There are three qualities I look for when considering promoting someone to a higher level of leadership.
1. Charisma – their leadership gift
Does the persons gift make a way for them. Their gift should already be evident and showing signs that it can function at a higher level.
A persons leadership gift should be evidenced by their ability to function and be fruitful in the area of service they are presently assigned to.
Are they competent to do the assigned new role.
They should also show that they are able to lead people for the good of the house without bonding them to their personal efforts in an exclusive manner. I personally look for leaders who love the house they serve in and promote it and it’s mission above all things.
2. Communication – their ability to share vision.
A leader at any level must be able to effectively share the vision of the house to those they are leading.
You can only successfully promote leaders who have learnt the thee keys of communication.
A. Clarity – they must be able to speak clearly on any given subject.
They should be continually learning and shaping the words of their mouth.
They should be able to open the ear of the people they are asigned to lead.
B. Confession – a leader will always be known by the words of their mouth. They must know how to create a positive environment in all areas of their life.
A positive confession is essential if a leader is to be fruitful.
Negative confession is anything that is opposed to the vision and culture of the house.
C. Content – they must have the ability to impart and feed the people following them. Do they take time to hear from God and do they have a revelation factor.
Are they researchers or readers who know what is happenning in the big picture world around them.
3. Character – they must evidence an upright spirit.
This is the big one when it comes to promoting leaders.
Never promote a person beyond their character.
There are three areas of character that must be considered.
A. Morals – do they walk and talk clean.
B. Motives – are they driven by ego and personal agendas.
Watch out for the leader who wants to paint your platform in their colours.
C. Mission – whose mission are they on – yours or theirs or everyone elses. Do they willingly serve even when they don’t agree.
I am convinced that most organisations struggle not from a lack of leaders but from promoting the wrong leaders.
Often the leader worthy of promotion is found one level under the obvious leader who has their hand raised for promotion.
Sometimes you have to let leaders go to find the next level of leaders of the house who have been faithfully serving all along.
I try to look for leaders who are prepared to do the following three things well.
A. Join their heart to mine.
And stay connected through thick and thin.
B. Sync their head with mine.
Try to learn why I do things and trust even when it is not clear at the time.
C. Join their hands with mine.
I need people who can keep my hands raised in a leadership position. That means they use their hands to support and fill my hands. I do not need leaders on my team who I end up carrying.
Sounds like fun. I love the challenge of finding, shaping and releasing new leaders. SJP
