4 Steps to Being an Effective Leader

Here is a four step approach for leading just about anything. They are required whether you’re pastoring a church, leading a ministry, head over a department, or running a company.

Step 1: Lead yourself 
Organizational leadership begins with personal leadership. As you lead yourself, you build credibility. The key to leading yourself is discipline.

Step 2: Lead Others
As you lead yourself, you earn the right to lead others. As you lead others, you build your team. The key to leading others is influence.

Step 3: Lead Leaders
As you lead others, your raise up other leaders. As you lead these new leaders, you build their capacity. The key to leading leaders is empowerment.

Step 4: Lead the Organization
As you lead leaders, you unleash them to move the organization forward. As you move the organization forward, you build momentum. The key to leading your organization is results.

Obviously this is an ongoing, continuous process. To be effective, you must constantly be leading yourself, leading others, leading leaders, and leading your organization. The moment you let your guard down in any of these steps is the moment your church, ministry, department, and company suffers.