Kingdom At Work
Do your employees know what it takes to be a good leader? When you’re hiring or promoting for a leader role, do you know exactly what qualities you’re looking for?
If you simply go off likability and gut feelings, you’ll likely regret your decision.
At Betenbough Companies, we asked God to reveal to us what the core values of a leader should be. Everyone from front-line leaders to leaders-of-leaders all must reflect these core values before being considered for a leadership role.
Humility
C.S. Lewis said it well: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” If a leader’s level of authority outpaces their level of humility, it will likely end in disaster. Humble leaders have learned to look in the mirror first and ask “Could the fault be mine?” rather than shifting blame.
Courage
Leadership is NOT for the timid or passive. When tensions rise, leaders engage rather than avoid. Courage is required if a leader is going to address the circumstances that matter the most. As a leader, you know this. There are many times we have to make decisions that require immense courage and fortitude.
Confidence
Confident leaders fundamentally believe that the future can be better than the present, and they have the power to make it so. Confidence proves an identity that is found in Christ alone and is not side-lined by a victim mentality. Confident leaders don’t seek to prove themselves and are comfortable in their own skin.
Improver
The opposite of an improver is someone who is satisfied with the status quo and being told what to do next. Improvers tinker, try new things, risk failure, and enhance their territory. Like in the Parable of the Talents, you could leave an improver for six months and upon returning find things different and better than you left them.
We only discovered these core values in partnership with Holy Spirit. If you have not done this for your company, now is the time to grab a blank sheet of paper, a pen, and begin asking God, “What do you value as a leader?” and “How should each leader in our company reflect your leader heart?”
Spend time on this with God and a few trusted advisors. Wrestle with God and reflect on how he has developed you as a leader. Then communicate with your team what he revealed to you through the process.