Creating Great Leaders

“Great leaders don’t create great followers. Great leaders create great leaders.”

“Ooh, that’s good!” One of my students said as he quickly scribbled it down.

I looked out at my sea of little leaders. Faces full of expectancy and wonder, albeit mixed with some mischief. I couldn’t help but imagine what these young world changers would accomplish as they continued to grow.

“What did we talk about in devotions yesterday?” I asked the next morning.

One of my student’s hands shot up immediately, “Great leaders don’t create great followers, they create great leaders.” He said beaming, then whispered to his neighbor, “I liked that one.”

What is it about leadership that we are attracted to?

What is it about leadership that gets people excited?

Why do we sit a little straighter and feel a little braver when we are entrusted with responsibility?

I believe it is because we were born to be great leaders.

“May I hold the door? May I hand out those papers? May I be the group leader?” The excitement that is held in those statements should not be taken lightly. Children thrive on leadership and on being trusted. Leadership is attractive to them because they see it as something to achieve, a level to be accessed. However, a couple decades down the road we rarely hear things like, “May I be a greeter? May I volunteer in the children’s ministry? May I be in charge of this event?” Many times we see deer-in-the-headlights looks and many an un-returned email. “Where did our leaders go?” We moan, as we try desperately to rack our brains for fun and new ways to “lure in” some unsuspecting volunteers. It works for awhile, until burnout ensues and you are back to square one.

Perhaps we are not lacking great leaders in these generations. Perhaps we don’t need a new marketing strategy to get people excited about serving. Perhaps we need to shift the way we see others. Perhaps we need to remember that we are leading great leaders. In leading great leaders, leadership should be attractive. No, not to be bait for a trap you can’t get out of, but to be an invitation to a new found level of creativity and freedom. Creating leaders is giving an invitation to more.

I sat down with a dear mentor the other afternoon for coffee. As we chatted and talked about various aspects of leading ministries, she looked at me and said, “You know, leading leaders is different than leading followers. Followers, you have to hold their hand every step of the way, give painstakingly detailed directions, and make sure they understand. Leaders, you give them an idea so that they can run with it.” “That seems daunting,” I said with a grin. “Definitely,” She smiled, “But if you don’t give freedom to your leaders, you squash their creativity.”

Am I a creativity squasher?

At times in my frustration and meticulousness, I give intensely detailed instruction so that I know for sure that people can get it right. In my striving for all to understand and feel confident in their finished products, I am squashing the very essence of what I’m trying to create in them. I am squashing their creativity. Oftentimes leaders fall into this same trap. In an effort to make sure our leaders don’t fail, we do everything for them. Rather than helping them make less mistakes, we handicap them by taking away the very thing they need – the freedom to create and the ability to fail. Believe it or not, that is what attracts people to leadership.

“Be aware of your surroundings.” It’s a phrase I got used to hearing as soon as I started driving and leaving the house alone. “Make sure you stay in groups and when you walk alone, don’t get distracted.” No, it was not overprotective mother mode that gave way to these warnings, but life lessons that were being instilled. As leaders, we need to be aware of our surroundings. The way we lead one group to thrive and flourish as leaders may be just the way we squash creativity in others. Thus, be aware. Be aware of what excites them. Be aware of what motivates them. Be aware of how they love, how they serve, how they interact and invite them into a space where they can unleash those gifts. Don’t get distracted by what’s going wrong, be aware of what’s motivating them or even the lack thereof. Great leaders create great leaders through being aware.

“Heads up, shoulders back and down, eyes straight ahead – smile. You’ve got this! I have full confidence in your ability.” Out in another state with a pianist down, our director had to take the place. We have to sing without a director? We looked at one another in wide eyed terror. Sure, we knew the music inside and out. Counting was drilled into our heads and we rarely missed a beat. However, it was just the idea that we were singing director-less that made our heads spin. Yet, our director had faith in us, although she had no choice, and we powered through. Even if our concert was a total disaster and ended in tears, it would have been worth it as we all would have learned even more valuable lessons. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, our concert went off without a hitch and we begged our director to let us do it again. Why? We had been entrusted with responsibility and with that, we rose to the occasion. Whether it’s dancing without an instructor, singing without a director, or counseling for the very first time without a mentor – these things, though terrifying are extremely liberating. On the flip side, entrusting our leaders to be leaders can be terrifying as well. We can pep talk them all we want and encourage them to step out in small ways. However, when big risks come and we can’t pinpoint a clear outcome, that’s when trust becomes real. The amount of trust we project onto our leaders is the amount of faith they take with them as they take the plunge. Great leaders ensure great trust.

I sat down with a little leader who was feeling like I was totally cramping his style. Yes, I had caught him doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing and yes, I was currently sitting there explaining the consequences and yes, I felt like I was getting nowhere. As I sat there looking at his lowered head, I kneeled down and looked him straight in the eye. “Hey, I totally and fully believe you are capable of so much more than this. In fact, I can see how much creativity and depth there is in you. Do you see it?” Shaking his head, the eyes lifted. “Look at this,” I said, showing him a beautiful piece he had created, “Look at the amazing things you can do when you put your mind to it. What can I do to help you succeed with more? I know there’s so much more of this in you.” A shrug turned into a whimper and a whimper into a dialogue. Eventually we had a mini game plan which included a few consequences. Empowering and humbling, we continued on into the day. Creating great leaders takes time. Sometimes that time is rewarding, sometimes it feels like nothing we said or did helped in any way. Leading takes time, relationship takes time, caring takes time. Yet, what you walk away with is history that cannot be replaced.

“Great leaders don’t create great followers. Great leaders create great leaders.”

“Ooh, that’s good!” One of my students said as he quickly scribbled it down.

I looked out at my sea of little leaders. Faces full of expectancy and wonder, albeit mixed with some mischief. I couldn’t help but imagine what these young world changers would accomplish as they continued to grow. However, I knew that whatever they did and whatever they became, they showed me what it takes to become a great leader – empowerment, encouragement, and strength.