How to Multiply Leaders Who Carry With You
You’ve heard it before: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, take others with you.” Ministry leaders often move fast out of necessity. There’s just too much to get done and too little time to do it all. But sustainable ministry isn’t built on speed; it’s built on discipleship, delegation, and trust.
Jesus didn’t sprint. He kept a conversational pace, slowing down to disciple and address the needs of those around Him. That was His leadership program. Though He could’ve done everything Himself, His plan was a partnership with His disciples, including us (1 Corinthians 3:9). This could only work through the discipleship process.
We can certainly continue to add more tasks to our plate, but that would be operating in addition. God operates with multiplication. If we want to fulfill the complete vision God has for us and our ministries, we’re gonna need a team. And if you want to build a team of ministry leaders who grasp the vision, own their roles, and continually duplicate themselves, they will need some essentials.
Here are the most essential things every potential leader on your “dream team” will need to partner with you in ministry:
Every Leader Needs a Development Roadmap (A Clear Pathway to Success)
Ever been given a job without the right tools or resources? It probably made you feel like you were set up for failure. Unfortunately, this is what we do to others when we put them in a position to fulfill a role without a clear onboarding and development plan.
First, for every role you seek to fill, document the following: title, description, responsibilities, and expectations. Once you have them documented, consider what they’d need to know or have to fulfill the responsibilities and expectations of the role. Put a timeline together, giving ample time for your candidate to learn the role and develop a rhythm for the weekly responsibilities. With this outlined, you’ll have created a roadmap that’s repeatable and gives every potential leader a fighting chance to succeed in their role. If you want your leaders to win, you need to define what “winning” looks like.
Every Leader Needs a Sandbox Environment (A Space to Fail Forward Safely)
Next to clearly communicated expectations, giving your candidates the room to try and fail safely is the most important part of your development roadmap. Just like a toddler needs a safe space to crawl, stumble, and eventually walk, every leader needs a sandbox: a place to test their skills, miss the mark, and grow.
If that toddler gets hurt, yelled at, or sees frustration on their parents’ faces every time they fall, they will most likely develop a fear of failure and stop trying. When we set high expectations without space to fail, we train leaders to fear mistakes instead of grow from them. However, when you share opportunities for them to achieve quick wins and improve incrementally, you instill a culture of continuous learning and development required to build and multiply leaders.
Every Leader Needs to be Empowered (The Agency to Own What They’re Responsible For)
You own what you carry. Many pastors and church leaders with teams still carry a heavy, burdensome load due to one fundamental issue: a lack of agency. They need to approve everything their leader does. They correct mistakes without walking their leaders through the fix. They make themselves the single point of contact for all personnel, and thus, the single point of failure for their entire operation.
If you’ve done your due diligence, created an effective developmental roadmap, and established a sandbox environment during training, it’s time to consider empowering your team. If they can’t carry the weight of responsibility, make decisions, and introduce new ideas, they will never truly own what you try to hold them accountable for. Depending on how much they’re responsible for, you may even want to consider allowing them to cast a little vision of their own. The more complex the structure, the more architects are required to make the project work. Allow your leaders to earn your trust so they can become your true partners in ministry. When leaders are trusted, they grow. When they grow, the ministry grows with them.
There are many other things you’ll need to use to sustain your dream team: feedback loops, accountability systems, a proper HQ for information, and more. But the foundation is important: clear expectations, space to develop, and real empowerment. Give these to your team, and you’ll have the trust, alignment, and capacity you’ve been praying for.
Ready to build a team that gets things done (without having to micromanage them)? We can help! Hit the Let’s Talk button!