A leader's capacity

As leaders we have to ask ourselves – What is my capacity? What can I achieve? It’s good to know this because members of your team (other leaders in effect) who have a greater leadership gift than you and more capacity will not play on your team for long. There is a direct relationship between the leader’s capacity and the capacity of the team member. If this relationship is out of kilter the result will be frustration on both sides.

Leaders generally work hard. However, the issue is not just one of hours spent but of levels of responsibility and emotional capacity - a leader carries the team. For me, increasing responsibilities outside King’s mean that there are no venues in my life where I don’t lead. This can be demanding. The advantage of this is that I have the chance to shape the culture of each ministry/event where I have input. Inevitably too my diary shapes the church agenda.

For every successful leader there are always more people who know that they are going to be second in rank. Some are happy to be part of a specialist team within the church and I would reckon that they feel good about that for around 80% of the time – with the occasional frustration! Inevitably a team member may come to the point where they want and need to lead their own team. Some will stay but some will go to grow elsewhere.

John Maxwell has been a favourite writer and speaker of mine for some years and I especially agree with him when he says,

‘…those closest to the leader will determine the level of success for that leader.’

This means that you should choose your team members carefully!