Traits – Develops Leaders and Builds Teams

As I continue sharing traits of an effective leader, this week I focus on how leaders are proactive in developing leaders and building teams.   The truth is that no one person can accomplish the mission Jesus gave us alone.  Jesus modeled how important it is to multiply yourself.  The people he picked to advance his gospel and build his kingdom were not superstars but undrafted underdogs, yet he turned them into world-changers.  He also made it clear in Luke 10:2 that the harvest is abundant, but the workers are few, therefore we should pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out more.  Paul pointed out that one of the major tasks of a “pastor and teacher” is to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-13).  The challenge I have seen for some leaders is that they do a decent job raising up workers but not other leaders.  Raising up other leaders can make a major impact on the growth and effectiveness of a church or ministry team.  The difficulty some leaders have is overcoming a scarcity mindset that believes only a few people on their team are competent.  Therefore, they themselves have to do the majority of leadership load.  However, those who have an abundance mindset believes that with the right training, coaching, and resources most people can rise up to the task of becoming a leader.  It has been shown that those who hold to a scarcity mindset underutilize the talent latent within their team, create tense environments and get only half the potential of those they lead.  Conversely, those with an abundant mindset believe in their team members, provide both the environment and opportunity for growth and get twice the potential of their members.  May we aspire to not just recruit workers but build leaders. – Dr. Gary Mathes