It’s been said that everyone wins when a leader gets better. That begs the question “how does a leader get better?” The place to start is with discovering and developing a healthy framework for leadership. Here is a 4 part leadership framework I’ve been using for my own reflection and sharing with others who are wanting to become stronger leaders:
Self Awareness (Me, how I relate with others, how others relate with me, )
There’s a huge push I see in leadership of the importance of authenticity. I don’t diminish the value of the characteristic of authenticity for a leader… I would just say that in order to be to to yourself and genuine, sincere, pure-hearted, or authentic - what comes first is to become self-aware. Before we ever lead anything or anyone else, the place every leader begins is with themselves.
Said another way, to lead effectively, a leader simply must know who they are. Not who they want to be like, or who they aspire to become. Like Michael Jackson sings - the place to start is by actually looking at the person in the mirror and discovering who is the reflection looking back. This is why I happen to believe in the power of personality tests. I take them all! The more I can learn about myself - the better!
I’ll give you a personal example of self awareness or lack thereof! A couple summers back I was invited to a mentoring day with a group of young leaders where we spent time with Louie Giglio (of Passion Conferences). During a break, I stopped by the restroom and then went for a coffee and ended up at a high top table talking with Pastor Louie for 10-15 minutes. After the conversation, a mutual friend pulled me aside and explained my zipper was down. That is a perfect example of what it’s like to be blissfully unaware!
We all have blind spots, so it’s important to receive feedback, no matter how embarrassing, painful, or helpful it is in the moment!
PRO TIP: WELCOME FEEDBACK!
Spatial Awareness (surroundings and room dynamics):
As we begin to better understand ourselves, I believe we become increasingly more aware of the settings we enter. No matter if you find yourself leading events, organizations, churches, teams, projects, or people - one of the paramount skills for a leader to develop is the ability to read the room!
A few of the ways spatial awareness impacts us as leaders are:
Setting The Tone: Thermometers tell the temperature of a room. Thermostats on the other hand set the temperature and change the climate in a room. Leaders need the ability to be like the thermostat and set the tone of every room they enter!
Surroundings: Is the feel of the atmosphere a home game or away game? I remember in college taking a preaching/homelitics class where we were evaluated on our engagement with three things: ethos (authority/trust), pathos (emotions), and logos (spoken words).
Room Dynamics: It takes understanding spaces to realize that some events are better at a coffee shop than a convention center if you know what I mean!
Practically: whether it’s during a meeting, presentation, team building time, or in general the use of music, videos, imagery, and props that can engage people’s five senses demonstrates spatial awareness. These are far better when they are planned through ahead of time. I still remember at my first job in an entertainment center when we were able to visit Orlando, Florida to try out 3D arcade games, 4D movies, and even 5D experiences. Those were life-long memories based on shared experiences as a team.
Situational Awareness (context, city, culture, community)
In the role of a leader, one of the abilities that is underestimated and often undervalued is the ability to critically think instead of just copy & paste what others are doing. So much of our success as a leader or failure depends on our relationships with others. This is contextualization: recognizing what works in the Bible-belt of Atlanta, Georgia or Dallas, Texas for a church ministry may not always translate really well to Portland, Oregon, or Minneapolis, Minnesota. What works for a tech startup in the Silicon Valley may or may not be practical in Lansing, Michigan.
Being situationally aware helps you know your setting. When you are informed about your setting, it’s helpful for decision making. As leaders, the goal of our role is to make informed decisions to effectively lead those we serve. The best way I’ve found to do this is through ethnography. Ethnography: is the sociological term used for interviewing the people. I remember before Amazon bought Whole Foods - doing a case study about the organic grocer and at the time Whole Foods would only expand to cities where a high percentage of residents had graduate degrees or higher. The reason was they knew their demographic through studying their best customers!
When was the last time you asked for and received feedback from your staff, volunteers, congregants, clients, at every level? (Think 360: up, down, all around)
Spiritual Awareness (understanding the times, knowing what to do, and following through)
J. Oswald Sanders writes in a book that has deeply impacted me, Spiritual Leadership, that “real leaders are in short supply.” I believe that spiritual awareness has three facets to it: understand the time, and knowing what to do, and lastly following through- taking action. There was a group of people talked about in 1 Chronicles 12 who were described as just this: understand the times and knowing what to do.
The spiritually aware person isn’t looking to manipulate people. That’s awkward. They aren’t looking to make things spooky or weird. They are looking for ways to be kind and curious by asking questions — they see needs in their day to day interactions and relationships and bring the presence of Jesus there. Ministering healing where there is hurts. Meeting needs both simple and complex. Bringing light where there is darkness. Adding value. Being a blessing. The best way to put it is they understand the times and they know what to do. It’s as if they have a sixth sense instead of five — an extra antenna to be empathetic, an active listener, a curious conversationalist.
The practicals are relying on God for wisdom to understand the times in your setting, space, situation, and city. Then having knowledge through the Holy Spirit at work, at home with your family, and everywhere in between. With that level of spiritual wisdom and knowledge, allowing it to be multiplied with the courage to do it.
Which of these areas do you want to grow in? Self-awareness? Spatial awareness? Situational awareness? Spiritual awareness? Maybe it’s another area all together! I’d love to hear from you.