Your Custom Text Here
Stewarding Your Influence
Join the Facebook Group - Brave Strong Girl Community, to watch the full mentoring chat!
Brave Strong Girl -
September Mentoring Chat
BRAND ISN'T JUST FOR INFLUENCERS, IT'S A TOOL FOR ANYONE WITH INFLUENCE
The concept of “influencers” is very polarizing these days.
Some want to become one with all the affiliate links, blue check marks, and sponsorship perks. Others see that career path as a marker on the downward spiral of humanity.
No matter what camp you join, tools like influence and brand aren’t limited to social media. We see their greatest value when these tools are wielded in the hands of leaders like you, who recognize the potential for those you lead.
It’s easy to think of brand in marketing campaigns or public popularity. But as leaders, look at how these tools help you connect with the hearts of those you’re here to serve:
COMMUNICATING IN VOCABULARY THEY UNDERSTAND
Speaking to their felt needs and how you can help
Consistent experiences that keep them coming back
Using your platform and outlets to serve
Being clear about what you offer so they know that you have what they’ve been looking for
Knowing the role you play in their lives and approaching your communication based on that relationship
BRAND IS A TOOL FOR ANYONE WITH INFLUENCE. AND THAT’S YOU.
I think social media gurus have commandeered these terms (no shade, I promise!) because frankly; they know how to use them more effectively than a lot of leaders. Yeah, that’s an ouch statement for me, too. I don’t mean they achieve more Kingdom results (although some are Kingdom centered), but that they see and maximize brand potential. Influencers work with large brands, gain the following and the visibility, and attract their communities because they are diligent in building and guarding their brand. They know what they want to represent to world, what they offer, what they’re about, and what they’re not. Their communities know what they can expect and keep coming back for more.
You don’t need to imagine what that could be like for your organization. You can live it today.
Learn more or sign up for Jen Weaver’s Brand Clarity Course:
Not quite sure how this applies to your ministry? You can chat with Jen!
Jen Weaver
Is a Ministry Coach, investing in your personal leadership growth and helping you develop message & brand clarity for the ministry you love.
She is also the author of “A Wife’s Secret to Happiness” and serves as a Bible teacher, conference speaker, and contributing writer for various publications. Married to her best friend Jared, she’s a happy boy mom of two young sons and is most likely to be found with her hair full of dry shampoo and a coffee mug in hand.
The Cure for Leadership Fatigue
I constantly battled the lies that my dreams will never come to pass and that I am doomed for failure and frustration. (Excerpt from The Grace Giving Leader)
My personal journey to becoming a grace-giving leader was long. I began by striving to earn each leadership position by proving myself every step of the way. I did not understand that when God calls you to lead others,
He calls you by grace — not by works.
As an emerging leader without this understanding, I found myself wrestling with much uncertainty. Impatient to accomplish great things, I was often frustrated when obstacles were placed before me that seemed designed to hold me back. I was overly sensitive to other’s opinions and strove to please everyone. I had an insatiable yearning to make a difference in the world by being part of something meaningful, but I knew nothing about the importance of grace as a powerful tool of leadership. Instead, I thought the answer was to ignore the discomfort in my heart and to just work harder.
For years, I simply denied my feelings and just kept going. I wanted to prove myself to God and others. I did not want to stop and really look at the sensation of resistance that I later discovered was the presence of the Holy Spirit asking me to wait on His timing. I did not want to wait. After all, He created me competent with a willingness to help others. He put me in these leadership positions to do just that. So I pressed on adding even more projects and responsibilities in spite of my discomfort and impending burnout.By ignoring that nudging on my heart, I soon began to believe I was entitled to more leadership positions. I thought, “They owed me.” Somehow, someone was holding me back or even taking advantage of me.
This kind of self-centered thinking led to many frustrating days of waiting on promotions that I believed were long past due. I didn’t want to wait for what comes next. I was in a hurry.
Surely God needed me to keep pushing forward so I could get all His work done.
