Matt Mings on 3 Things I’ve Learned about Leadership
It seems I always learn more from my mistakes than my successes. Isn’t that an oddly frustrating reality?
In my dealings with people over the last month of my busy life, I’ve relied on three things I’ve learned about Christian leadership to keep me focused on God’s calling, my priorities, and the need for Jesus in my community.
#1 — Just because I used to think a certain way doesn’t mean it’s true.
There are often times I take a retrospective look at my life and wish I could go back and get a second take on some situations and events. I shake my head as I remember how I used to passionately and unreservedly push my opinion through at meetings and encounters. It didn’t matter if I was right (and I’m wise enough to now realize about half the time I wasn’t right). What matters is how I handled the situation.
I used to think that if something was the right action then everyone else had better get on board or get out of the way. I still think there are rare occasions where this tact is appropriate, but it is seldom necessary. It’s far better to gain consensus. These days when I think I’m right about something, I sort of float the idea out and let others run with it. I figure if several others find it to be right, then we might be onto something. If not, then I eat my humble pie and move on.
This approach allows for a real sense of community. I think it pleases God.
#2 — Just because someone with more experience than me thinks something is right doesn’t mean it is.
I’ve never been one to blindly follow authority. I tended to be a skeptic of authority and try to find ways to “be better” than those over me. It was a fruitless exercise that caused me much grief … not to mention the headaches I gave to those over me!
These days I’m more apt to try to discover how an authority figure is trying to help me. Instead of focusing on our points of contention, I try to remember that the odds are this person is trying to help me but something is getting lost in translation.
Instead of making sure they fully understand my point at all costs, I try to retain a relationship that is open and honest. I may still disagree with the person in authority … I may still take a different course than what they want me to … But I do so letting them know I deeply appreciate their insight and good intentions. I ask them to pray for me as I take the next step.
#3 — When all else fails, look at what Jesus did and try to emulate that.
Several years ago during the WWJD craze, I never was a fan of the phrase. The more important question to me is “What DID Jesus do?” Granted, Jesus never sat in a church board meeting, or negotiated terms with a bank, nor hired staff, nor many of the other myriad things a Christian leader does that sometimes feels so unrelated to what he or she is called to do. But Jesus did have dealings with small groups of people: some for him and some against him. Jesus did try to deal with material matters in a way that pleased his Holy Father. Jesus did invite people to “come and see” and, despite hundreds of them turning away, a handful did become his disciples.
So when the logic of this world just isn’t making sense, and people who call themselves Christians aren’t acting like Christ-followers, and I seem to be surrounded by a lack of faith, and I’m unnecessarily challenged, I ask myself “What did Jesus do?”
Not only does that help me maneuver many situations I’d rather not deal with, it almost always opens me up to a surprise about this Jesus I serve. I learn a little more about who God is and what this life is about. That’s always worth the exercise.
SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
If you’re in leadership, what’s something you’ve learned?
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Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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