Developing the Leaders Around You: Week Two

Pastor Ashley Evans   -   December 2, 2024

Discover | Develop | Deploy

Finding Your Team – DISCOVER

As usual, the bible has a lot to say about discovering the right people for a team.  

  1. Pray all night. Sounds so obvious.

Luke 6:12

12In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God. 13When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:

This is what Jesus did. The Kenosis. Supernatural insight and intuition.  

 

  1. Understand that team composition is nuanced and requires a decent understanding of leadership physiology.   

Building high-performing teams requires high levels of nuance and 3D thinking, especially in the discovery stage.  

  1. Skills and gifting 
  2. Personality
  3. Character.  

Try to build your team with the right mixture of KPIs and the shape of the individual.  I don’t think there is often a perfect round peg for a round hole.  Each person is complex and offers a unique set of skills to the team.  So you have to think in terms of the blend between perfect skills and the right person.  

There is definitely a skill blend that you need in a team, but there is also a personality blend required too, so it’s really 3D chess.  

Can you get someone who is close enough to the skill set you need and teach the rest?  Like everything from cooking to chemistry, a little too much of one thing or too little of something else can ruin the dinner or the drug.It all has to be in the right amounts.  

 

  1. Have a clear blueprint of the qualities you need from your team.

The solution to big problems is always teams. Individuals for small problems, teams for big problems. Individuals for small businesses and organizations and teams for big businesses and organizations.  

Learning from the Early Church.  

Servers of food for the Greek widows.  

  •    “Of good reputation”
  •    “Full of the Holy Spirit”
  •    “Full of wisdom”
  •    “Full of faith”

Key Leadership Roles.  Understanding the skills required to build.

There are 5 different types of people required to build that are common to all teams.  

The Big Picture Person – Architect

  1. Sees future opportunities
  2. Creates clear plans
  3. Builds key relationships
  4. Spots industry changes
  5. Sets high standards (shared with People Leader)

The Systems Thinker – Draftsman 

  1. Makes clear processes
  2. Connects different parts
  3. Finds better ways
  4. Sets clear rules
  5. Solves complex problems (shared with Big Picture Person)

The People Leader – Builder

  1. Grows team members
  2. Brings teams together
  3. Manages time and money
  4. Fixes people problems
  5. Keeps high standards (shared with Big Picture Person)

The Task Driver

  1. Gets things done
  2. Manages resources
  3. Makes action plans
  4. Checks quality
  5. Tracks results

The Team Connector

  1. Links departments
  2. Spots potential problems
  3. Explains to everyone
  4. Helps with changes
  5. Keeps work flowing

Which 2 of the 5 gifts do you have?

The 5 fold ministry gifts. 5 fingers on a hand. An orchestra with different instruments. How do these gifts work with each other?

Apostle

  • Establishes clear vision and strategic direction while creating systems that allow other gifts to operate effectively within defined structures and boundaries.
  • Networks with other ministries and develops multiplication strategies while ensuring all five gifts are represented and functioning in church leadership.

Prophet

  • Provides spiritual insight and timely direction for major decisions while identifying potential problems before they surface in church life.
  • Maintains the church’s sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading and keeps leadership aligned with God’s current emphasis for their season.

Evangelist

  • Creates a culture of outreach by developing evangelistic opportunities and training the congregation in natural, effective ways to share their faith.
  • Ensures church systems and programs remain accessible to newcomers while identifying and removing barriers that might hinder the unchurched from connecting.

Pastor

  • Develops comprehensive care systems that ensure people are supported through all church initiatives while creating a warm, relational church culture.
  • Oversees discipleship pathways and mentoring programs that help both new believers and mature Christians grow in their faith journey.

Teacher

  • Creates systematic discipleship programs and training resources that make complex biblical truths accessible to all maturity levels.
  • Ensures doctrinal soundness across all church initiatives while helping people understand and practically apply the church’s vision in their lives.

 

  1. Keys for discovering the right people for your team. 

Samuel Eyes vs Jesse Eyes

Scripture Base: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace? 5Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

 