During those early years, I would feel my head press against a leadership lid, a limitation or even a glass ceiling, and I would think, “Surely someone will see that I have earned advancement.” When they didn’t notice or seem to care, I just performed more. Blame would race along the edges of my mind and injustice would scream for relief. It became easy to believe I was personally rejected or disqualified and that someone or something was holding me back. Was it because I was a woman? I often felt overlooked, disqualified, unchosen, and left out. I struggled with thoughts like: “Maybe I’m not called,” “God doesn’t like me, trust me or care about my feelings.” or “I must have missed it.” There was also a struggle with hopelessness.
I constantly battled the lies that my dreams will never come to pass and that I am doomed for failure and frustration.
My moment of truth came when I finally crashed, burned, and realized I was the one creating most of the proverbial glass ceilings all by myself. My need for recognition, acceptance, and success was creating a leadership lid on my life. I couldn’t be trusted by God to lead sooner or greater, because my own heart was not at peace. In His unsurpassed wisdom, God frustrated my plans and resisted my strategies in order to sift out my selfishness and insecurity. If I had advanced easily, according to my own plan of action, I would have spent my whole life trying to work to earn what God wanted to give me for free.
It’s called grace.
Every time I strove for recognition, He comforted me with His presence. Every time I wondered if my gender was the problem, He accepted me. Every time I wanted to shatter the hindrances and obstacles I perceived, He gave me the grace to wait.
This idea that I could change the way I view myself and others through a lens of grace instead of a lens of performance began as a seed of hope in my heart. That hope eventually broke through my hard shell of self-protection opening my eyes to the continuing patterns of self-sabotage that limited my leadership.
That season of growth and maturity eventually led to a greater intention on my part to learn from others, embrace my passion to lead, and allow God to stretch my understanding of what it means to do those things with grace.
Special Thanks to Propel Women for Featuring This Article
*Excerpt from
The Grace Giving Leader
“Jan's passion is inspiring, her leadership is proven, and the wisdom she shares in The Grace-giving Leader will set you on a path to living a life of impact for God's Kingdom.”
— Christine Caine, Best-selling author, Founder of Propel Women & A21
Subscribe at Propel Women
Featured Article by Jan Greenwood
5 Tips for Leading With Grace and Integrity in Your Life
Brave Strong Girl Mentor, Marisa Donnelly, shares five steps for leading with grace and integrity!
Guest Blog by Marisa Donnelly.
To find out more about this Brave Strong Girl Mentor, simply visit her mentor profile right here!
What does it really mean to be a leader?
When I think of the word ‘leader,’ it’s often synonymous with strong, bold, or resilient. I picture a person—and often a woman—with her head held high, eyes straight, and a self-assured smile on her face. Leaders are powerful. Leaders are striking. And leaders just have this presence about them that makes you trust the words that leave their lips.
I always saw leadership as strength. But it wasn’t until my twenties that I realized true leaders don’t always have to be bold or the center of attention. There is a power in leading with softness, with gentleness, and with grace.
Here are a few ways you can try this in your own life and business:
1. Recognize your flaws
Here’s the funny thing—being a leader doesn’t mean that you have to get it all right.
Somewhere along the journey we’ve confused authority with perfection and it’s simply not true. Even the best leaders made mistakes, fell down, and said the wrong things. Even the best Christ-followers hurt people or do things they regret.
Being a leader isn’t about knowing everything, having all the answers, or walking around with this air of blamelessness. In fact, some of the best leaders are the ones who recognize their flaws and actively (and often openly) work on them.
If you find that you’re struggling in this area, find a trusted person and ask them to help you. Speak with them about what you’re having trouble with, have them be critical of your performance, choices, or perspectives, and find small ways to see who you really are—behind the mask.
2. Lean on your support systems
One of the marks of a true leader is leaning on others around you. And this is true, isn’t it? Think of every movie or book—the real hero isn’t the lone wolf. It’s the lone wolf who ends up leading the pack. It’s the lone wolf who falls in love. It’s the lone wolf who brings people together.
And that’s what it’s all about—recognizing that we all need people—and to be the best leader you can be, you must lean on others as equally as you support them.
3. Acknowledge and embrace imperfection
There’s a difference between recognizing your flaws and working on them, and acknowledging and embracing imperfection. Hear me out: It’s easy to recognize things within ourselves sometimes (in fact, we’re often our own worst critics!) but when we acknowledge and embrace imperfection that means we are seeing ourselves and others for who we are—sinners, loved by God—and we are choosing to move forward in love anyways.
