My boss, Brian, has a saying that goes like this: “Leadership is a series of losses.” Like usual, the first time I heard him say it, I had no idea what he was talking about. But over time, I’ve come to see that he’s got a genius streak. Let me explain.
A few months I ago I received a promotion. I was given more oversight, more responsibility and new roles. Of course, getting promoted is a good thing and feels very nice. I also love the idea of providing vision and oversight to the ministry. However, I’ve learned that promotions aren’t all smiles and sunshine. In fact, I’ve been mourning this transition for a few weeks now.
You see, I’ve spent the last five years building things. Some of these things I’m very proud of. About 50 adult volunteers make our high school ministry what it is. It’s been my privilege and responsibility to recruit, train and walk with these volunteers. I was the one who interviewed them, chose their small group and helped them find their way in the early days of volunteering.
I care deeply about each one of them. We’ve walked through some heavy stuff—student and family crisis, personal loss, feelings of inadequacy, and relational conflict. I also feel a strong sense of pride in knowing that I’ve had a role in equipping them. But, it’s no longer my role to equip them. I am losing this role. It’s time to hand it over to someone else.
Over the last 3 years, I’ve built a high school to college transition program that I love. At the risk of sounding like a regular jackwagon, I’m incredibly proud of this ministry. I love it because it’s unique and effective. My greatest joy in ministry over the last 3 years has been watching graduates of our ministry thrive in college and adulthood. Knowing I’ve had even a small role in their growth is very rewarding. But, with my new position, I won’t be able to lead this program any longer. I am losing this role. It’s time to hand it over to someone else.
For the last 12 years, I have been leading worship in student ministries on a regular basis. I absolutely love playing music and drawing students into the presence of God. I can’t imagine not leading worship. And yet, it’s no longer my job to lead. I’m losing this role. It’s time to hand it over to someone else.
Please understand that I’m very happy about my promotion and I’m excited and honored to lead our high school ministry. I feel this is exactly where God wants me and I know that it’s right but I have to be honest about the cost of leadership. It’s terribly painful to build something and then hand it over to someone else and trust them to do the work. Leadership costs something.
Moving up in an organization always leads to greater leverage and lesser contact. 5 years ago I left behind the role of everyday contact with high school students. It was a painful but ultimately good transition. And now, as the leader of our high school ministry, I have been gifted with the leverage to direct the entire ministry and yet, I know I will have less contact with our students and volunteers and less contact with some of the roles and programs I have loved over the last few years.
In this way, leadership is a series of losses. I must let go of what I love and learn to empower others to take what I have built and transform it into something that is uniquely theirs. Have any of you had this experience?
