How to Cultivate Authenticity In Your Leadership Culture
Be real with people, or be prepared to lose them.
It’s hard. As Pastor Rick Warren wrote once, we all fight against three particular fears:
- the fear that we will be exposed for who we truly are
- the fear that we will be rejected
- the fear that we will be hurt again.
We overcome those fears by deciding to walk in the light, rest in God’s love, and by allowing God to give us a new heart.
But knowing that authenticity is absolutely key to connecting with and leading people, how do we cultivate authenticity among those whom we lead who in turn lead others?
How do we create a more authentic staff or more authentic volunteers? I have a few thoughts.
Start with the soul.
How’s your soul? How’s your life? Those questions are far more important than what have you produced lately?
Most leaders are driven toward the goal of success, and in the pursuit of success, we often fall into the bad habit of seeing people as a means to getting ministry done. But the very people we use as a means are the ministry.