Acknowledging and embracing imperfection means saying, “I see you. I understand you. And I see and understand myself, too. I know we won’t ever be perfect, but we will try our hardest.”
And there is power in bringing those words to the light. It frees you, empowers your team, and reminds everyone that in the mess of life, you can still move forward.
4. Defer to others for their expertise
Or, in other words: ask for help.
This is probably one of the hardest things in the world, but it is necessary in order to be a good leader. Learn when you’re in over your head. Learn when it’s okay to reach out to others. Learn how to take as much as you give.
In business, it’s also valuable to have an arsenal of people you can defer and refer to. You can’t always do and be everything, so having people you can rely on will lift your burdens while encouraging them, too.
5. Slow down
I write this point for you—but I also write it for myself. Slowing down is one of the most challenging parts of being someone who is driven to lead. You want to go, go, go and do, do, do. And shutting off that faucet of passion can feel debilitating at times.
But you have to remember that the best leaders need rest.
The best leaders can lead when their cups are full.
How To Be a Leader Who Cares | Joanna Wiesinger
Joanna Wiesinger and Jan Greenwood, aka the velvet hammer, talk about how to be a leader who cares.
Not sure how to get the best out of your people?
Care about them.
Joanna Wiesinger and Jan Greenwood, aka the velvet hammer, talk about how to be a leader who cares. Jan shares her wins, misses, and practical insights on how to be a leader who builds and leads healthy teams that are engaged and winning!
Meet Joanna Wiesinger
As a Strengths contribution coach, Joanna helps leaders and their teams find the right conditions to THRIVE WITH STRENGTHS daily for greater impact. Joanna leans into her own "superpowers" and over 15 years of experience using CliftonStrengths® to reach beyond a one-size-fits all approach.
Do you need some help with developing your team?
Joanna offers one-on-one Strengths sessions, team workshops, and virtual training.
And grab your copy of Joanna’s complimentary Executive Guide to Healthy Teams
Welcome to the BSG Community
Welcome to Brave Strong Girl, a faith-based mentoring community for women.
You are brave and strong.
“Most of us spend our lives trying to hide, overcome or even deny our weakness and fears, believing that our cracks and imperfections disqualify us from a life of influence and love. It never really crosses our mind that our weakness and fear are the place of hidden treasure from which courage and strength will spring forth. ”
“Brave Strong Girl is a community of spiritually-grounded women driven to boldly overcome fear and weakness through faith-based mentorship, connection, collaboration, and resources.
Our goal is to connect women who feel called to a divine purpose to the true source of all power, Jesus Christ, so that they might serve others in a manner that glories God and builds up the faith of His people.”
For several years, we’ve been working on building a mentoring community for women. It started out as a simple collection of resources in one easy location. With time, our vision has grown.
What if I could gather what we already have - friends, resources, stories of faith - and gather them in one beautiful place?
What if we could use our own journeys to speak faith over fear and strength over weakness to one another?
What if we could introduce a lot of women to not only anointed resources, but also to trusted Christian mentors?
And what if we could do in an atmosphere full of grace, safety and empowerment?
In the Brave Strong Girl community, we believe that you are a warrior who has the ability to make a difference in the lives of others. A true warrior’s strength comes not from her tools, experiences or even her imagination, but rather rises from a divine call, a sense of purpose, and a holy hope that her experiences, pain and trials can be used to change her world and the world of those around her. She is empowered not by her own strength or courage, but by a constant dependence upon the Holy Spirit which presses her to rise above her fear and weakness.
Ready to check us out? Then begin by joining the BSG community on our private Facebook group. This is the best place to find out who you might already know and to make some new friends. We’ll keep you updated, encouraged and connected. And don’t forget to subscribe to our email list so that you will be the first to know about new blogs, resources and opportunities for gathering.
Stay tuned for great resources, powerful coaching and some amazing mentors.
Meet Tracey Mitchell
I am so excited to introduce you to another Brave Strong Girl Mentor, Tracey Mitchell
Entrepreneur | Author | Traveler
I heard about Tracey Mitchell long before I met her. I knew we attended the same church - even the same campus. Women kept mentioning her name to me and pointing out her resources and I kept wondering why we never met.
