LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP 2 Timothy 2:2

INTRODUCTION: The best way to connect with people in your group, department or ministry in a conversation style is by sitting with them, having a cup of tea or coffee or eating together. These works very well if you really want to get to know the people you are to oversee, lead and care for. Here is a beautiful sentence, “You are to CARE for them not to CARRY their burden. Jesus is the only burden bearer.

So I want to talk to you today on the 5 levels of leadership that will greatly help you see where you are and how to help people you are leading right now or will lead in the future.

Level 1. POSITION. People follow you because they have to.

You are the BOSS. You do what they said without room for other opinions. The downside to this is, the people will give the least amount of their energy and effort. As you know, “People don´t like to have to follow people because they have to follow people”

Level 2. PERMISSION. People follow you because they want to.

People now begin to follow you because they really want to. The change and difference here is that, you now connect with your group or people. They are not following you just because you are their supervisor. They follow you because you are a supervisor they like.

There are 3 things this level 2 leader must do extremely well to be a relational leader.

This leader is a LISTENING leader. They LISTEN WELL. A good listener.

This leader is an OBSERVING leader. An OBSERVANT leader. They are conscious about where their people are, what their group is doing? What they can and cannot do. Their abilities or inabilities.

This leader is a LISTENING leader. They do not assume they know what people are saying, but actually listen. I mean active listener. Not a leader who just says I know what you mean but does nothing about it. Your people can tell if you are listening or not. In the process of listening, observing and learning, they have an attitude of servanthood.

Level 3. PRODUCTION. People follow you because of what you have done.

You become effective at this level because you PRODUCE! You are a PRODUCER. You are not all about talk, but you are FRUITFUL and they can see it. At this level, you begin to gain CREDIBILITY because you really do have something to show and a point to make. You are not talking theory, but PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE.

Level 4. PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT. People follow you because of what you have done for them.

The greatest asset of any ministry, group, organisation are the people in that ministry. You have no family if you are the only one. A single person cannot say I am a family. There is no group leader without a group. There is no King without subjects. No nation without citizens.

There are 3 thoughts I want to share with you on PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT. These are KEYS to developing people.

RECRUITMENT. It is said that 80% of the success of any group depends on the people you bring into the group. The people you allow into the group will either help build or be an excess luggage in the group. Everyone in the group is meant to be a contributor. So you need to watch out for who you bring into your space. They are your assets, and can be your kryptonite.

POSITIONING. This is the ability to put people in the right place, position. Not having a round peg in a square hole, but a round peg in a round hole. Successful people have discovered what they are good at. Successful leaders discovers what other people are good at and positions they rightly. So you recruit well, you position well and number 3 is...

EQUIPPING. You´ve got to EQUIP WELL. Under this thought, I discovered 5 steps to equipping that I want to share with you.

A. I DO IT. Jesus came and performed miracles. Puts clay in the eye of a blind man and healed him.

B. I DO IT and YOU ARE WITH ME. Jesus Feed 5000 men and the disciples were asked to put the people in groups. Blind Bartimaeus, Woman with the issue of blood etc...

I take you with me as I work. I become a mentor to you. You spend time with me. You see what I do and not just what I do but why. This in my opinion is what I think is really missing in our mentoring and discipleship. Most of the people we are mentoring see what we do, but are not asking the right questions. They don´t know why, and you cannot teach WHY. This has to come from the mentee. We have got to learn to ask the right questions. Questions are a gateway to knowledge. We see God in Psalm 103:7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

C. YOU DO IT and I AM WITH YOU. Jesus watched while a man brought his son to the Disciples and they could not complete the task, but Jesus was there to help.

D. YOU DO IT. Jesus sends the Disciple out 2 by 2. At this stage you really don´t need me. Then the great commission. Now Go therefore. You are now able to do things yourself.

E. YOU DO IT and SOMEBODY IS WITH YOU. You are not really a leader yet until you have trained and equipped can now do the same. They can multiply themselves in others as seen in 2 Timothy 2:2. (2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.)

So this is the leadership level 4 where you develop people. Now to the last level.

Level 5. PINNACLE. People follow you because of who you are and what you represent.

The key word here is RESPECT. People follow you because of the qualities in your life. This is where you are love and respected behind you. You no longer try to make things happens. Your values are well understood, accepted and the people lovingly abide by it and even teach to others. At this level, your people begin to talk about it with passion with you being present.

A point to note however, LEADERSHIP is an ongoing, always learning process.