Send Them Out

There are a variety of ways to send out your inner circle of leaders. The best thing you can do is to trust their leadership style. God has created each of us as unique leaders and as unique leaders each of us has our own way of leading. The leaders underneath you may have flashes of your leadership style, but don't expect them to be a carbon copy of you. Chances are, they'll have their own style, and that sytle will be different from yours. My encouragement to you is to allow them to flow in their own strengths and styles, as long as they ultimately are achieving the agreed upon goals and are leading in a God-honoring manner.

The best - and one of the hardest - ways to support your inner circle of leaders is to practice patience as they learn, grow and deliver. You'll watch them tackle their new leadership opportunities and you'll probably watch them learn the hard way by making a mistake or two (or ten). As you practice patience , your leaders will get up from their mistake, dust themselves off, and give it another try.

Jesus' strategy for His leaders was simple but powerful. He brought them on, coached them up, and sent them out. But He didn't send them out unprepared or before they were ready. A primary responsibility of every great leader is to bring on, coach up, and send out greater leaders, which Jesus indicates as a goal for His disciples ( and the rest of us) in John 14:12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

Be an extraordinary leader by sending out your inner circle of leaders and supporting their leadership.