Yesterday I wrote a post regarding the negative characteristics and attributes we can spread to our leaders if we do not keep our bad habits in check. After I posted I thought to myself, “I’m not happy with the tone of this post.” (To read click here) The gist of the post is that our behavior is contagious and if it’s mostly negative it become infectious like a disease. I then spent the majority of the post talking about negative outcomes our bad behavior can have. I didn’t like the tone because it was a little…negative and that’s not who I want to be. I want to promote positive behavior because just as our negative behavior can be infectious, our positive behavior can be and should be contagious.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to evaluate ourselves and focus on some of the bad habits holding us back from growing our ministries; but, we need to take time to focus on and share what is good. So what are those positive habits we need to pass on to our team?
- Celebrating Wins – Everyone wants to be a part of that winning team. There is no better way to rally the troops than to celebrate the different ways you reached your mission and vision. Find time each week to look at the bright spots of your ministry and share them with your team. Doesn’t matter if it’s via email or on Facebook, by sharing these stories, it will encourage your ministers to look for life change. When they recognize the wins it will remind them of the importance of their ministry. But, remember the bigger the celebration, the more memorable the moment.
- Spontaneous Giving – There are many times when we just want to spoil all of our ministers; however, we hold back because we feel that if we can’t reward all of our ministers, than we can’t reward anyone. What we need to do is be spontaneous with our giving and rewarding. When you do something unexpected for a minister you show the intimacy of servant leadership. When a gift is personal, it means so much more. Again, look for the people who are doing something great, and give them a shout out, cheer them on or go all out and splurge.
- Thinking Outside The Box – People want to follow those who are willing to take risks and try something new. Big ideas produce big change. If we can think out side the box we set a model for our ministers that can take ministry to the next level. Granted failure can come with risks; however, if you aren’t willing to fail, you aren’t willing to change. And if your ministry doesn’t change it means it won’t grow. Encourage your leaders to go big with their ideas and dreams.
When we can model positive behavior, we can create positive changes. It’s not just about making sure we behave well and maintain a positive attitude; as leaders we need to rally the troops, push them forward and serve them like they are family.
What other positive traits should we pass onto our leaders? What has worked for you?