It's Our Team
It doesn’t take long for your team to know whether you’re all about them or all about yourself. Most people can smell self-promotion a mile away. You can pretend to be about others, but sooner or later they will know when they’re being used or manipulated.
To this, I’ve created a checklist of sorts for your next team encounter. These tiny yet practical concepts will reap huge dividends and help shape the way you lead.
1. Being interested VS. Being interesting
Some strive to impress by the way they dress, their knowledge or their experience. They carry that swagger.Yet, the reality is, people aren’t generally as interested in you as they are in themselves. We aren’t called to impress, but to make an impression. We must look far enough beyond our own noses to find things that others are doing and highlight and promote it. This will go a long way with the people you lead.
2. There you are VS. Here I am
When my daughter was about 4 years old, I took her to her friend’s house to play. The moment she arrived, she burst through the door and squealed, “It’s Meeeee!” That’s cute when you’re 4 years old but not when you’re 24 years old. Leaders should be last to be admired. People don’t care about what we know or what we’ve done as much as they care about the way they feel when they’re around us. Notice others first.
3. Give yourself VS. Give orders
When I was a young youth leader, my senior pastor told me something I’ll never forget. “When people know you love them they’ll follow you anywhere, even at their own risk.” As leaders, we don’t want people to just comply with us. We want them to even die with us; meaning that they’ll be willing to risk their own comfort and preferences to help fulfill a leader’s vision. They’ll not only lend a hand, but also give their heart.
4. It’s our team VS. It’s my team.
People aren’t commodities. We don’t own them. Thus, we should eliminate the words “My Team” from our vocabulary. This is a constant challenge but nevertheless an ongoing practice for true servant-leaders. We must seek to serve others in ways that help them discover their gifts and callings. We should never conscript or manipulate people for our ends, but rather desire to see them come into their passion and purpose.
