Equipping Leaders To Multiply

Why the Struggle with Developing Leaders?

Why is it that so many organizations are struggling with developing leaders? In a time of unprecedented leadership resources both in print and media we still struggle with equipping people to lead. If you Google Leadership Development you get 7.5 million results.  If you search leadership on Amazon you get over 65,800 books.  I counted well over 100 evangelical seminaries or bible colleges listed on Wikipedia.  Type in “leadership development” into Youtube and you have access to over 5,000 videos.

So why do we still have a shortage of well equipped leaders?  I believe it’s because we still look for a program, curriculum, event or resource to equip leaders rather than looking to leaders to equip leaders.  Leadership development is most effective in the context of relationship. Leadership competencies are not just taught, they are caught as the learner interacts and observes an experienced leader.

Who can you intentionally invest your time and energy raising up in your organization?


Reader Comments

  1. “Most effective in the context of relationship.” My favorite line…

    How saturated we are with the right materials, books and guest speakers. How lacking we are in the personal demonstration of leadership.

    One more thought on “Why the struggle? I think the cyber world and it’s seeming ease, and accessibility has a lot to do with it. I have a love hate relationship with the computer generated world we live in.

    Learner interaction and accountability are born out of face to face interaction. I believe we need to realize the limitations/benefits of both while always putting the greatest energy into iron on iron relationships.

  2. I think a lot has to do with people’s time. Seems we all live crazier lives. This leads to not having the time to invest in others.

    Leadership/Discipleship… both take time and are very relational!

  3. Great article! The Pharisees probably had a very impressive leadership training program. On paper it was streamlined and clear. But it wasn’t effective.

    Jesus invested in 12 men over the course of just three and a half years and they changed the world!

    BTW, our Freiburg, Germany church plant (http://watermarkfreiburg.de) is doing great! We’ve now had six services, with seven people (including 3 kids) committing their hearts to Christ!

  4. I totally agree! Great to see others getting this too. I also wonder how fear of actually stepping into the leadership role rather than just the position plays into it. Great thoughts!

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