Leading Without Formal Authority
2009 July 27
When you lead in a church setting, you are leading people at so many different levels…
- paid staff who report to you
- paid staff who are your peers
- paid staff you report to
- paid staff higher up than you
- volunteers within the ministries you formally lead
- volunteers outside the ministries you formally lead
- guests you interact with
- vendors you use for projects
- elders, deacons, Ministry Team Reps
- you can probably think of others
Whether you realize it or not, you are leading numerous people every day. In a recent Harvard Business Publishing email, they shared “3 Tips for Leading Without Formal Authority.” You lead some people with formal authority. You lead many people without formal authority. How can you do this effectively?
- Remember enthusiasm is contagious. Your genuine excitement about a project will motivate others to become engaged and care about it.
- Take care of your own ego. No one wants to be responsible for making you feel important. Assume authority by demonstrating excellence in your field, not soliciting others’ approval.
- Lead quietly. When you don’t have formal authority propping you up, others will be suspicious if you grab the reins too forcefully. Don’t be over-invested in the outcome; lead quietly, get everyone involved, and ask questions along the way.
Look around and realize who you lead in some way or another. It may surprise you. Then, lead well.
Great stuff Casey.
I love when secular entities, through research and study, arrive at the very same principles God gives us through the Bible. As Jim Collins’ research team discovered and reported in Good to Great, organizations that are most successful are lead by servant leaders.
Far from putting on behaviors to get a desired response, the kind of leaders we strive to be should be born out of our identity. Enthusiasm- out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Humility- pride comes before the fall. Influence- always do your best to put others ahead of yourself. These three ideas are foundational to who Christ wants us to become.
That said, how often do deadlines, pressures and expectations coax us into wearing those “servant” clothes instead of living out of transformation? I admit, I catch myself there more than I’d like.