MORE THAN JUST A MANAGER

A leader has to be a good manager, but to be a good leader you have to be more than just a manager. Here are few “a must have” qualities. Basically, half of them have something to do with management, while the other half brings us to the leadership level.

Some of us are better in some areas, and others are better in others areas. But we have to understand the importance of all of them and progress in all of them

VISION is direction from God of what to do and often how and when to do it. Examples: Noah build an ark, Moses brought Israel to the Promised Land, John Baptist prepared the way, Paul had to preach the Gospel to the gentiles, and then go and preach the Gospel to what is called Europe today.

Vision is more than just a direction; it is a motivation and a “power booster” because you know that you are doing the things that you suppose to do.

PLAN has to be detailed and practical. There is no such thing as over planning, but there is such a thing as lack of flexibility during implementation, no back up plan, or refusing to improvise when needed. A bigger group, ministry or event requires more planning. Planning sees both your goal and the current state, and then providing a roadmap on how to get from where we are at, to where we have to be.

IMPLEMENTATION stage brings a different dynamic. The vision phase is our time with God. Planning could be done in a small group or even sometimes in our office. But implementation usually has to do with a lot of people (if we are talking about church “things”)

1.       Sharing your vision

It is critical to make sure that everyone will be “infected” with the vision. If they are not, then it will be just your vision. Remember? A true vision gives motivation and energy.

2.       Building your team

Building your team starts with the previous point: sharing your vision. People are coming on board not to follow us, but to be a part of great vision.

3.      Raising leaders.

It is easier to do everything by yourself. But in the long run, it is noting but a big failure on our parts as leaders. A good leader is one who structures things so that even if he were to disappear today, his/her team would be able to not only function, but also progress without them. It would be possible for a new leader to take your place the next day.

If we have a successful ministry but we didn’t raise new leaders, then our success will be short lived.

II Timothy 2:2 shows us 4 “generations” of leaders: First we have Paul, who raised a leader named Timothy, who now has to raise faithful and able people who will continue this mission to others.

Building a team, raising leaders, sharing a vision also means that the same example will be seen in us. We are a part of a greater (church’s, congregation’s, mission’s) vision, teaming up with other leaders, and we are held accountable.

DIRECTING, MANAGING

Depending on the things that we do and the stage of our leaders, the level of our involvement may vary. But we have to be involved in keeping leaders accountable, directing or empowering.

PASTORING

There is nothing wrong with a goal/vision driven leader, as long as we understand that the end result of every goal and every vision always has to do with PEOPLE coming closer to JESUS and becoming more like HIM. A leader is a servant of God, not a slave of people. However, serving God always means working in His plan that he has for people.

So, we cannot just use people, and try to squeeze them to get more out of them. But we need to serve and lead them to the vision that God gave us in the Bible