Leadership tips for great mission projects

Here are some tips to help you improve the way you lead your mission project.

Empower your teammates
Think of yourself as an orchestra conductor.  A good leader will stay in the background and let others shine.  He or she will let consensus emerge most of the time rather than forcing their own opinion.  Try to implement Hebrews 10:24 and you will fulfill the most basic instruction given to the church.  Focus on answering the question:  “How can I encourage my teammates to love and good deeds?”  Do that by becoming a student of their interests and strengths.  Then match them up with the right roles.  As a final step, encourage them and pray for them as they fulfill those roles.

Call & run effective meetings
You can do a lot for your team by learning to run a good meeting by following these three steps.
1.    Set the agenda – let teammates know what you’ll talk about – write it down.
2.    Run the meeting & move the decision – if it’s not on the agenda, discuss it later.
3.    Take notes & distribute minutes – you need a record of what you’ve discussed.

Specific things you can do

• Make individual appointments to hear your teammate’s hearts.  Ask them about what makes them come alive.  Really listen to them.  If they feel you understand them, they are more likely to trust you.
• Practice leading a meeting.  Keep them to an hour or so.  You have to know when to politely cut them off when they are droning on and the discussion is going nowhere.
• Ask for coaching.  You will grow as a leader as you get feedback and work on improving.
• Help them to connect with one another.  Practice the ministry of reconciliation by applying Matt. 18.
• Find a venue where your team can connect with one another after the day’s ministry is done – a time and a space where people can let their hair down.
• Help them to pray for one another.
• Preserve team unity at all costs. If you get stuck, reach out to someone outside the team.