“I am a leader of people, someone who values relationships above all else. I lead in humility and peace, inviting people in and making them feel welcome. I rest in the confidence that I am chosen not because of anything I have done but because of who God has called me to be. I lead by being led, knowing that my journey will be different because my God is a personal God.”
Our squad mentor Liz had us write these leadership statements as a way of reflecting on how we viewed our styles of leadership. I really began to meditate on what it means to be in this role that I’m in, as a team leader. Here are the top things I find to be most true, as well as the things I need to be constantly reminded of.
1. You were chosen for a reason.
Our last church service in Zambia lasted for about 4 hours and featured a guest speaker. I honestly don’t even remember his name, and I’d never seen him before. At the end of the service he gave an opportunity for people to come up and be prophesied over. I was the last person up at the alter that night. Right then and there the Lord used this stranger of a man to speak incredible truths over me, truths I would find out the next day were reasons for being called into team leadership. There is no denying that this was where the Lord wanted me. Still, when I received that call, and many other times in the past 5 months, I question the Lord’s reasoning. But that has been by far the most important part of being a team leader: realizing that the reason you were chosen has nothing to do with what you’ve done. It’s simply about who God has said that you are in Him. And there is SO MUCH freedom in that realization.
2. You have authority and the freedom to lead.
One of the biggest struggles with leading peers is earning respect. It’s such a weird position going from a team member to someone with authority, and a lot of times it’s even harder for your fellow teammates. It takes adjustment finding the balance between the two roles that you play (peer and leader) but the most important thing to remember is that you are an authoritative figure, and all authority is appointed by God, so it deserves respect. (Romans 13:1)
3. You will hear your Nokia phone ring all the time, even when no one’s calling.
It’s even worse if you choose to use it as an alarm, and your teammates will hate you. Another thing about these Nokia phones: they all but die. You cannot escape.
4. You get to create a space where your team can feel comfortable.
One of the most important roles in team leading is making sure that there is time set aside regularly and consistently for the team to be able to come together and share. The idea is for this time to be intentional, for this space to be reserved for the things that need to be addressed in whatever manner that might be. One of my strengths in team leading is the ability to invite people in, to “gather everyone around the table,” and give them a safe space. Note that this is as far as your responsibility goes; how your team receives or uses this space is up to them.
5. It’s not always your responsibility.
There are a lot of things that a team leader is responsible for dealing with. We act as liaisons between our ministry contact and the team, and many times between upper leadership and our team. We often have to arrange travel to and from a ministry site, help our treasurers with budgeting and finances, fill out and send in C&Cs each week, report periodically to upper leadership and maintain the overall general welfare of the team. There are also a lot of things that the team leader is not responsible for. Many tasks that need or are wanted in the team can be executed from other team members. Make sure you and your team are on the same page about what your “duties” and responsibilities are for the team. And don’t be afraid to EMPOWER! If there is a need in your team but you don’t feel especially gifted in, ask someone else to step up and help out! It shouldn’t all have to fall on you. However,
6. Sometimes, it is your responsibility.
To borrow from Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Being a team leader doesn’t mean you get away with less responsibility, although sometimes it might seem a justifiable excuse. Being a leader puts you in very likely place to do things you don’t always like to do. And it’s not always easy. Nevertheless, it must be done.
7. You don’t have to have it all together all the time.
One of the most inspiring things I’ve ever heard in regards to team leading is, “This isn’t about you being an MVP.” You weren’t chosen to be a leader because you’re considered a multi-faceted World Racer. And above all, you’re still on this journey. You’re still figuring everything out. You’re still learning who you are. Just like everyone else. So, with that being said,
8. Give yourself grace.
You’re not perfect, and no one expects you to be, even though you might think so. Even though this thing we’re doing is called the World Race, it’s not a competition. Don’t worry if you make mistakes. There is no such thing as a perfect or right way to team lead, just as there is also no wrong way. It all comes down to learning. Learning who you are, learning how to
9. Feedback is hard, but if you let it it can really help.
Being a team leader makes you more prone to feedback, not only from your team but from higher leadership like your squad leaders, squad mentor and coaches. So be prepared to receive feedback. And receive it with the knowledge that the person who gave it has your best interest at heart. Team leading offers you a special group of people who are investing in you and are there to help you. USE THEM. They have so much wisdom and even more encouragement, as well as different perspectives.
10. The LORD called you to lead.
Everyone leads differently. Find out what the Lord says about who YOU are. The most dangerous thing you can do as a leader is look to your right or left to see what other TLs are doing. We make up our own team, the team leaders, but they’re not there for comparison. They can relate to your experiences and can offer advice or suggestions based on their own experience. Ultimately this is YOUR experience. As a TL I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself because I feel like a person’s entire experience on the Race is dependent on me. Sometimes I feel like I fail them. I doubt my abilities to lead. I think I’m not doing enough. But it is not true. Each team member’s Race is a personal experience between them and the LORD, not you and them. So that is entirely dependent on what they put in and how the Lord reveals himself to them.
BONUS TRUTH! (Because you can’t write a list blog about the World Race and not have 11 points…)
11. Enjoy this!
Being a team leader is hard. I couldn’t even begin to count how many times I have said (to myself or even aloud) “I wish I wasn’t a team leader. I don’t want to do this anymore.” And while it is hard, it is also incredibly rewarding. I have been put in so many situations where I have been stretched and challenged in ways that I could not have been had I not been obedient to this calling the Lord had for me. I have learned more about who I am, and most importantly, what the Lord wants from me. So here’s to all of the hard lessons I’ve learned in the past 5 months and the many, many that are sure to come in my last two months!