Now I know.
As a leading Bible teacher and conference speaker,
Tracey and her husband, Robby, travel about 40 weeks a year, ministering to people all over the world. They live a life on the road, coming in out of Dallas almost on a weekly basis.
When I finally met Tracey it was because of her generosity. She invited me to be a part of her vendor fair at her bi-annual women's conference called Thrive. I had just written Women at War and I appreciated the opportunity to reach a new audience.
I would soon discover that Tracey was blessing me with one of her strongest gifts.
Tracey is a developer, promoter and friend to women.
She's not afraid to share her influence or her platform with others. As I participated in the conference and heard Tracey preach for the first time, I knew she was an anointed minister. But it was what I found in the vendor hall and during the breaks that really blessed me.
Every woman was there because Tracey had personally invited and invested in them.
Countless women have become brave enough to share their story because of her encouragement. They have developed a ministry or dared to write a book. So many more were sharing and encouraging one another.
Tracey Mitchell
This is why I'm so excited to introduce you to Tracey as one of our featured Brave Strong Girl mentors. She is one of the strongest developers of women I know. She's also a prolific entrepreneur, always having her hand in multiple businesses, ministries and service organizations at the same time.
For example:
Tracey is a serial author having written or contributed to many books and resources. Her latest books are Downside Up, Becoming Brave and The Invitation - to mention a few.
She is also the Founder & CEO of the Thrive Conference. This bi-annual gathering trains and equips leaders and entrepreneurs and is held in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. In addition, she is Vice President of Christian Women in Media and CEO of The Winning Woman, a ministry-based consulting firm.
Tracey has compiled over 20+ years of on-air experience having been both a programmer and guest on many Christian media outlets. In addition, she and Robby are currently the Executive Producers of a television program called Life From DFW. They reach millions via satellite, cable television and internet.
In 2016, Tracey was nominated for Texas Women in Excellence and in 2015 was awarded by the GSWB Chamber of Commerce with the "Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award." She also was awarded "The Excellence in Communications Award", given by Women in Media and in 2006 she received an Honorary Doctorate in Divinity degree.
Tracey really enjoys mentoring in the areas of:
Public Speaking
Personal Development
Publishing
I'm excited to introduce you to Tracey's latest book from Thomas Nelson called Becoming Brave.
Becoming Brave: How to Think Big, Dream Wildly and Live Fear Free
Meet Kristen Lemus
A Prolific "Jump Starter"
If you've ever had Kristin Lemus put her eyes upon you or your work, you have been seen - really seen. She is one of the most encouraging and prolific "jump starters" I've ever known.
She helped me "jump start" my launch of Women at War in 2013.
Not only did she build a digital launch team for me, but she became a precious friend. In the process, she introduced me to an amazing community of women who have been a huge part of my own journey.
I'm not the only one.
There are countless women who have been blessed by the mentoring touch she carries. She's tender, compassionate, quiet and powerful. She's a cheerleader for so many.
Empty Arms Hope-Filled Heart
Family life is so important to Kristin. Not only is she married to her best friend, but she is also "momma" to seven kids. (Yes - 7!) She has five girls and two boys (one in heaven.) If you have children in heaven, be sure to check her book Empty Arms Hope-Filled Hearts. She recently launched her twins daughters into their college season.
Kristin is passionate about helping women find freedom and pursue their dreams. She's been sharing her heart for years at her blog, The Beautiful Deep.
Brave Moms
She has a huge passion to equip and encourage moms who grow weary in the journey of parenting. That's why I am so excited about a new wing of her ministry called Brave Moms which will include digital resources, mentoring content and even a magazine. (Yes - a real one - a paper one - one you can hold and earmark and return to as often as you like.) Be sure you subscribe so that you can get connected.
She's skilled at digital communications and often invest in other Christian communicators. Much of that work has been done as a part of The Declare Conference, where she is a member of a lead team of women who are changing the landscape of the Christian community on the internet through influencing writers, speakers and podcasters.
