5 Things Every Leader Needs To Know

How do you serve AND lead at the same time? As a leader it’s difficult to not get so caught up in the PROCESS that you neglect the PEOPLE. Here are 5 principles you can immediately apply to your area of leadership:

#1 Pray For Your Team—if you’re not praying for your team you don’t like your team, you don’t love your team, you don’t care if your team succeeds, and you don’t care if your team stays together. Praying is one of the BEST (if not THE best way) you can serve your team!

#2 Remember It’s Not About You—you might feel like King Kong, but in reality you’re Balaam’s ass. It’s not about you. You might be at the top (for now), but someone else is there waiting to take your place. You ARE replaceable. You ARE expendable. So stop beating your chest, stop pushing your weight around, and start washing some feet.

#3 You Can Do Something, But Collectively Your Team Can Do More—one of the most difficult decisions a leader can make is to NOT be a part of EVERY decision; however, it’s a NECESSARY decision to make. You have a TEAM. It should be full of people you handpicked, people you trust, people you know are gifted and talented and smart. Don’t just give them TASKS, give them RESPONSIBILITIES. Put them in CHARGE of something. Let them utilize their gifts and see what happens! You can’t be everywhere at once and if everything has to wait for you, nothing will ever get done.

#4 You Know Something, But Collectively Your Team Knows More—hey Solomon, you might be the smartest guy or gal in the room, but chances are you’re not. Someone on your team knows how to do whatever it is BETTER and FASTER than you. Open up the floor for discussion by ASKING QUESTIONS, don’t just offer up ANSWERS. Telling people WHAT TO DO stuffs creativity in the dumpster and if this becomes common practice your creative people are going to create a way to leave. Your product or process or whatever it is you do will improve when you invite others into the conversation.

#5 Build Up, Don’t Tear Down—a word of encouragement goes a LONG way, but a word of discouragement goes a LOT FURTHER (and in the wrong direction)! It’s too easy to be driving by results. It’s too easy to focus on failures and mishaps. It’s too easy to see the BAD. But what about the good? What about the person who’s ALWAYS there a little early, stays a little late, consistently produces quality work… what happens to this person? ]Let’em know how much you APPRECIATE them! Your only interaction with your team should NOT be when someone or something messes up. Let’em know you CARE!