Introduction
At Vacation Bible School, two students were in charge of leading their peers in setting up and breaking down activities. On the first day, I noticed they were doing the tasks themselves. Meanwhile, their team was handling less urgent duties around the campus. I asked them, "Why isn't the team doing this?" They replied, "It's easier for us to just get this done, and we'll finish quicker." I responded, "I understand, and you might be right, but by not involving your team, you're sending the message that only you can handle the important tasks."
Observing the Problem
Even though they meant well, they didn't trust their team. They thought only they could do the task right. While sometimes a leader does need to roll up their sleeves, a better approach is to share the burden with your team. If you want to offload responsibilities, you need to practice mentoring and apprenticeship.
Steps to Effective Apprenticeship
It starts with simple steps:
-
Follow and Observe:
- Ask someone to follow you.
- Let them observe your actions.
- Encourage them to ask questions.
- Explain the what, how, and why.
-
Work Together:
- Perform the task together.
- Divide responsibilities.
- Discuss the task and clarify any uncertainties.
- Evaluate each other's work.
-
Independent Task:
- Have them perform the task while you observe.
- Set expectations beforehand.
- Give them room to explore and experiment.
- Ask why and how they approached the challenge.
- Evaluate their work and results.
- Follow up with, "Is there anything I could have done to help you do this better?"
Conclusion
When you teach someone how to complete a task, you show them they have support if they get stuck. You'll make them better leaders because they'll learn to work collaboratively, ask questions, and evaluate tasks. Mentoring others is an investment, but it builds a stronger ministry. More people will understand that leadership isn't about telling others what to do but empowering them to embrace the vision God has for their lives.