Over the past few years I have often struggled with the leadership challenge that one faces when involved in an organisation, denomination or established business and/or church that has been around for a number of years. The age of an organisation has the potential to limit progress due to the amount of processes that are in place to protect it…
‘The powers that be’ in these organisations often talk about the need for leaders especially at the ‘coal face’ to step up and take leadership to the next level – They call for leaders on the front-line or as in our case at the Corps or even within the local church to make a difference… However when it comes right down to it, that is only ever possible if they allow us to lead and take on the responsibility that that entails…
A recent example of that is as follows: if we as leaders identify the need to do something that goes against the norm, some new form of ministry or even a new programme that has the potential to make a difference – we then need to ‘sell’ the (in our case) God-given vision we have to the next level (local), and if it gets approved at that level then it goes on to the next level (area) for further approval, before going to yet another level (district) for final approval before we can actually start to work towards making a difference…
If this is the case how can we really make a difference? Especially when those ‘powers that be’ are often the ones who hold the purse strings… & often when anyone looks towards new things that will make a difference it often entails spending money…
This is a dilemma that some of the well respected leaders in the Church Andy Stanley, Bill Hybels, Craig Groeschel, Rick Warren to name a few don’t really have to face…
Or is it?
Andy Stanley in one of his recent Leadership Podcasts explains that “Disengaged Leadership is one of the key factors that thwarts gaining and sustaining momentum”.
The “overall leaders” (by position) in almost every organisation are not really involved in or a part of the local vision – they might require you to send them a copy of what you intend to do, but you’ll still need to “sell” them the idea. Which takes a huge amount of effort and time. And that is often what prevents leaders from being the leaders they were intended to be.
For more thoughts and ideas on the subject of gaining and sustaining momentum check out the link to Andy Stanley’s Leadership Podcast or the logo. Alternatively click on the below links to listen to the individual mp3 files:
Gaining and Sustaining Momentum
The life and times of Perry... 