5 Steps to Becoming a Great Leader

by Candra Niswanger  
Leadership

Hebrews 13:17

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

I’ve been in leadership for over 20 years and it has been mostly wonderful and sometimes a frustrating journey of events.

Learning to be a good leader starts with being a good follower.

Early in my years of business and working under individuals, I always wanted to be a blessing to those that would employ me. I mean think about it, someone is choosing to invest in you by allowing you to be on their payroll. Now that is favor, because employers, owners, bosses have choices, and you should count it a blessing to be chosen.

Now along with that comes your role in being an honorable student of your leader. It’s always funny as I see over and over again entitlement issues with individuals believing they “Deserve” to be in a position that is not theirs, yet they cannot do the position they have with excellence and humility.

I often tell my mentee’s be careful not to ask for favor you are not ready to carry, because that leads to disaster, burnout, and often, disappointment. So how do you become the best leader God has created you to be? I believe a few key points to becoming a good leader is

1. Become a servant of others. If you cannot serve, you will never understand how to lead! Real leaders lead by example, being in the trenches, doing what you ask of others to do, learning the opportunities for do-overs together, and modeling excellence in your own actions.

2. Walk in Grace toward others – if you respond in anything toward your people then out of the fruits of the spirit, then you should take some time to do self-examination. Leaders in my opinion do not have permission to respond emotionally to issues, they need to respond with wisdom, insight, and with patience …. Sometimes hard to do but necessary for healthy teams

3. Develop / Train someone on your team to replace you – you should never be afraid to replace yourself with someone that is willing to learn and be trained to do so. That is EXCELLENT leadership to empower people to be the very best they can and what a great compliment to feel confident enough in who they are in their position that they can replace you!

4. HONOR your authority!! We all have a higher power to be accountable to. Even the top dog has people they are accountable to and we are ALL accountable to the Highest Power – God. When we work for people as if we are working for GOD, our hearts are engaged, we recognize our identity in Him and our reward is in Him which only trickles down to those we lead.

5. Allow God to see your awesome work and do the promoting!!! You do not need to promote yourself!! Hard work, honestly, integrity and true desire for success for all on the team will quickly move you to the top of your game without having to force any form of self-promotion. God has great plans for you, and as you serve Him with honor under the authority he has placed over you HE will move mountains that no man could ever do for you!

So ask yourself right now, Am I a blessing or a burden to those that are over me? Be Honest!! Self-awareness is very important for growth. If you are a burden, then read back through the list above and pray this prayer with me…

Lord forgive me for not honoring those that you have put in authority over me. Lord I ask you to Bless (insert name) and that your favor would be upon them. Holy Spirit remind me of my role as I am in work and partner with me to be accountable to my actions that all my works would be as unto the Lord, completed with love and excellence. Lord I will choose to honor those over me and become a blessing to them as I work with them in the name of Jesus Amen

Now GO be a man or women of your word and walk out being a blessing!! Much Love C