DCL 3.5 Instruction | Walk Slowly Through the Crowd
Video Presentation: Tom Atema, VP of International Ministries and Strategic Partnerships, EQUIP
Relationship building is always the foundation of effective leadership. One of the best ways to relate to your people is to approach your task informally. When you see people in the parking lot or in the hallway, stop to chat with them. Arrive early for meetings and spend time talking informally with your team. Always ask about their families.
To help you develop this skill successfully, here are a few suggestions:
1. Slow down. To connect with people, you must travel at their speed.
2. Express that you care. Offer words of encouragement.
3. Show interest in their personal lives. Don’t see them as employees only, see them as friends .
4. Pay attention when people start avoiding you. Silence, not distance, is what separates us.
5. Tend to the people and they will tend to the business. Leaders who tend only to business often end up losing the people and the business.
Biblical Case Study: Jesus and Four Fishermen (Matthew 4:18-25)
Jesus understood the vital importance of building a great team. In the course of His everyday world, He took time to talk with people. As He walked beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus noticed four busy fishermen. What happened?
- He engaged them in conversation using language they understood.
- He expressed interest in seeing them reach their full potential.
- They became four key leaders in His inner circle.
DISCUSSION
- Is anyone on your team avoiding you?
- How can you re-connect with them?
DCL Meditation and Inspiration Media and Notes © Willow Creek Association
DCL Instruction Media and Notes © EQUIP Million Leaders Mandate Volume 2