Special Offer
Kristin loves to speak, write and mentor on the following topics:
Motherhood
Digital Evangelism
Personal Development
Kristin Lemus
Toxic Female Relationships
I wrote Women at War in 2013 to address the harm of toxic female relationships and to offer hope and help to those who have been hurt.
Many women have been deeply wounded by relationships with friends, sisters, or female coworkers that have turned competitive, slanderous, or even vengeful. From a young age, many girls experience the rejection, hurt, and mistrust that occurs when women war against one another.
I wrote Women at War in 2013 to address the harm of toxic female relationships and to offer hope and help to those who have been hurt.
Gateway Publishing recently addressed this issue on their author blog, featuring some of the content from Women at War. Click here to read the article.
If you have struggled with developing healthy female relationships, there is a way to move forward on the road to recovery.
Meet Kerrie Oles
I am so excited to introduce you to another friend, and Brave Strong Girl Mentor, Kerrie Oles.
Freedom Fighter
“When I think of Kerrie Oles I am always taken back to the moment she made her first permanent imprint on my heart.”
We were on a mission trip riding in the backseat of a twelve passenger van and driving through the mountains of Ukraine - in the middle of the night! While others slept, I remember being fascinated by her strong southern accent. I also remember laughing - a lot. Kerrie is funny. I remember being surprised by the depth her testimony and excited about the fact that she had a book on her heart.
“Since then Kerrie has written four books, founded two ministries, hosted multiple Revived Conferences and traveled everywhere to speak, teach and share about the power of being set free from our past and our pain by Jesus Christ. ”
It’s a Family Affair
She didn’t do all of this alone. Kerrie’s life is a real family affair. She and her husband, Phil, work side by side to support the work of the ministry. Her two sons have also been critical contributors. They’ve made this passion to see others healed and set free a family endeavor.
In short, Kerrie has pressed through and done the hard work required to be healed and to help heal others. I’m proud of her! More than that, I believe in her. She has a unique ability to touch a persons most private pain, take their hand and walk them to a place of healing.
Connect with Kerrie
Kerrie was recently featured in Voyage Dallas Magazine as an inspiring influencer in our community. Check out the article to hear more from Kerrie about her passion for people.
And be sure to like, follow of subscribe to keep updated on the latest news and resources.
Kerrie loves to speak, write and mentor on the following topics:
Freedom | Healing | Restoration
Kerrie Oles
For More about Kerrie
Brave Strong Girl Mentor Profile
Recommended Resources
Why Is Mentoring Such a Powerful Tool?
You need mentors because you need hope.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Why is mentoring such a powerful tool?
With the launch of Brave Strong Girl I've been really pondering the fundamentals of mentoring.
It's easy to get caught up in the form of mentoring: is it training, teaching, coaching or advising? Often the focus is on a path or pattern of development: is it one-on-one, small group, face to face or anonymous?
All of these questions are important to a successful mentoring experience, but what is it about mentoring that makes it so effective? Why do we find mentoring - whether formal or informal - as an integral part of our human experience?
I believe it's because mentoring is fundamentally about hope.
It has a natural stance that looks ahead and dreams about what could be. It's the opposite of fear, which looks ahead and prophecies destruction. Mentoring looks ahead and declares ability, capacity, fulfillment, transformation, confidence and even eternal purpose.
It is the intersection of two life experiences where one person looks back to extend a hand and say "come on, you can do it". The other person dares to look ahead, stretch out their hand to grasp another and makes a leap of faith.
It is filled with potential and questions of what if. What if I can? What if it matters? What if I change, grow, influence, or impact?
As a person of faith, the what if's go deeper. What if I was born for this? What if it's about more than me? What if I have a purpose or a destiny that matters to me, to God, and to others?
Hope is a key to courage.
The kind of courage that will take you past your weakness and your fear and cause you to become brave and strong.
Hope is a necessity.
It isn't a luxury. Every human heart is shaped with a longing for our eternal purpose to be fulfilled. This life is not just about getting into the doors of heaven. It's about what we do now with what we have and it's eternal impact.
You need mentors because you need hope.
This life tends to wear down hope. It drinks it like afternoon lemonade on a hot summer day. If you let it, life can leave you dry and empty, looking backwards at what happened to you, rather than ahead toward what can be.
