I didn’t see this coming.
I recently surveyed a number of young leaders (most of them in their 20’s) and included this question: Name something that has contributed to your growth.
While I thought mentoring would be near the top of the list, I did not anticipate the wide margin by which it would blow away the rest of the responses.
Here’s what a few of them had to say:
“God has blessed me with some really good mentors over the years who have taken me under their wings.”
“All the amazing leaders that trained me. I don’t know where I would be without them.”
“Being pushed/encouraged to do things I didn’t think I was ready for…”
Responses like these are encouraging. Young leaders are hungry to learn and grow and are looking for mentors. This begs the question: Do today’s leaders know what it takes to mentor the next generation?
I hope so. The future of our churches depends on it.
So what does it take? What are the traits of a leader worth following?
Let me suggest my top four characteristics:
1 & 2 - Care and Encouragement
Robert Saleh was recently hired by the NFL’s New York Jets to be their next head coach. The Jets are a perennially awful team,[a] but Saleh’s hiring has made them an intriguing team that players want to play for.
In his introductory press conference, Saleh was asked about his ability to connect with players. He smiled and explained that from his experience, players respond when they believe their coaches care about them personally.[b]
While schemes matter in football, Saleh’s starting point is demonstrating to his players that he doesn’t just care about what they can do for him and the team; he cares about each individual and because of that, players are excited to play for him.[c]
It doesn’t take long to find leadership material that backs this up.[d] When a Next Gen Leader knows you care about them, they will be eager to learn, grow and give you the best of themselves.
Let your care for your young leaders exude encouragement. Observe them and let them know what you see – the hidden potential that they might not even yet be aware of. I’m not talking about a pat-on-the-back participation award. I encourage you to call out the best in them; correcting in love and encouraging them forward. Encouragement is a powerful tool that, stewarded with authenticity, will transform your leadership.
Care for and encourage your young leaders.
3 & 4 Humility & Security
Many leaders find it challenging to invest in others for fear that they might be surpassed or become obsolete. What if they are not needed anymore?
My encouragement - don’t fear it, pursue it. Invest in your leaders and then celebrate when they succeed. See how many leaders you can elevate beyond your ability. See how many you can lift onto your shoulders to even greater influence. Let your ceiling be their floor.
Their success doesn’t minimize yours.
Let me repeat that. The success of younger leaders DOES NOT minimize your success! Be secure in your calling and launch young leaders forward with all the strength you have.
John Maxwell’s Instagram account posted this recently.[e]
Please refuse to be one of those leaders. Do not let insecurity minimize the investment you make in others.
May you have the humility to also see the next generation as a source of wisdom and creativity for you and your ministry.[f] The next generation has much more to offer if you can learn to draw it out of them.
The best mentoring relationships are reciprocal. Have the curiosity to learn from the next generation. Model to them the openness and teachability that you want demonstrated.
Match your wisdom and experience with their zeal and creativity and see what God can do with that kind of collaboration.
There are a number of traits that could have made this list. Passion, wisdom, courage, grit, availability, compassion - these are all vital to good mentoring. But they’ll have to wait for another article.
Leaders who are caring, encouraging, humble and secure are the kinds of leaders worth following. They will develop the next generation of leaders to become more like the women and men that God has called them to be.
Will you join them?
Footnotes:
[a] The New York Jets have the worst record in the league since 2016 at 23-57
[d] The Speed of Trust (Stephen Covey), Dare to Lead (Brene Brown), The Truth About Employee Engagement (Patrick Lencioni) to name a few
[e] John C. Maxwell (@johncmaxwell) • Instagram photos and videos
[f] Why My Generation Probably Won’t Reach The Next Generation - CareyNieuwhof.com
Kevin is the husband to Kristin, dad to Livia, Lincoln, and Lennon, and serves as NextGen Coach for ABNWT. Kevin has a passion to see women and men discover and grow in their unique, God-given purpose.