Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others...Philippians 2:4

 

While that is the foundation of good leadership, there are many other leadership skills that one needs to hone in on. A great leader is one who not only has the ability to delegate and teach, but also has the emotional intelligence to nurture relationships and foster a positive environment. So naturally, the next question that comes to mind is, how do you empower and impact the people you lead? The answer to your question is multifold.

Here are a few ways to ensure how strengths-based leadership will lead your team to success.

 

#1 Strengths-Based Leadership

God created everyone on earth with unique talents and strengths. Within a team, fostering your strengths is what leads to success. Individuals, within themselves, already have what they need in order to advance the mission. It is the leader’s role to recognize, nurture, and provide a supportive environment for their members to succeed. If you’d like to know what type of a leader you are and where your strengths lie, take our Leading From Your Strengths assessment. This leadership assessment tool helps you:

 

• Learn how different people on your team communicate with each other and how you can leverage these differences to your advantage.
• Better understand your individual strengths and challenges, and learn how to hone your leadership skills based on your results.
• Learn how to resolve conflicts within the team in an efficient way, without creating any “winners” or “losers.”
• Help your team appreciate each other’s strengths and lead them towards success.

 

#2 S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting

You’ve probably heard of S.M.A.R.T goals before, and if you haven’t that’s fine too. It’s an acronym used to describe factors that are important in giving you direction about the kind of things you want to accomplish. These goals are:

 

• • Specific: Have precise and clear statements of what needs to be accomplished. Be as detailed as possible, so that there is no room for misinterpretation. 
  • Measurable: The best way to measure the success rate of your goal is to look at tangible evidence. This helps you hit milestones while moving in the right direction.  
  • Achievable: It is important to aim high, but make sure that the goal is something that is attainable. You need to be realistic. 
  • Relevant: You can set a goal and call it a day. But that isn’t efficient at all. You need to be committed to your goal, and make it a priority in your day, and allow it to motivate you. 
  • Time-bound: Your set goal should have a specific timeframe. Whether you want to achieve the goal in a specific number of days or weeks is up to you. But it is important to specify that from the very beginning. This creates accountability for the entire team. 

 

The good thing about S.M.A.R.T goals is that they can be used in different situations: for professional, social, spiritual, or personal development. So, this is a great way for churches and ministers to set and achieve goals in an efficient way. 

 

#3 Collaborative Work 

Working together towards a common goal and vision from the start is a great way to lead your team towards unity. When your team starts working together, it creates a nurturing and collective environment where they can lean on each other for support and lift one another up when needed. Collaboration allows you to recognize the different and unique perspectives on your team, and empowers each team member to contribute freely. It also allows members of the team to break down walls and create relationships that weren’t there before, or build relationships that weren’t strong enough earlier. It really is amazing what a team can accomplish when they work towards a common vision. In short, being deeply connected with the members of your team, the way God is connected with all of us, will show remarkable strides in leadership and unity. 

 

#4 Show Up as a Leader and Lead by Example

It is important to make sure that you practice what you preach. So, be congruent with what you’re doing and how and where you set standards. A great team is one where there is ample ability to grow and learn more along the way. Give people room for that, and allow yourself to grow along with them. Be honest and transparent, and encourage team members to step in and lead when appropriate. This can be an empowering way to give your team members authority to make decisions and showcase their individual talents. It also shows how you, as a leader, appreciate their strengths and value their contributions. 

 

In conclusion, great leaders not only look to their own interest (a way to contribute their unique strengths) but also to the interest of those they lead (empower others to contribute their unique strengths). They blend those differences into something more together.