Serving Bread

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Several years ago, I took part in a preacher training seminar with a fantastic preacher and professor of homiletics. I mentioned this seminar in a previous leadership insight post. One of my takeaways from those seminars was the professor’s attitude in learning from others. Like I mentioned in the previous post, everyone can serve as a teacher (regardless of their successes or failures).

What I would add to lessons from that seminar is that growing my leadership is to watch and learn from other leaders. One of the things I learned from that professor that I have incorporated is to watch and learn from other leaders. How do my leaders lead me? What do they do that is effective? What may they do that doesn’t resonate?

Like the adage, “Why re-invent the wheel?” I find myself doing the very things that worked so well with me. Just a few weeks ago, I lead a Bible Study in our ministry at Northridge that was pulled out of a divisional meeting of InterVarsity staff that I was a part of. I was inspired when I was led in that particular devotional, so it made absolute sense to incorporate it into my ministry.

One of the things that I like to do with younger leaders is to encourage them to watch and learn from me (both my strengths and weaknesses). When training, I will give them an index card and ask them to put on a “learner” hat during the Bible Study (or whatever I am training them in). Their job is to watch and learn from me. On one side, they are to write all the things I did well. On the back side, they list the things that was lacking.

The idea is that it allows the young leader to think critically about his or her leadership, allowing my leadership to serve as a laboratory for their training.

I have read and studied books and scripture on leadership. But the most effective ways I have learned is to watch and learn from those who lead me. It is not just the content of what they are doing or saying, but how they are doing it that has contributed and shaped my leadership.