Leadership

It’s easy for me to think my way is the correct way (which is clearly linked to my impatience and pride). Obviously, my way isn’t always right, isn’t the only right way, and isn’t necessarily the best way. When you’re leading, I think the best way to empower team members is to give them clear expectations about where you’re heading and what you hope to achieve (vision) while also giving them the freedom to work how they feel best (flexibility). Sometimes people do things in ways we don’t think is best. That’s when letting them stay flexible is hard. A sudden urge to micro-manage boils up when they say things we don’t agree with. Or if they act in ways we wouldn’t act. Sometimes they are wrong. They need to be corrected. Someone (you, if you’re the leader) needs to talk with them. Other times the way they do or say something that gets under your skin. It bothers you and rubs you the wrong way. But it’s actually not fundamentally wrong or hurtful or even in need of correction. It’s just preference. ...

Leading overseas is exactly like leading in your home country. Except you don’t speak the language, know the customs or feel emotionally stable. After living in Slovenia for the last 6 months and leading a team of incredible friends as we trust God for a student-led movement following Jesus, I’ve learned a few things. This is the advice I’d give if I could give a pep-talk to my pre-departure self. 1. Acknowledge that you are under-qualified. Two weeks of training and one year of vocational ministry experience before moving to a country where you don’t speak the language is not enough to be qualified. My team of recent college grads were all as qualified as I was to lead a team. Unfortunately, everyone was completely perplexed about what it would take to build a movement of college students making disciples of Jesus. Embrace all of your inadequacies. You can’t lead on your own, but God can lead through you. ...