, I have learned that even if I am the Campus Pastor who has oversight over the entire Campus, I still find opportunities to put myself in SERVING ROLES under some of my leaders.  Many times, I will let my leaders lead our teams and I simply join the team and start helping.  Humility dictates that sometimes I will FOLLOW, not always LEAD.  In fact, when you serve others and follow a leader, you actually are MODELING how to FOLLOW! This is powerful.  

Another way I model serving and following is how I serve and follow Pastor Todd and Pastor Julie Mullins, our Lead Pastors at Christ Fellowship.  I love them.  But I don’t just love them - I honor them by following them and serving them.  I have had people tell me how amazed they are with the  healthy team culture they experience at Christ Fellowship.  They share how they have dealt with hurtful church splits or people politics, and then they ask how Christ Fellowship as stayed united.  I tell them that our Lead Pastors have always modeled humility, unity, and they focus our team on our mission.  Everything starts with leadership at the top.  Our Pastors, our leaders and our people take their cues in what they see Pastor Todd and Pastor Julie do, and the result is humility, unity and focus on our mission:

to Impact our World with the love and message of Jesus: Everyone, Everyday, Everywhere.  

Learning before teaching

Leaders have a lot to say.  And when a leader is working with his team, he often knows what he wants to teach his team.  It is important to invest  in your people.  But, as a leader, you will be limited to what you can teach, if you are not learning yourself continually.  

Leaders are Learners. Pastor Todd taught me “Leaders are Readers.” When I started 8 years ago under Pastor Todd as a new Campus Pastor, I quickly embraced his wisdom.  I had not been much of a reader, but soon realized that I needed to grow in my skills and in gaining insight.  What I learned as I began to read was that I would have something fresh that I could then use to help my team.

It takes incredible humility to be willing to learn from people different than you, younger than you, or maybe even UNDER your leadership, and asking them questions.  Leaders often want to give off a confidence that they know what they are doing.  And while confidence is important, showing a willingness to learn takes courage.  Your team will respect you for your authenticity to grow.  Again, you are modeling what you want your people to embrace.

If you feel called to a great vision, if you are ready to step up and start leading, first embrace this foundational character trait of Humility.

Humility is the door that opens the path to promotion

Pressure

Performance creates pressure

Preparation takes hard work

Sharpening takes intentional practice

Improving takes conditioning

Athletes are familiar with these terms.  They are passionate about their sport, and they play to win.  Athletes don't play casually.  They want to taste victory - they want to win the championship!

Why is it that in our work place many times we show up casually, going through a check list of work that needs to be done, hoping that lunch time will come quickly? Why is it that when we feel pressure to perform, we respond with excuses or complaining that the demands being put on us are too much, they are unfair? When we run in to obstacles, or when the goals seem un-reachable, do we just throw our hands up in the air and give up easily?

I know your work place has it’s share of frustrations.  I know that there are parts of your job that you are not too excited about.  And when the boss brings goals that you must hit, you immediately feel pressure to perform.  In your mind, the last thing you need is more PRESSURE.

On the contrary, I want to challenge your thinking and tell you that PRESSURE is exactly what you need.  Pressure to perform, pressure to do what it takes to win, to hit your goals.  

You see, athletes USE pressure to push them.  Athletes understand that pressure is a necessary part of helping them to achieve their goal.  An athlete will push through the training, will learn new skills, will feel uncomfortable in order to perform effectively on the field.  An athlete will accept their coach shouting at them and confronting them to get better, to correct mistakes, and to not give up.

  

Certainly, there can be too much pressure…for sure… particularly if the pressure comes from negative thinking like self doubt and judgement.  Certainly, you need to self evaluate to see if you have rested well, if you have filled up in healthy ways through great relationships, through getting encouragement, through just having fun and play.  

But most of us see any pressure that comes at work as negative, as attacking us personally.  Rather…think like an athlete.  See your work as your mission, as the place where you can accomplish great things.  When the pressure comes, use it to make you better.  Respond to it by evaluating, planning, preparing, and then work hard! As my kids would say “kill it!"

Remember, It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress.  

It’s not about comparison, it’s about personal improvement.

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach as high as someone else.  But, on the other hand, don’t give yourself a pass when the pressure comes to perform.

At the beginning of your work week, get your mind in the right place.  Prepare yourself mentally that you are going to start each day by:

1. evaluating your past performance
2. plan to work on the right tasks that will yield the most success
3. prepare by sharpening your skills
4. start working really hard toward hitting you goals - now! not later, not after you read through e-mails or talking to your co-worker

Push yourself.       Lean in.            Focus.  

Do your reps.        Get better.       Get faster.  

Work like an athlete.  Use the pressure to perform better! You will “kill it!!"

Define the Culture

Jesus Christ is the greatest leader history has ever seen.  One reason I can make that claim is that He had the biggest and most lasting impact on mankind - Christianity.  What intrigues me is how Jesus accomplished this – through disciples – common people.  These men and women were NOT leaders, not nobility.  They were different from each other.  They had issues and struggles in their lives.

So, how in the world did one man, Jesus get a motley crew of common people to work as a team and follow His leadership? Jesus did not pay them a salary.  His task was not an easy one, nor had it every been done before.  The price to join His team was high, yet these disciples willingly gave up everything to follow Jesus – some eventually gave their very lives.  How did Jesus develop these undeveloped, undisciplined individuals into a team of powerful leaders that would build the greatest organization in the world?

The Answer:

- Jesus defined the culture with his people -

Define Your Culture

If you want to make an impact, if you have a calling in your life to accomplish something great and lasting, you will soon learn that you must partner with people. 

To enlist great people and to keep them, you must have a great culture.  YOU CAN build that.  YOU DEFINE that.

It takes nurturing, investing, feeding, celebrating.  My friend and Mentor, Kadi Cole says “you GET what you CELEBRATE.” You must be intentional at creating that culture.

There are three ways that I view the people around me - three ways I DEFINE the CULTURE:

1. A Winning Team

I want the people I work with to feel like we are all a team.  I clarify for each person what their role is on the team and how the part they play interacts with others.  I constantly point people to our shared mission.  I set goals for the team and then demand that team members set personal goals for themselves – all aligning with and accomplishing the mission.  I celebrate the team when we accomplish goals.  A great team loves to win the game.  I make sure to celebrate markers that show we are winning – we are accomplishing our mission – and, we are working together as a team! 

We work hard –  We play hard.   ....and we do it together.

2. Growing Leaders

A healthy culture is full of people that are growing.  Healthy things grow.  A sign of healthy people is that they are growing - and when they begin growing, they become motivated to grow more – to reach higher! When you help people around you grow, you are saying to them “You are valuable to me.  You are worth my time and investment.  I see potential in you.” People around you begin to realize that they are more than just a team member, they can expand their influence and have greater impact!

3. Loving Family

People’s deepest longing is their need to belong.  They want to be loved unconditionally.  When you build the culture of a loving family, you create a sense of belonging and security.  A loving family culture says “I care more about WHO YOU ARE than WHAT YOU DO.” John Maxwell says “People don’t care how much you know until the know how much you care.” The most worthwhile time you can spend is to take time to care for people around you.  That takes patience, and listening, and a desire to understand.

I want you to know something – 

YOU can define your culture.  

You can create an environment where great people are drawn to you and want to accomplish great things with you. 

Take a few simple steps this week to begin defining your culture.