Five Little Things Leaders Can Do That Make a Big Difference
I have been told for years that, in leadership, little things make the difference!” I become more convinced every day this is true! This week allow me to write about a few things that leaders – and followers — can do that make a big difference.
1. Thinking the best of others. This is one of our key staff values. We choose to believe that every team member loves God, serves sacrificially and is equally invested in the mission. If something doesn’t turn out as anticipated, we attribute it to a disruption in the person’s life. Rather than ascribing the disruption to the persons character, we seek to help them resolve the issues. Assuming the best of others enables us to remain supporters instead of critics.
2. Sharing your own personal growth stories. Growing people love to be around people that are growing. We hear how God is impacting the lives of those close to us. If God is teaching you something, share it with others. Telling people what you are learning in your prayer time is a really big deal to people. It may be the best news that people hear all week.
3. Be a life-long learner. We all bring our wisdom, experiences and excitement to the collaboration. People who are learning are excited and excited people make exciting teams. Teams stay fresh and excited when members are learning and growing!
4. Being in service on time. It has been said that one of the biggest indicators of an impactful worship experience is when participants arrive with a sense of expectancy. When we arrive on time — expecting an encounter with God — we help create an environment that is contagious for other people.
5. Speaking well of other leaders and others. We are a multi-generational, multi-ethnic and multi-socioeconomic church. We are committed to worshipping God and reaching a community that appears to be growing more diverse and more distant from their local church. Each of our leaders is committing to doing all we can to honor God and serve a diverse group of people, both inside and outside of the church. And, as you can imagine, this is not always an easy task. Saying “yes” to someone or something means they must say “no” to many others. These courageous leaders may encounter enormous amounts of criticism. Recognize that while trying to serve the whole church or community, they must at times serve those whose preferences differ from yours. Trust that they are doing the best they can to serve God and others. Encouragement is like air to these leaders; they thrive on serving others. Speak well of them! Ask if you can help or have something explained.
These don't seem like a big deal, but they can make all the difference in the world. Brad Stevens, the head coach of the Boston Celtics, is known to say, “When considering the consequences of not doing the little things, you realize there are no little things.”
Perhaps these “little things" are “big things” when we look at the larger picture.