How to Make Someone Else a Better Leader 03 What’s So Good About Raising Leaders

I am surrounded by a team of wonderful people. I am surrounded by some great leaders. It has taken a lot of time to invest in these people, a lot of faith to believe in them, and a lot of humility to let them take the spotlight from me. It is not easy raising leaders, but it is essential. But I have found over time, there are loads of benefits of this.

• You get wisdom from them. I can’t see everything the right way, I only have one perspective, mine. I can only see things the way I see them. Other leaders around me have wisdom I don’t have, have perspective I don’t have. I can ask them – how do you read this situation? What do you think of this person? What is your advice here? It is awesome.
• They make your life easier. I can travel more now knowing things are taken care of while I am speaking at a conference. They help me fly further than I have ever flown! Followers do not make your life easier, other leaders do. Followers want your resources to get things done! Other leaders help carry the load!
• They encourage you. How many times has one of my team of pastors said something either in a sermon, a leader’s meeting or one on one that has kept me going, set me on fire, helped me – over and over, more time than I can count.
• They think like you. There is a way you think as a leader, you dream big, you solve problems, you get involved, you look for the best way forward, you don’t take sides. When you have leaders around you they think like you.
• They are not threatened by you. Because you raised them up and by doing that you show that you are not threatened by them shining, they respond by not being threatened when you shine. You both rejoice when the other succeeds, it creates a very healthy relationships!
• It’s generational – you raise up leaders by raising up leaders so you end up raising up leaders who raise up leaders. That’s an awesome cycle to be involved with. I am now launching churches which are pastored by leaders I did not raise up, but the leaders I raised up raised them up. That’s something truly special.
• There is no success without a successor. You are not getting any younger. You will one day leave this planet. What you do – is it important enough to keep going when you are gone? Then you must raise up leaders.
  
  Selah.