One of the indicators I use when evaluating a leaders capacity is how far they look ahead. Whether it is a simple project, a large event or a missions trip; how far the leader is looking ahead has a bearing on how effective the activity will be.
Years ago I lead a missions trip to Venezuela. We were going down to do our part in a multi-phase church building project. Most of the people on the trip had been on more missions trips than I had even thought of being on. About the smartest thing I did on that trip was to ensure that each of the goals we had had an experienced leader and then step out of the way. However, what I failed to do was keep looking two, three and four steps ahead. I ended up frustrating the people I was leading.
Leaders do not have the flexibility to live in the moment… well, good leaders don’t.
Here are some things that I’ve noticed about good leaders:
Good leaders take time to determine the desired outcome. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else. If you’ve not clearly defined the desired outcome, confusion will result in those you are leading. You’ll end up with a lot of activity, but not forward progress.
Good leaders take time to formulate a plan. It is one thing to determine the destination, it’s another to define the path to get there. The plan doesn’t have to be exhaustive, but there needs to be some key way-finding points along the path so everyone knows that progress is happening, not just activity.
Good leaders empower those around them. Recruiting and releasing people is one of the skills needed by leaders. When our team knows the desired outcome, and they know the basic plan, they are empowered to make decisions that will enable the team to win.
Good leaders keep thinking steps ahead of the current reality. By keeping a few steps ahead of the team, the leader is able to evaluate the teams progress. It also enables the leader to see potential problems.
Good leaders resource the people around them. Facilitating the success of others ensures a good team. The leader isn’t there to be served. They define the goal and then support the team as they work together.
I’m sure there are other traits of good leaders you’ve observed, what else should be on this list?
