The Mentoring Manifesto, Vol. 71: Modeling Leadership for Our Mentees

So much of what we call leadership today is really just management, moving tangible resources around to accomplish things.

But leadership is more than that. It’s about helping people find their desires and aligning them. What do you want? Really want? That’s what great leaders inspire people toward, to want the same thing…together.

As Jesus-following leaders, we want to help those we lead align their hearts and what they want with what God wants. Sure, we set goals, make plans, and work hard to make things happen. But if it doesn’t turn out as we planned, our job as leaders is to remember it’s all about Him. Nothing happens that He didn’t allow in love. He loves us, and He’s trustworthy.

So, we pray, listen, decide, communicate, inspire, act, and assess. That’s what leadership entails. And that’s what we want to model for our mentees.

Since leadership is better caught than taught, our goal isn’t to teach them about leadership but to show them how to use their brains, seek wise counsel, pray a lot, make an informed decision, and trust God for the outcomes.

The resources below will help you lead your mentees well and equip them to lead well in their lives.

BECOMING AN EXTRAORDINARY LEADER

What does it take to be an extraordinary, God-honoring leader? In this 7-day devotional, Jenni Catron lays out a model for leadership that cultivates a life of ever-increasing influence, but it requires our whole selves – heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Start the reading plan here.

10 LEADERSHIP QUOTES THAT WILL GET YOU THINKING

Most leaders have a list of favorite quotes. This blog post from Carey Nieuwhof is a collection of ten lesser-known leadership quotes to help you think differently about relationships, hustle, meaning, self-care, and the issues you face in life and leadership. 

Read the blog here.

ARE YOU LEADERSHIP MATERIAL?

This episode of the Rainer on Leadership podcast unpacks nine introspective questions to determine whether or not you are a leader, including like things “Do I have a picture of a bright future?” and “Do I see people as God’s gift or as a means to an end?”

Listen to the episode here.

HOW LEADERS TALK TO THEMSELVES

For many people, our ongoing internal conversation is negative and critical. In this article, Tim Elmore explores how shifting our self-talk from negative to positive requires a choice, but it brings tangible benefits because how we talk to ourselves creates our reality.

Read the article here.