Are you looking for new ways to develop multiplying leaders? One of the most effective ways to put your coaching skills to use is in developing leaders. Almost any role in ministry involves developing others. Rather than claiming the role of expert and teaching others what you have learned—which puts an awful lot of pressure on you—why not take more of a coaching posture? After all, you don’t know all the answers, and every leadership role is a little bit different depending on who is inhabiting it. You can free yourself from the pressure of pretending you know it all, while at the same time empowering others to live into all that God is calling them to.
What’s first should always remain first
As a Christian leader developing other Christian leaders, your role is to point those you are developing to put their faith in God. That is the ultimate foundation of their leadership, and the place from which they will get their strength long after you are gone.
As Jesus told his disciples, those who would be the future leaders of his church, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).
As a Christian leader developing other Christian leaders, your role is to point those you are developing to put their faith in God—that is the ultimate foundation of their leadership. Share on XCoaching questions for developing leaders
You can develop leaders by engaging in developmental coaching conversations. Listening, asking good, open-ended questions, and encouraging people to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit will build up leaders who are connected to the vine. They will be attuned to what God is saying to him and will draw their strength from their connection to him. The next time you meet with a potential leader, try a couple of these questions:
- How have you experienced God recently?
- What can we celebrate in your life or ministry?
- What are you learning from your experience?
- How do you sense God wants you to grow?
- What would you like to process with me?
- What are the next steps you sense God wants to you take?
- How can I be praying for you?
What kind of leaders can be developed through coaching?
Consider how you can take a coaching approach to develop the various types of leaders you may be working with:
- Volunteers
- Emerging leaders
- More seasoned leaders
- Leaders you are supervising
There’s plenty to be said about all of these types of leaders you may be developing, but coaching skills can be effectively used with all of them, regardless of their level of experience.