Leadership can look incredibly different from group to group. It even looks different on the outside than it does on the inside. A group or a team can appear to have it all together while in all actuality, things are unsteady. This is where leadership comes into play. Not just great leadership, but leadership that is tailored to the personality of the group. One leadership style isn’t going to fit every group. Leaders have to adapt their style to reach every member. This individualized leadership may not be present from the beginning. Instead, it usually has to be acquired, often through trial-and-error.
I had to learn to adapt my own leadership while directing a CentriKid team. It was a challenge. I had to balance running a great camp while growing and maintaining relationships with staff, location contacts, and church leaders. My personality is to work hard and focus on the details (sometimes being a little too focused). I had to modify and soften my leadership approach to lead a group of 30 young adults. I had to focus on relationships first, and then cast my overall vision of success and attention to detail. I had to invest. Why? Because the team wouldn’t follow unless they knew my heart and my love for camp, for them, and ultimately for Christ.
Is this not true for most any group or team you lead? The team members have to know the leader values them as a person, but also as an integral part of the team. Trust me, I don’t have this all figured out, but one of my goals is to continue becoming a more balanced leader—a leader who encourages individuals to use their particular gifts and talents to work toward the goal and vision of the group.
So, are you willing to modify your leadership style to help reach your team more effectively?