Some people are blessed to be natural born leaders. Good for them. The good news for all others is that leadership skills can be developed. While everyone cannot be a five-star leader, everyone can be a more effective leader than they are right now. Effectiveness requires growth whether you are a natural born leader or a learned leader. The leaders that progress in their skills will likely meet with these three people in the next few months:
- Someone who is already where they aspire to be in their leadership skills. Leaders learn from other leaders and take the initiative to seek out and spend time with others who are ahead of them on the same pathway. What is it that you need to be better at? What is it that needs to happen in your church or organization in the next couple of years? Who is it that innovates and can charge you up with new ideas for what you are called to do? Do not wait on that person to come looking for you. Take the initiative and glean from someone who has walked your path and is already several steps ahead.
- Someone who is an effective leader from a different generation. Leaders understand that generational differences are real. However, an effective leader uses those differences to his or her advantage instead of ignoring or complaining about them. A wise leader seeks out influencers who are twenty plus years older and twenty plus years younger to gain better understanding of generational perspectives that strengthen their own leadership and decision making. Obviously, I am not speaking of meeting with five year olds here but within the perspective of where you personally fit in your life stage. Who will you be meeting with soon?
- Someone who has the potential to be a great leader. Ordinarily this will be someone who is younger but not necessarily. The key task of any leader is to develop more leaders. Of the three leaders, this is the one where the effective leader will purposefully pour much energy and effort. In addition, it will be with multiple prospective leaders because effective leaders understand the power of multiplication over addition. Who is it that you will be meeting with next?
One final word. Meeting? That can be formal or informal. It can be in an office, in a coffee shop, on their turf, in a home, or even in a recreational setting so long as the conversation is intentional. But, it will not be spontaneous (though it may be occasionally). Effective leaders are intentional in what they do and that is why they are able to maximize their leadership.