We’re continuing our discussion about nine different types of leaders in your church and how to develop each one. We’re now looking at how to develop those who fall in the average categories.
First is the shareholder. This individual has both average performance and average potential. This person performs well and could handle added responsibilities at their church leadership pipeline level. If you do this, you will help stretch this person. Coach this person to master their leadership pipeline competencies and role-specific skills. This leader needs to be tested with informal oversight of people. If they are already leading people then expand that to a new layer or level of leadership. Doing so will help them move up and to the right of the nine box.
The tried and true individual is a high performer but has low potential, which is difficult to say aloud because they are a valuable team member. It may seem like this person has reached their full potential. However, I encourage you to continue investing in and developing this person by perfecting their role-specific skills. If you can’t move them closer to the next level of your leadership pipeline, that’s okay. A tried and true individual is the perfect person to multiply themselves at their current leadership level. If you can help this person bring in new people and develop them in this role, they may become the best multiplier you have in your ministry. Remember success is not progression in the leadership pipeline. Success is becoming who God has created you to be and multiplying yourself at that level.
An individual who has low performance but high potential is either a poser or a prodigy. Their performance may be categorized as low simply because they’re unproven. Maybe they’re new to the role or maybe they feel unchallenged or bored in their current role, leading to poor performance. Regardless, the first step is to help this person master the competencies of their current leadership pipeline level. This person requires additional coaching in both instances. If they are new to the role be sure they have been transitioned or onboarded well. If they have been around awhile and you feel like they are phoning it in this needs to be addressed and everyone agree on a way to help them forward.
Now that you know how to equip and develop shareholder, tried and true, and poser or prodigy individuals, what are you going to do about it?
