Serving Bread

I’m putting together a teaching seminar for ministry leaders on Emotional Intelligence (or EQ). A few years back, I was sitting in one of my seminary classes when I was introduced to the works of Daniel Goleman on the topic of EQ. I was fascinated by the insights of Goleman into human emotions and it’s effects on our leadership. After taking that class, I developed an Independent Study program with a professor at Fuller Seminary to further study the topic.

What EQ basically says that being book smart (i.e. one’s IQ) is not enough for leadership. Smart people could be terrible leaders if they don’t pay attention to their EQ. After ten years of ministry, I have seen the effects of poor emotional management on someone’s ability to lead, despite their academic intelligence or even leadership potential.

Our emotions matter to our leadership. Poor emotional health or intelligence will trump leadership potential and abilities.

Goleman identifies 6 characteristics of EQ. They are:

• Self-Awareness: The ability to monitor our own feelings is important for self-  understanding. The more we are aware of our feelings, the easier it is for us to  make personal decisions.
• Managing Emotions: How do we handle life’s most disappointing and  difficult circumstances? Our ability to manage our emotions allows us to  recognize anxiety or irritability, and bounce quicker from life’s setbacks.
• Self-Motivation: Motivation is a very difficult character to teach. The person  who is not motivated will find every excuse to not fulfill his or her  responsibility. Self-motivation allows the person to take control of one’s life  and decision. They become more and more like the shepherd in John 10,  rather than the hired-hand.
• Empathy: The ability to recognize other’s emotions and be able to respond  well to other people’s emotional gauge. Empathy allows a leader to recognize  the mood of the people he or she is leading, and how to properly lead people  toward vision.
• Self-Control: There are many temptations that come our way, and it would be  very easy (especially for young leaders) to act on impulsiveness. The leaders  who are able to delay gratification and practice self-control will be able to  perform better and make better decisions for the greater good, rather than for  the good of the moment.
• Relational Handling: Like empathy, it is important to handle relationships.  Conflict resolution is one of the most important character traits of a young  leader who is learning to work on a team and take risks in ministry and vision.

There is a lot to be said about Emotional Intelligence. During my independent study, I devised an assessment, reflections and a growth plan. I’ve uploaded my Emotional Intelligence Seminar. Feel free to download it for personal or team use.

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An element of doing leadership in ministry is that we are often leading people who are volunteering. People are giving their time and energy beyond their other responsibilities. In my case, I am leading people and calling people into leadership who also have to contend with academics, family, and jobs.

Most of the resources and books on leadership tend to focus on the business world, with metrics that measure success along business lines. In business, a supervisor can give financial incentives for people to perform at a higher level. We can’t (or don’t/shouldn’t) do that in ministry.

Leading “volunteers” is difficult because they have less incentive to stay. If someone did not like our vision or my leadership, she could leave and join another campus ministry or perhaps leave the faith altogether. I have had several experiences in the last ten years where someone in my leadership influence walked away. Some organizations and churches may employ pressure tactics and manipulation to make it more difficult for people to leave, but not only does that violate basic Biblical principles, it rarely works in the long run.

As the church, we do have a rich history of the power of volunteerism. The Church is built on the back of “volunteers.” And though the model of church congregations and leadership shortly after World War 2 tended to focus on a pastor doing all the work while the congregation consumed the product that the pastor produced, the tide is turning with more focus on the congregation doing the ministry of God.

For example, at the church I grew up in, the bulletin cites the various leaders of the church. It begins with “Ministers: The entire church”. I think what’s helpful of the emerging church movement is that (at it’s best) it focuses on a community of people doing the work of God rather than focusing on a paid pastor to do that work.

What I am learning about leading volunteers is that there still needs to be an incentive for a volunteer to lead. And that incentive is not monetary or anything that I can offer, but it is God and the goodness of God. In my leadership, I have to create space for people to hear from God and to be excited for the things of God. The best accountability then comes in their desire to know God deeper rather than in anything I can offer them to do their best.

Second, I am learning to listen to people. It is easier for me to set forth my agenda of how I want people to “step up” than to hear how they want to minister. When I create space to hear what moves people and how they want their lives to matter, it allows me to come alongside them and help them articulate and discern God’s calling on their life.

Third, I am learning to learn more about leadership from the organization that knows how to empower volunteers–the church. A couple years ago, Bill Hybels wrote The Volunteer Revolution. But the revolution has been happening for the last 2000 years. One of my historical mentors has been John Wesley. His ministry is but one example of the ways someone empowered volunteers to ministry and bring transformation to their society.

Praise God for the disciples of past, present and future who love Jesus and the mission of God far more than any incentive that could be offered to them!

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