This is why the Word of God satisfies the thirst and hunger of the believer. It is a mentoring tool provided by the Chief Mentor (God), given to us by the Chief Servant (Christ) and taught to us by the Chief Teacher (the Holy Spirit).
And it is full of hope.
If you've been without a mentor, then get busy. Open the Word of God and let it lead you. Then find a community that will speak to your future in a brave new way. You can begin right here with us.
Then just leap!
Other Posts That You Will Enjoy:
Mentoring is Fundamentally About Trust
Resource Recommendation: Hope Prevails
Are You a Good Listener?
Intentional listening offers many benefits, especially when you listen to God.
I’m not sure how I developed the habit of being a poor listener.
I have several theories:
I am an only child, therefore I have a life-time habit of listening to myself before I pause to listen to anyone else. (This should explain so many things about me.)
I am selfish. Although I am an enthusiastic listener, I am often eager for you to get to the end of your point so I can tell you about mine.
I am impatient. I enjoy conversation so much that sometimes I fall into a dream state where I think we are in perfect step with one another, and that I intuitively know what you are about to say. In eager confirmation of my mind-reading skills, I will burst forth, interrupt and complete your sentence. (I almost never get this right, but somehow I keep right on trying.)
It’s taken me a long time (and a lot of awkward moments) to understand the finer points of conversation and just how far I tend to drift, but it wasn’t until I began to listen to the voice of God that I began to grasp the true value of intentional listening.
Do you need to work on being a better listener? Then sit down with me and we can learn together.
Lead Like a Boss
Understand your strength and weaknesses so others can respond effectively to your leadership.
Have you ever worked for a boss who just would not lead? Or maybe you’ve had the dubious privilege of working for a leader who had high expectations but low communication skills. How about when a leader gives responsibility without the appropriate authority? Or when a leader lacks self-control and uses their emotions to force others into obedience?
It’s so frustrating when a leader doesn’t know how to or simply refuses to lead in a manner that empowers others to work toward success. When this happens, the whole team is stunted, other leaders go around the appointed leader or abandon the team, and results are greatly diminished. No one grows stronger and little is accomplished.
So why don’t leader’s lead well? A lack of self-awareness cripples many of us. It is so important that we know and understand ourselves more fully. We must grasp when our actions, style or behavior impacts others in a positive or negative manner.
A self-aware leader understands their own strengths and weaknesses, considers how their personality and delivery style impacts others and works on improving their communication and collaboration so that others can respond effectively to their leadership. Perfection is not required, but a consistent, humble growth in self-awareness will draw influence and release power.
The vast majority of people who bear responsibility for leading, desire to be an effective leader. However, simply being appointed or even desiring to be a leader doesn’t mean that a person has the character, skill, or courage necessary. Many leaders simply haven’t had the time, training or focus to develop a leadership style that empowers others. In addition, many have failed to make the connection between grace and growth.
When we lead by grace, we demonstrate a courage and confidence in how God created us – and we naturally extend the same grace to those who follow. People follow leaders who exhibit a compassionate understanding of where they are right now while empowering them to make courageous, faithful choices that help them become successful.
When we receive grace we are empowered. When we give grace we empower others.
Grace enables us to change, to become like Christ, to mature, to dream, to experience revelation, to become something and someone more than we have ever been. It involves the tenacious belief in the best version of who God created people to be and it refuses to let those we lead live beneath the vision of God’s highest dreams for their lives.
So how does grace translate to the everyday goals and responsibilities of leadership? What does it look like in the real world of team building?
Here are ten grace-filled tips to help you become a more empowering leader.
1. Go ahead and lead
Leadership development is a life-long process that is forged in the fire of leading. Becoming an empowering leader is not just about communication - talking or listening. It’s actually about what you model; what you do. Leadership inherently includes a responsibility to effectively steward the people, resources and opportunities set before us. So don’t let leadership paralysis overtake you. Whether you have a formal position of leadership or you are simply cultivating a leadership lifestyle, you can begin with what you have and where you are. Consider how you might encourage or help others achieve their goals within your current scope of influence. What strength or resources do you already posses that could be used to serve another’s vision? Set forth and model a leadership style that is worthy of emulating and inspires others to grow in productivity and maturity.
