Sorry if the title is crude. No implication about anyone here. But leadership development may not be as difficult as we often make it out to be. So why not share the oversimplified version? The dummy version.
One of the number one questions I get about leadership is how to develop new leaders within an organization. The task can often seem overwhelming. Few organizations or churches I know are viewed as experts in the field. Ours certainly isn’t.
Maybe it doesn’t have to be so complicated. Perhaps all of us can figure this out.
Leadership development begins with an underlying understanding that the success of any organization depends greatly on the leader’s willingness to delegate responsibility to others in the organization. This attitude – especially among top leadership – is vitally important to developing new leaders.
The more a leader tries to control, the less likely others will be to help him or her accomplish the vision. Of course, without people willing to follow a leader, there is no leadership development.
(For pastors who reject this idea, please read Exodus 18 or Acts 6 – or just follow Jesus through the Gospels.)
Here is my simple formula. I believe the best leadership development is accomplished by allowing others to gain experience by doing. Basically, this means we must find ways to allow others to lead.
In fact, delegation can be simplified into two words.
INVEST and RELEASE
Invest
Personally spend time with and mentor others so they understand the vision of the organization and have the resources, skills and authority to accomplish their assignment. Allow them to ask questions, to take risks, fail, and begin again.
Release
Let people lead. Allow them to add their strengths, creativity and energy to accomplishing the vision. Give them real responsibility and authority. Don’t micromanage.
I realize this is a very simplified answer to a very complicated process, but perhaps simplifying leadership development is needed to ensure we tackle this necessary part of growing a healthy organization.
And, you can easily monitor whether leadership development is occurring in your church or organization with my simple model. Simply ask yourself – look around – is anyone being invested in on a regular basis. Then, more important, is anyone being released to lead?
If you have any questions, or need a model to follow, simply pay more attention to Jesus. It’s exactly how He did His leadership development.
Are you holding other potential leaders back because you will not release them to lead?
Thanks Pastor Ron. Sure, it all boils down to invest and release. I’m gradually getting there. This post spurred me on.
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love this post – I struggled with releasing leaders in the beginning of our ministry. Once I finally caught hold to this model of training and releasing, our ministry multiplied.
Thanks Lisa. I think many of us had to learn this the hard way. Some leaders still need to learn this principle.
Good points, Ron. Our school district is dealing with new leadership in several top positions. I am seeing some good changes and am forming a deeper appreciation of good leadership. One of the biggest pluses I see is strong leaders know how to move things along. I know I have been on committees that get bogged down with the same things being said meeting after meeting. I imagine this tendency is one that most leaders have to deal with, so your invest and release principles may help in alleviating this problem. Thanks!
It sounds like you are in a really good school district.