Andy Stanley has been one of those leaders that has made a HUGE impact upon my life!  Recently at the CatWest and Drive ‘09 Conference, Andy made some statements about leadership that I thought I would pass along.  Great stuff and thought provoking…as always! 

• “Is this an easy, obvious, strategic step toward community?”
  • This is the question asked when North Point determines whether or not to add something new to their ministry!  Great filter for simple church!
• “As leaders, we gravitate to voices we want to hear.”
  • How are you being intentional in allowing other voices to speak into your leadership?  
• “You have got to create a mechanism to listen to the right people.”
  • What mechanism do you use to ensure that you are listening to the RIGHT people?
• “What and who you listen to will determine what you do.”
  • Who are the top three people that you listen too?  Why do you listen to them?
• “The more sense of input that people have, the less the push back.”
  • Love this one…Ownership…Ownership…Ownership!  Do your leaders feel as if they have ownership in the ministry?
• “Leaders are attracted to environments where ideas and opinions are heard.”
  • How are you intentionally allowing your leaders to give input?
• “If you want great leaders, you need to create systems for listening to great leaders.”
  • Ask some of your veteran leaders how they know that you value their input.
• “Leaders want more than assignments. They want input into the decision-making process.”
  • Are you in a ministry that wants YOUR input or are you just doing assignments?  Are your leaders empowered to do the work of the ministry?
• “Leaders want to influence their own destinies.”
  • Love it!  They also want to feel that they matter in things of eternity!  How do you continually show them that their leadership matters?
• “Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing important to say.”
  • Oh, so true!  
• “Eventually a seniority structure leaves the seniors in charge.”
  • Do you feel valued in your ministry and do your leaders feel valued as a leader?
• “Your structure has to change or your structure will impede information flow.”
  • I always try to ask, “Do my leaders know what is going on and do they own it?”  If it is a surprise or they get caught off guard all the time, then the flow of information has a kink in it and needs to be adjusted!
• “I don’t want anyone to live with the frustration that I used to live with in the lower levels of the organization.”
  • Good stuff!  Put yourself in the leader’s shoes.    
• “You want the best thinkers and the most strategic people at the table with you.”
  • Who are your best thinkers and most strategic people?  Are they at the table with you?  If not, why?  Are you secure in your ability to lead?
• “You need to listen deep in your organization. That doesn’t mean you have to meet with everyone in the organization.”
  • Andy said he meets with 150 volunteers occasionally to get input.  Listen to the people who are in the trenches and on the frontlines.  They have a very different perspective than that at Headquarters.
• “Resist the urge to lead every meeting you attend.”
  • Share your leadership!  Sit and listen sometimes.  It will let you know how you are leading and if vision is sticking.   
• “The people we don’t want to hear from are the people we often need to hear from most.”
  • Who do you not want to hear from?  Schedule a One on One with them and see what they are thinking!  Huge insights!

Again, these are some random thoughts from what Andy said at Drive ’09 and some of what he shared at Catalyst West Coast.  Let me know what you are thinking and how you have structured systems to allow for great leadership!  I would love to hear your thoughts!  Thanks again Andy!