2. Assume people are capable
People tend to rise to our expectations. So what are you expecting? Do you have a fundamental faith in people or a fundamental distrust? If you believe that your team members desire to be successful and to contribute effectively to the mission, then demonstrate that belief by expressing confidence in their abilities. (If you don’t believe these things, then why are they on your team?) When you assume people are capable you will entrust them with assignments and responsibilities that are on the edge of their experience. This is how you find treasure in people. You believe in their potential, not just in their track record. This assumption may cause you some difficulties. After all there has to be room for failure, mistakes and learning curves. You may have to step up and help them accomplish the task or cross the finish line. You won’t know the potential in people until you begin to believe they are capable of more.
3. Cast vision
It is so important to learn to cast vision to your team. Teams, consumers and even communities are more motivated by the why of your mission, than by the how. Casting vision not only defines the “win” but also explains what is expected or required of the team. Often team members need to know “is what I am doing making a difference?” or “what’s the goal?” As you cast vision, make your words “salty”, seasoned with respect and confidence. Don’t expect people to stay excited about the mission if you aren’t excited about the mission. Work hard on improving your own communication skills so that vision casting becomes an inherent part of your leadership style.
4. Take more risks
Risk taking yields great reward. Not only should you take more risks, but consider giving others an opportunity to do the same. Clearly define the measurable and objectives, but leave more room for the strategy and tactics. If everyone has to accomplish every task the same way that you do, then you’ve limited your team and destroyed the creative potential within others. Try giving others more permission; permission to draw their own conclusions, determine their own applications; and steward their own portion of the work. Create meaningful and collaborative learning experiences and release others into greater authority.
5. Allow for and forgive failure
When you entrust and empower people with more confidence and authority, you will also be communicating that they have permission to try again. Failure is not the end. It’s only an opportunity to begin again. Allow others the freedom to make mistakes and they will extend the same grace to you. Take time to debrief all along the way so that you can strategize adjustments for the future and encourage others to try again. Keep your focus on how you can improve and don’t hold a grudge.
6. Provide resources and encouragement
Give people as many tools, training and resources as you can in order to equip them for their responsibilities. Sometimes we approach our mission from an attitude of lack or stinginess, expecting others to “produce more bricks with less hay.” Turn that approach around and generously resource your team for maximum effectiveness. Don’t withhold what is needed to facilitate the vision.
7. Build community
Do you want to accomplish big goals? You’ll need a lot of human resource. Everyone has an innate desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Whether you are building a product, selling a service, or leading a life group, you can invite others into your circle of influence so that together you might see a greater return for your investment. This naturally requires human contact. Make more time for people. You can go fast and take along only a few people or you can slow down and take along thousands.
8. Prioritize people over results
I realize this advice is counter culture to most of America’s leadership environments, but when you value people over what they can do for you or with you, you build healthy relationships. When you legitimately care about the people “on the mission” with you, you will naturally build empowering, creative, loyal communities who work more effectively with less supervision. What seems contrary to accomplishing the goal, can actually accelerate the collaboration of team and increase positive outcomes from the bottom line to team loyalty.
9. Be patient
It’s what you do and how you respond when emotions are running high, that reveal if you are an emotionally mature leader. We tend to lean heavily on the intelligence of people (their talents and skills), but it’s our emotional maturity that can trip us up or cause us to break through. People are naturally chaotic. All of us are moving from lost to found and need more grace. Make room in your leadership style to accept people where they are while encouraging them to move toward greater maturity.
10. Take time to celebrate
Often we fail to stop and acknowledge the positive changes and impacts we are looking for. We simply rush to set the next milestone. This can result in discouragement to those who follow. Consider creative measures for recognizing great results. Give away the credit for success to others. Find a way to commemorate important achievements and build reward into your recognition. Public recognition for a job well done inspires the whole team to achieve with excellence and builds tremendous loyalty from the one who is recognized.
Having a team that is empowered and functioning well is the dream of every leader. It will take more than exceptional talent to create that team; it will require the sacrifice of a servant leader mixed with a strong dose of grace.
Are you an empowering leader?