Valuing Others as a Leader

Doug Fields is an amazing leader, even with all his foibles (which he talks about more than I could ever see). He had an excellent article on his blog, "Marriage, Family, Youth Ministry, and Leadership," the other day. Whether you're a dad, a CEO, or a person who leads a few volunteers, the principles Doug lists here can apply to any leader. I was especially convicted as a dad to remember some of these things in order to love my boys better. I would encourage readers to check out the full article. Here are a couple points he made to whet your appetite. It's probably not a surprise that they're also the ones that impacted me the most.

7 ways to VALUE others you work with and/or lead

3. Affirm, affirm, affirm
This should go without saying, and unfortunately, many times it does. I know leaders will say, “He knows he’s important to me.” Really? When was the last time you told him? It ought to be often! This is such a basic principle that it’s almost embarrassing to write, but I find it so rare in leaders that it’s worth mentioning and repeating.

5. Do the “little things”
The people who work for and/or serve you (or your ministry) have real lives outside of the “job”. When you acknowledge that reality you communicate value. It’s the little things that send a big message: a card on their birthday, remembering their kids’ names, sending the spouse a gift (flowers or gift certificate) when you’ve asked ‘above and beyond’ from their spouse, an invite to share a meal with no-agenda, an occasional “I appreciate you” letter/gift, etc… Little actions are a big deal!

Now to go look for ways to put it into practice.