In my book All Things Leadership, I introduced the concept of selfless leadership, which some pastors display and from which their churches benefit. Here are the three defining characteristics of a pastoral leader who practices selfless leadership. They:
- Sacrifice for the benefit of others
- Give the spotlight to others
- Always encourage others
Selfless leaders are those who make personal and professional sacrifices for the good of their mission, their organization, their team, and the people they serve. Sacrificing for the benefit of others is their standard practice and a part of their DNA.
Although a selfless leader may be highly gifted and attract attention, they don’t overtly seek the spotlight and are always on the lookout for opportunities to elevate others, knowing that when their team succeeds, so do they. Selfless leaders refuse to be insecure when those around them do well, and they are confident within their own skin, even when surrounded by highly gifted people.
Selfless leaders always encourage their team members, whether in private, publicly, face to face, electronically, or through social media. They understand that a key requirement for keeping great people is that they know that they are wanted, respected, and valued by their leader.
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IMPACT: When the humility factor is added to the leadership style of Selfless, the humble pastor outcome is that the leader’s qualities of compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness will emerge through their growing awareness of brokenness. People will enjoy serving alongside their leader because of the sacrificial service that is modeled, the shared spotlight, and the continual encouragement given.
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