Principles of team leadership

Kris Eldridge Feb. 1, 2019

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Because leadership is more of a learned art than an inherited ability, when we practice its essential principles, we can improve and grow. Following are some basics that will serve as reminders for your everyday leadership.

Know yourself. Assess your strengths and weaknesses. Are you strong administratively, but struggle to equip your team? Or vice-versa? What is your leadership style? Are you a driver? Regardless of strengths, weaknesses and leadership style, self-improvement is the goal. 

Know your role.  Are your job expectations clear? Your goal should be technical proficiency and consistently sharpening your skills. 

Take responsibility. Own the role the Lord and leadership has entrusted to you. Be responsible. Don’t shift blame if something goes wrong—because it will. 

Be the example. How is your walk with Jesus? Do you seek Him daily in prayer and in His Word? Do you attend worship and are you in a community of believers? Do you sense the Lord asking you to lead? Is your heart longing to reach those far from God? Are you encouraging those on your team to imitate you? 

Cast the vision.  Help your team understand your ministry/organization’s vision and mission, and how even the smallest thing they do can play a significant role. Always connect the dots, tying everything you do to the bigger picture.

Get to know your team members.  This is important for building your team. Get to know them individually if at all possible. Learn to empathize. Know the gifts, abilities and talents each person brings to the team. Also, don’t shy away from team conflict if it ever becomes an issue. The enemy loves to use the weapon of disunity among God’s people. Always be on guard against disunity and swiftly deal with it. Too much is at stake to mess around with team conflict.

Develop team spirit.  Meet on a semi-regular basis as a team to pray, eat and get to know one another, with no agenda in mind. Train your team members together. Celebrate as a team.

Communicate clearly and often.  You probably heard the statistic that someone must hear something seven times for it to sink in. In the church world, I know from experience, this is accurate. Be clear and concise when you communicate. Give the “whys” as much as possible, pointing your team back to the vision and mission.

Make wise, timely decisions. Pray like crazy because it all depends on God and how He will act on behalf of His people. Gather data. Consider all the possible outcomes of your decisions. Understand that you will still make mistakes. Own them, correct them, learn from them and move on.

Involve everyone on your team when you can.  Prioritize equipping others to do the work of the ministry, not necessarily doing the work yourself. Be available, making sure your team stays on task and has the needed resources. 

Photo source: istock 

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Kris Eldridge lives in Louisville, Kentucky and is the Local Outreach Pastor at Northeast Christian Church. He is also the founder of Outreach Ministry Solutions, where his focus is consulting with churches to help them reach their communities. Learn More »

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