The foundation of any building is the most critical element. The foundation is what everything stands upon. It is the basis for the safety and well-being of those inside.
Your home likely has a foundation consisting of a continuous concrete footing, foundation walls of poured concrete and a concrete floor slab. And other components from soil compaction to waterproofing are crucial as well.
If any of these things are faulty, no matter how beautiful your home is above the foundation, you can experience major structural problems that hurt the value of your home and can create a dangerous environment for you to live in.
Leadership development is similar because the foundation is essential to the process and the outcomes. What is beneath the surface makes all the difference.
We tend to focus on the practical and daily things like environment, curriculum/content, consistency, coaching, and processes (example – a “pipeline” model). These are all good and important components.
These components make up the style, structure and system of your leadership development, (above the surface) but they don’t fully embody the heart of your leadership development (foundation.)
The heart of your leadership development embodies elements such as your values, purpose, motivation and spiritual integrity. These run beneath the surface. They set the course and shape the outcomes over the long haul.
The heart of your leadership development mirrors the real you and the culture of your organization.
If your developmental foundation is solid, the flaws above the surface are far less detrimental and relatively easy to improve.
If the foundation is faulty in your leadership development process, no amount of talent and day-to-day hard work will deliver the results you want over the long haul.
The encouraging news is that these four components are not determined by talent, resources, or skill. They are all about who you are as a person.
4 Foundational Pillars to build a strong foundation to your leadership development practices:
1) Live out a Godly character that people can count on
Leadership is more about who you are than what you do.
Therefore, when developing others, you reproduce who you are, but it’s not as simple and direct as, for example, an apple tree produces an apple.
We know there are other influences in play with each person you develop. These range from human genetics to their family of origin, and the substantial life decisions they make.
However, as it relates to their leadership biases, behavior, and perspective, they are a reflection of you as their leadership coach and/or mentor.
Over time your character deeply drives values and principles into those you develop. Your integrity is transferred through every aspect of who you are and how you lead.
God isn’t looking for perfect leaders, but He is looking for leaders of high moral and ethical character.
It’s an interesting principle because as we often say about character, it’s who you are when no one is looking. That’s true. However, it’s equally true that you can’t hide your true character over an extended period. And if you are a leader, people are watching you.
Whatever philosophical position you take, your character is at the core of your leadership.
Godly character is the cornerstone of your leadership foundation.
Key question: Can the people you lead fully trust your character?
2) Consistently model of behavior that is helpful and contagious
Leadership is more caught than taught.
Therefore, what you practice is more important than what you preach.
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others… it is the only thing.”
Albert Schweitzer
It’s the little things that involve attributes such as kindness, generosity, and humility that shape what you do and how you do it.
What you put into practice (model) is more visible than your character, but the two are strongly connected. As an example, you can model generosity as a show, or as a genuine part of your character. That all depends on who you really are.
For example, my friend and ministry partner Kevin Myers (Founding Pastor of 12Stone Church) has always treated me with kindness, generosity, and respect. It didn’t matter if anyone was looking or not. You can’t fake that for 25+ years. Kevin’s character is genuine.
Please don’t misunderstand, it is good to intentionally model certain behaviors, but they must always be genuine. Not perfect, but genuine.
Key question: If people modeled your behavior, would you like what you see?
3) Establish a heart-felt connection and genuinely care about people
Heart-to-heart is always more powerful than head-to-head. Therefore, giving your true self has a greater impact than if you withhold your heart.
When developing leaders, you can’t overestimate the value of making a personal connection, and that always starts at a heart level.
Making a heart level connection begins with being yourself and requires both personal security and maturity.
For example, both insecurity and immaturity break relational connection because it’s now more about you than the other person. And when it’s more about you, (what you need and want is the primary agenda), you can’t connect and trust is diminished.
Developing leaders at a heart level means you care about them.
We don’t invest in developing leaders primarily so our churches will grow, we invest so the person will grow. The difference between these two is huge. One you want more from them, the other you want more for them.
If your leaders grow spiritually, they will be self-motivated to help grow The Church of which Jesus is the Head.
Putting your heart into the process is risky. You can get hurt. But I don’t think you can truly develop others without taking that risk, and I’m certain it’s worth it. If you get hurt, take time to forgive and heal, but after you catch your breath, keep going.
Key question: Are you leading from the heart?
4) Think through the lens of eternal values and God’s agenda
Therefore, the motivation behind spiritual leadership is the eternal destiny of human souls.
Your philosophical worldview, along with your personal life and faith perspective, dramatically shapes your leadership agenda.
It’s all about God’s agenda for His Kingdom. It means that eternity is at stake at all times. That influences what you teach, the principles you emphasize, the values you lean into and your overall mission or purpose.
One phrase in the Lord’s prayer helps bring clarity. (Matthew 6:9-10)
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:9-10
Thinking with an eternal perspective helps you develop leaders with a Kingdom mindset. That changes how you do ministry.
Key question: Are you building something for here on earth or for eternity in heaven?
These four key questions and your answers, radically impact how you lead and develop other leaders.
Use this content and these questions to reflect on and strengthen the foundation of your leadership development of others.
