I am preparing for leadership selection. As I finish my 7th year in campus ministry I have drawn a few lessons that I believe will serve me greatly in the years to come.
1. When selecting leaders trust your instincts. In most cases the students that I am reluctant to bring into leadership end up being the ones that make things most difficult in the end. No matter what ideas and vision a student seems to have if they are unreliable or difficult outside of leadership they will likely be worse in it.
2. Less really can be more. Never think that you have to bring someone into leadership just because you have too few leaders to carry the load without them. One good leader is worth 10 bad ones.
3. Leadership will sometimes highlight people’s weaknesses more then their strengths. Potential is a reasonable factor to consider in leadership selection. But it is equally important to consider are any obvious weaknesses. But sometimes the only way to see where a student to needs to grow is to let them lead. The key is seeing that leadership is a place where one can grow from their weaknesses.
4. Sometimes the best way to help a leader grow is to let them fail. Sometimes leaders get so caught up in their own way of doing something that they will not listen to counsel. It is difficult, but letting a leader fail can be a catalyst for real growth.
5. Conflict can be a good thing. A team of leaders who are willing to speak openly about disagreements and opinions is much heather then one that suffers in silence. The best ideas are the ones that are refined in fires of passionately expressed opinions.
Tye Parks 