When generic leadership frameworks fail
I recently worked through a stack of books about Christian leadership. I was particularly keen to understand how different authors approached the question of how to develop capability as a Christian leader. The books made many of the following limiting assumptions:
o There exists a magical set of generic leadership skills.
o Christian leadership only occurs in churches.
o Leadership is something that is done by someone at the top, usually a pastor.
o Leaders are men.
o The season your organisation is in is irrelevant. It assumed that start-ups or plants need the same kind of leadership as mature organisations.
As a result, there was the usual list of generic capabilities. The leader needs:
o Vision
o Character – humility, repentance, faithfulness, trustworthiness and self-discipline
o Communication skills
o Relationship skills; and
o Pastoral care skills.
A great list. No question. However, this generic list of leadership skills does not actually address the bulk of Christian leadership contexts.
o What if you are not leading the church, but are a leader IN the church?
o What if you are leading a Christian organisation, like a school, mission organisation or social enterprise?
o What if you are an elder in the church or are on the board of a faith-based organisation?
o What if you are in the start-up or planting stage?
o What if you are plateauing? Or (gulp) declining?
The generic list of leadership skills did not specifically address the season or nature of leadership you were in. One thing the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is that different leadership capabilities are needed for different seasons. The skills required to lead through a crisis are not the same as those that suffice for “business as usual”. In fact, if you don’t adapt your approach to the circumstances, you are likely to create panic, disengagement and even anger. The context in which leadership occurs can never be ignored.
The Christian Leadership Framework examines all the capabilities of leadership in various contexts and seasons, giving leaders the ability to select the best capabilities for their time and place. Not all capabilities are relevant. For example, customer service may be needed if you lead in a Christian bookstore, but not if you lead a church. Choosing the six to eight capabilities that are relevant to your context is key.
Which capabilities are relevant for your context?
Contact us if you would like to tailor a leadership framework for your context.
