4 Reasons Leaders Don’t Reproduce Leaders
Many of us carry the title of leader, but we don’t often hold the posture of a leader. In other words, we’re more comfortable doing rather than developing. But a real leader will intentionally develop other leaders. It’s just what they do.
So what’s the holdup?
I think there are four reasons that leaders don’t always reproduce other leaders. If you struggle with development, try one of these on for size:
1. We like to do it ourselves.
We want to get in there, roll up our sleeves, figure out how it works, and determine what makes a system hum. And some of that is okay – as long as there’s a handoff. As long as there’s someone we’re bringing alongside. If we’re always doing and never delegating (or a much better term…developing), then we’re bottlenecking the development system.
2. We don’t think others can do it as well as we can.
Here’s a news flash: very few people who are new to the role are going to do it as well as a seasoned vet. But that doesn’t mean you can’t train them up. And it doesn’t mean that their 80% effectiveness won’t soon grow into 100% (and may surpass your own). List all of the problems here: pride, control, fear of loss, whatever, and you have a toxic stew for not equipping others to lead.
3. We don’t have a plan.
If we don’t stick a little intentionality behind our leadership development process, it’ll never get done. If we don’t have a person or six that we’re intentionally investing in, it’ll never happen. Whether you utilize a Collective or a Cohort or simply observe who’s in front of you, you need to plan your attack and attack your plan.
4. We like the control.
This one is going to sting. For those of us micromanaging control freaks in the world, we really like to keep our hands in the pot and make sure that things stay the way we want ’em. There is a fine line between maintaining consistency and standards (see our EPODs, for example) and never giving room for flexibility and creativity. But…it’s still a line. We serve ourselves, our teams, and our congregations the best when we give people the chance to dream and implement in ways that we may not have thought of.
What’s your reason that you don’t reproduce leaders?
