I've had a lot of time to watch leaders in the church and in
missions. I've seen good ones and bad ones, the strong and the cowards. It’s
impressive how a good leader can motivate a team and how a bad one can shred
it.
I've read leadership books and watched videos and most of them have been pretty good, full of practical information about vision, focus, dreams, simplicity and motivation. Really good stuff.
But if I could tell a leader to do one thing, if I had one word I could offer a leader hoping to improve it would be, “listen.”
I've seen so many problems develop between leaders and staff members and between leaders and their peers because they don’t spend enough time with them listening.
Listen to everything. Listen to their ideas about a project. Listen to their ideas about budget. Listen to what they think about the future, vision and direction of the organization. Listen closely to their concerns and their questions.
More than that, listen to their stories. Listen to their stories about their, kids, their spouse, and their vacation. Listen about the football game, the family reunion, their history, the wedding, the funeral. Listen to the things they want to talk about.
Only through careful listening are you going to hear good ideas from good workers, who know their jobs and may see things you can’t. Only through listening can you gain an understanding of what it is they do all day, why your priorities may not be their priorities or why they can’t give you what you’re asking for.
Only through listening can you hear what’s important to them, how to motivate them, encourage them and get the most out of them. Only through listening can you understand the static in their life, the things going on behind the scenes impacting their work.
Only through listening can you understand your fellow leaders and why they think the way they do. You better understand why they come at a project, the budget and even the world from a different angle than you. Only through listening will you begin to see them as a person, an asset and not an advisory in ministry.
If I had one word for a leaders I would tell to listen. What word would choose?
I've read leadership books and watched videos and most of them have been pretty good, full of practical information about vision, focus, dreams, simplicity and motivation. Really good stuff.
But if I could tell a leader to do one thing, if I had one word I could offer a leader hoping to improve it would be, “listen.”
I've seen so many problems develop between leaders and staff members and between leaders and their peers because they don’t spend enough time with them listening.
Listen to everything. Listen to their ideas about a project. Listen to their ideas about budget. Listen to what they think about the future, vision and direction of the organization. Listen closely to their concerns and their questions.
More than that, listen to their stories. Listen to their stories about their, kids, their spouse, and their vacation. Listen about the football game, the family reunion, their history, the wedding, the funeral. Listen to the things they want to talk about.
Only through careful listening are you going to hear good ideas from good workers, who know their jobs and may see things you can’t. Only through listening can you gain an understanding of what it is they do all day, why your priorities may not be their priorities or why they can’t give you what you’re asking for.
Only through listening can you hear what’s important to them, how to motivate them, encourage them and get the most out of them. Only through listening can you understand the static in their life, the things going on behind the scenes impacting their work.
Only through listening can you understand your fellow leaders and why they think the way they do. You better understand why they come at a project, the budget and even the world from a different angle than you. Only through listening will you begin to see them as a person, an asset and not an advisory in ministry.
If I had one word for a leaders I would tell to listen. What word would choose?
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