The Participation Lid Could be ME

Recently, I heard this statement:  

Anytime someone enters into an environment, they assess that environment -- and people will participate up to that level.

This statement infers that the tone of the environment is often set by the leader, and therefore the leader can be the limiting factor in how people participate.

Here is what I have discovered in years of leading small groups.  God seems to always send people into my group who are higher energy than I am, but they usually don’t engage at that level unless they see me raise my level of engagement.  

• they don’t joke and have fun unless they see me lighten up.
• they don’t get passionate about a service project unless they see me get some passion for a project or encourage other’s passion.
• they don’t care for a need unless they see me care for a need or cheer on someone who does.
• they don’t enter work to connect outside the group unless they see me connecting with people outside the group.

We must look at our small group with a mindset; this is the environment we want to create, and we have to participate at a higher level than we are naturally comfortable with so people can respond or participate up to that level.  Because they will not participate at a higher level.

We are not challenging you to be someone you are not -- just to be others-focused.  You see, when I am others-focused, I think more about what the group needs than what I need.  When I am others-focused, I am willing to move outside my comfort zone because of what it can do for others.

One way you can do this is to celebrate the engagement level of others.  This communicates that people who are participating at a high level -- whether it be a service project, in conversation, in caring for others, in being personally vulnerable to the group -- that kind of participation is celebrated and welcomed and safe and “normal” as part of this environment.

So, in your group, what area can you raise your level of engagement/participation?  Who in your group is pushing the level of comfort (in a good way) and how can you celebrate or encourage them?

Why Leadership Matters

Without leadership, I will only do what I can do.

Without leadership, there is no discipleship.

Without leadership, we might as well live on an island.

Without leadership, we don't learn to function as a team.

Without leadership, we don't learn interdependence.

Without leadership, my skills and efforts cannot be multiplied.

Without leadership, I have no one to follow.

Without leadership, people don't have someone to point the way.

Without leadership, there is ineffectiveness and inefficiency

Without leadership, there is anarchy.

Replace Yourself

In the previous blog, I talked about HOW to apprentice by listing out the 5 steps of the apprenticeship process.  Today,  I want to focus on what we need to THINK about apprenticeship.

The inspiration for this article comes from the book "7 Practices of Effective Ministry" by Andy Stanley. REPLACE YOURSELF is "learning to hand off what you do."

We all have two choices regarding our roles.  

1. You can desperately hold on to your job until someone inevitably replaces you.
2. You can prepare someone to do what you do and strategically replace yourself.

If we lead anything, we must take an honest look at any barriers to the organization's growth that we placing because of our inability or refusal to apprentice.  Sometimes our greatest strength as a leader can actually build a leadership wall that hinders the development of future leaders.

The entrepreneurial leader specializes in taking risks and pioneering new territory, yet may see others' fresh ideas as threatening or in competition with his own.

The nurturing leader is patient and encouraging, but may lack the zeal to confront someone in areas that really need to change.

The charismatic leader can inspire the masses to follow a dream, yet may become jealous and defensive when the time comes for people to follow a new leader.

The innovative leader uses creativity to produce something relevant and original, but tends to get possessive when another artist tries to improve on what has been created.

The managing leader is excellent at coordinating staff and developing systems, yet may stubbornly resist those who question the process or want to experiment with doing things in a different way.

The high-performance leader can juggle an incredible workload and still be extremely productive, but his failure to delegate does not allow anyone else to really own a piece of the vision.

Identifying which of these is you is probably very easy.  In fact, I would guarantee that each person on your team could identify yours.

Replacing yourself demands that you face some personal tendencies that could be unhealthy for your organization.  Most people's spoken or unspoken push-back to apprenticeship is rooted in the concept of job security.  But really, this job security mindset should really be called job "insecurity".

Does your organization champion "replace yourself"?  If not, you will be erecting leadership walls that will stifle your ability to raise up new leaders and grow the organization as a whole.

It is often our busyness or our insecurities that make us hesitant to teach someone how to do what we do.

Are you too busy doing stuff or are you making time to evaluate your weaknesses in this area? 

Are you conquering your insecurities so that you can apprentice?