Even more lessons from my first 10 years of ministry that I'm taking with me into my second decade...
- Develop your team. Each person is responsible for their own personal growth and development, but it's on your shoulders as a leader to provide as many opportunities for that as possible. Pour into your team through planned and unplanned development times. You won't develop outwardly if you're not developing inwardly.
- Let your team know they have freedom to fail. As leaders, we need to be quick to recognize how often we ourselves fail; that makes it easier to accept the failures of our team members. While giving people the freedom to make mistakes, let them know you expect them to learn from their failures. Coach them so that next time around, they don't fail in the same way. Make new mistakes rather than repeating old ones.
- Don't hold things with a closed fist. It's all God's anyway, and He can give it to whomever He wishes. Hold people, finances, possessions, and ideas with an open hand, ready to give when prompted. We're called to be stewards, not owners.
- Maintain a teachable spirit. There are few things more distasteful in a leader than arrogance. Don't think you know it all, because you don't. Ask questions; listen intently; seek out opportunities to learn everyday. A humble leader is a learner.
- Burnout is real. Find ways to pull away from ministry work. Spend time with friends outside the ministry. Force yourself to unwind; take a physical, mental, and emotional break from your work. A burned-out leader no longer leads; she just maintains.