GLS18 Session Notes–Craig Groeschel–Becoming a Leader People Love To Follow
When a leader gets better, everyone gets better.
- Leadership is influence. Everybody has influence.
- You do not need a title to be a leader, leadership is always about trust and influence.
- As leaders, we can make excuses or we can make a difference, but we cannot make both.
So how do we become leaders that people love to follow?
Forbes article: Employers and employees were asked the same question, “What do employees need from a boss to become a better leader?”
The bosses said 2 things…
- Better at finances
- Better at technology
Employees said 2 things…
- Leadership: Where are you taking me?
- Emotional Intelligence: How are you treating me?
As a leader, there is a big difference between being respected and being popular. You may be popular if you are respected, but you will never be respected if you are only popular.
3 Things You Feel Under a Good Leader
- You feel valued
- You feel inspired
- You feel empowered
3 Ways to Create an Environment Where People Feel Those Things
- We need a heart to care
- You will never be a leader that others love to follow if you aren’t a leader who truly loves people.
- Use these four words often: “I Notice” & “You Matter”
Story of Gold Star Friday. Every Friday, Craig gives members of his team little “gold stars” to let them know they are appreciated.
- Appreciate people more than you should and then double it.
- Some leaders will make you think that they are really important.
- But the best leaders will make you know that you are important.
- We need a passion to inspire
- There is a difference between inspiration and motivation. Motivation is pushing people do something they don’t want to do. Inspiration is pulling out of them what is already there.
- Employees who describe themselves as inspired are twice as productive.
- Humility inspires. Pride discourages.
- Follow-through inspires. Be a leader who consistently does what you say you’re going to do.
- Centred Leaders: The presence of a centred leader inspires. A centred leader is secure, stable, confident, guided by values, driven by purpose and obsessed with vision.
- Passion transforms a job into a calling. When passion meets inspiration, an obsession is born.
- We need a willingness to empower
- The best leaders unleash higher performance through empowerment, not command and control.
- You can have control, or you can have growth. But you cannot have both.
- Delegate authority, not tasks. We need to give people ownership. Let your people soar. Give them freedom, and allow them to fail
- Decision making: As leaders, we need to be delegating more decisions. Use phrases like “I trust you,” “You decide on this one,” “I trust your judgment.
- The best way to find out if you trust someone is to trust them.
- If you don’t trust your team, you’re either too controlling or you have the wrong people, either way the problem is yours to solve.
Jesus demonstrates all of these things.
- Jesus had a heart to care.
- Jesus had a passion to inspire.
- Jesus had a willingness to empower.
- And one more…
- We need to have courage
- We need the courage to be real, transparent, vulnerable, humble, integrous and honest.
- We need to step into the role we are given and lead with passion and integrity.
- As leaders, we feel pressure to be perfect, strong and right. People aren’t looking for that. People would rather follow someone who is real than someone who is right.
- We’re going to do the best we can. And when we get it wrong, we’re going to say, “I’m sorry.”
- The stakes are very high. It’s time for leaders to stand up.
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