5 Tips to Great Leadership

Before I begin let’s get a little context – it is October 2020 as I write this – the year Coronavirus stole but Jesus is working out for good!

The reason I say that is because leading during a pandemic has unique challenges, however, in some ways for me, I feel like it has just pulled out my core beliefs around the sphere of leading people.

 This list is obviously not exhaustive and in reality, each point could be a blog post – but in October 2020 here are the tips that are helping me:

5 Tips

1. Look after your people. I know it seems very basic, but before you start developing people, you actually need to care for them. Jesus didn’t say to Peter “equip, train, empower and release people (although to be fair he did all that) but he said, “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep”. Know what is important to them. Understand the stresses they are facing. Look after your people – really love them as we are called to do.

before you start developing people, you actually need to care for them.

2. Look after yourself – gone are the days when it was cool to work 16 hours a day – let’s face it, that was insane. Exercise your body, eat beautiful healthy food, do things that enrich your soul, spend time with people you love, watch great movies, read rich books, walk, swim, ride in the creation, limit your social media, sleep well. Your leadership will be better for it.

3. Be clear – we cannot always give people certainty (in 2020 we have little certainty about anything ) but we can be clear with what we know. As Brene Brown says “Clarity is kind”. It gives people security and stops confusion. We can deliver news with grace but it has to be clear.

4. Don’t be a lone ranger – you do not have to have all the answers or make every decision alone. I love that scripture in 2 Corinthians 2:16 – “WE have the mind of Christ”.  In this Covid season, I have had to make some very tough decisions – to be really honest there is no way I could have done it without the Senior members of the College team – they had perspective, wisdom and courage that I didn’t have. We are so much better together. Collaboration is a superpower.

5. Be self-aware – When we are self-aware we know the impact we have on people, we know our weaknesses, we understand our personalities, we get how our bodies react. Leaders who are not self-aware are like loose canons wondering around wreaking havoc – or doing good but not understanding why and having no ability to channel it wisely.  

Bonus Point

6. Be yourself – the only way to be an effective leader is to be the leader God created you to be. I would like to be a Type A Choleric leader – but the reality is I am a Sanguine Pastoral Leader. When you are operating as who you are there is grace and anointing. Don’t put on Saul’s armour,  use your own slingshot!

-Pam Borrow