Confident Care

Over time I have learned a lot about leadership. Trying to find the balance between leading and being sensitive is a complex process that takes time. Being sensitive is appreciated by a lot of people but when there is no clear direction for the future or the present, people have trouble following. If you lead without having any sensitivity to the needs of your followers you can lose them. If you lead in order to please everyone you will lose them for sure.

The phrase that comes to mind is "confident care". A leader must be confident in the vision that he or she casts for his followers and at the same time prove that they care about each individual. Surprisingly enough I have learned that showing you care does not require trying to please everybody, it means showing people that you truly love each one of them. Contacting them when there is troubles, providing support or tools when they are struggling in their ministry, taking time just to listen, sending cards showing appreciation, and making sure everything is organized for them. This list along with many others makes all the difference in the world. What has surprised me over the years is that if your care for them and have confidence in your vision and direction, people will follow you even if they disagree. Why, because they know that you care about them. I have been shocked at how many people have put up with so many troubles while I attempted to reform a ministry that had no direction and nothing was organized. People put up with all of this because they knew I cared about them.

I was amazed a few years ago how much it meant to a family I visited when they took their daughter to the hospital late at night. I heard about how much they appreciated that for a long time. Just a little time that made a world of difference. Having been in the ministry for over fifteen years now I have developed a lot more confidence in how I lead a ministry but I can never forget the essential ingredient of caring for people who are following.

Lead like Christ who confidently knew exactly what needed to be done and proved ever day how much He cared about His followers.