Young Leader: Tweets

If you follow me on twitter, you may have noticed that I’ve posted random tweets to young leaders.

While I am NOT an expert, I do think that being young and leading is one of the hardest things to do.
It’s often a calling to lead those older, more experienced, and even smarter than we are.

So, I wanted to put all of these tweets together for anyone interested. Here they are…

• Young leader: Never miss an opportunity to learn from the more experienced.
• Young leader: Respect isn’t just handed out, it must be won.
• Young leader: Never Let your age determine your impact.
• Young leader: Don’t be afraid of being stretched. The unknown often leads to valuable experience.
• Young leader: Use your time wisely. Never miss opportunities to gain wisdom.
• Young leader: Your integrity is valuable. Guard it.
• Young leader: In order to prove yourself, you must not run from the challenges.
• Young leader: What God has placed in you, let no one rip from you. Protect your passion.

Feel free to use these however you wish… Just passing along

Using People or Loving People

No matter what we’re leading…

A church
A family
An organization
A business
A classroom
An office

Loving people is always more effective long term than using people.

Sure, it’s easy to manipulate and convince people to move in a certain direction or do a certain thing the way you want it done… for a while.

But eventually, the motivation used by manipulation runs it’s course.
In other words, a leader can only manipulate someone to do something (do it well) for so long.

Love on the other hand,
When flowing from a genuine care for the people you’re leading,
Never runs it’s course.

People will always be motivated and will always feel more appreciated if they feel our genuine love.

Sure, there may be bumps in the road,
You still may have to have the tough conversations.

BUT,

When they’re done in and through love, they will lead to a renewed motivation for the follower.

No matter what you’re leading today, use love as the motivator, not manipulation.

After all, if you’re manipulating, you’re really not leading, you’re dragging.

People eventually figure out you’re dragging them and will abandon you.

Love leads, manipulation drags.

Choose to love, not use.

2 Elementary Leadership Principles

I’m pretty young.
I don’t have a ton of experience behind me.
I haven’t been through all the wars yet.

BUT,

I have been through some.
Some really tough ones.

Here are 2 leadership principles that are really kind of elementary,
but that we often forget.

1. The People Matter.

There are no exceptions. When leading anything or anyone, the people matter. They matter because they are the ones that are often on the front lines. They matter because leadership is about people. Pouring into them. Loving them. Caring for them. Building authentic relationships with them. At first, it may seem like manipulation may be more effective than genuine love. But, people eventually see through manipulation. People want genuine love, genuine care. Focus on the people. Focus on the people in your family. Focus on the people in your ministry. Focus on the people in small group. The people are what matter. They have a soul. They have a need. Transfomational leadership is always more effective than manipulative leadership.

2. The Plan Matters.

I’ve yet to meet a leader that didn’t have a plan that I cared anything about following. The plan must be pursued.  Whether the plan is growth, improvement, or a particular project, the plan matters. It is impossible to follow someone consistently that has no clue where they are going (trust me). Have a plan. Sure, plans change. Sure, the Spirit leads. But, the plan matters. Without making the plan matter, we become wanderers, not leaders.

So, your turn.
Help a youngun’ out.

What basic leadership principles are easy to overlook?