  1. Go looking for the new leader before the current leader steps down
  • Critical time in organizational history
  • While current leaders are still active, God is looking for the next generation
  • Looking for new leaders, new voices, new change-makers
  • Can’t wait until current leaders step aside – must be proactive
  • God is searching for a new generation who can make a significant difference
  • Looking for new business leaders, new team leads, new visionaries with fresh hearts and minds
  1. Overcome your own attachment to the present or the past
  • “How long are you going to mope over Saul?”
  • Easy to mourn for the past
  • Easy to think about how it used to be
  • Must think about future
  • Let go of attachments to current methods to embrace future 
  1. Be wise in the way you do your business
  • Samuel didn’t do it publicly, he did it privately
  • Develop people privately before public promotion
  • Takes time – David needed 15 years to be ready
  • Wisdom in timing and approach 
  1. You need to know where to look
  • Samuel comes looking for a leader in Jesse’s house
  • Know where to search for potential
  • Interview process – looking them over
  • Spend time getting to know candidates
  • Look for God’s choice among them 
  1. Overcome tradition
  • Firstborn should have been chosen – that’s all Jesse could see
  • Jesse represents tradition
  • Bound by traditional thinking
  • Didn’t consider David – tradition said others deserved it first
  • Seven ahead of him based on tradition
  • Tradition completely overlooked David
  • Sometimes tradition blocks recognition of potential 
  1. Overcome the natural selection bias
  • Samuel had to overcome his own tradition
  • The previous choice stood out in the crowd
  • Looking for the same formula again
  • Spiritual eyes needed a different view
  • God looks deeper than human criteria
  • External qualities matter but are not most important
  • Looking for something far deeper 
  1. Look beyond the list
  • Must look beyond obvious candidates
  • Search beyond standard qualifications
  • Think outside normal parameters
  • Be willing to consider unexpected options 
  1. Ask the right questions
  • “Is there another son?”
  • Know what questions reveal potential
  • Right questions uncover hidden talent
  • Ask questions that challenge assumptions 
  1. Overcome familiarity
  • Can know too much about someone
  • Jesse too familiar with David
  • Saw age, inconsistencies, immaturity
  • Knew too much – blocked vision
  • People close to us often can’t see our potential
  • Familiarity breeds blindness to possibility 
  1. Samuel had to overcome his own impatience
  • Waited through seven candidates
  • Had to hold himself together
  • Sometimes must go through many options
  • Stay committed to finding the right person
  • Don’t be impatient for an answer 
  1. Overcome your own lack of spiritual discernment
  • Jesse had no spiritual discernment
  • Couldn’t see beyond tradition and knowledge
  • Not a creative thinker
  • Couldn’t think outside the box
  • Lack of discernment blocks recognition
  • People seem: too ordinary, too plain, too old, too young
  • Don’t look smart enough, too shy, inconsistent, immature
  • Example: Many overlooked because wrong personality type
  • Assumption leaders must be extroverts
  • Compare Moses and Gideon
  • Thank God for those who see potential others miss

 

Essential Team Member character Qualities that I look forward to: 

  1. Loyal. (Read the book Loyalty and Disloyalty by Dag Heward Mills)
  2. Able to work with others
  3. No drama
  4. Decent skills. 
  5. Teachable

 

Team Development Stages

Forming

  • People are polite and careful
  • Everyone wants to be accepted
  • Not clear on their roles
  • Looking to the leader for direction
  • Avoiding conflict
  • High dependence on the leader
  • Low trust levels

Storming

  • Conflicts emerge
  • People challenge each other
  • Question authority/leadership
  • Compete for positions/influence
  • Resist team structure
  • Express frustration
  • Test boundaries
  • May form cliques

Norming

  • Accept team roles
  • Start working together
  • Develop team rules/norms
  • Build trust
  • Give constructive feedback
  • Share responsibility
  • Improve communication
  • Support each other

Performing

  • Work effectively together
  • High trust levels
  • Focus on achieving goals
  • Flexible and adaptable
  • Share leadership
  • Solve problems well
  • High team spirit

Here’s the real talk about team development that most people miss: This isn’t some clean little ladder you climb once and you’re done. It’s messier than a construction site in a rainy season. Your team’s going to hit performing in their sleep just to get knocked back to forming because Suzie from accounting joined the team or someone decided to roll out Slack. You’ve got your senior dev crushing it while your new hire’s still figuring out where the bathroom is. Then your rock star team that’s been hitting home runs all quarter suddenly starts acting like they’ve never worked together because success made them sloppy. Meanwhile, your crew might be crushing their KPIs but their communication looks like a teenager’s bedroom – complete chaos. Throw in a market crash, a competitor’s funding round, or that new CEO with their ‘fresh vision,’ and suddenly your well-oiled machine starts squeaking like it needs WD-40. Bottom line? Team development isn’t a straight path – it’s more like trying to play chess on a boat during a storm. The pros know it’s not about getting to performing – it’s about being ready to rebuild from forming at a moment’s notice.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Building Team Success

Key Steps for Leading a Team

  1. Vision cast. 
  2. Instill Belief.  
  3. Build Trust. Need to prove you are in it for them as well as yourself.  
  4. Set Clear Expectations (KPIs)
    • For leadership: Be results-focused, not process-focused.  For management be process focussed.  Doers vs thinkers.
  5. Establish Accountability. High Standards.
  6. Foster Collaboration. (Can people create together or not?Draftsman) 
    • People who create and delegate
    • People who execute someone else’s plan
    • People who can create a plan through collaboration
  7.  Have a personal growth plan for each team member
  8. Always have the meeting before the meeting