It Takes Time
There are no shortcuts when it comes to developing leadership in young people. In many business leadership development programs, development revolves around very company-specific competencies. It’s easier to set a time frame on specific competencies, but less easy to set a time frame on the teaching of leadership principles, on discipleship, and on mentoring.
Because many churches don’t have the time or budget for a leadership development program, they tend to leave leadership development to retreats and conferences. If your development program takes place in a weekend retreat, or a conference (no matter how good it is) then you’ll probably be disappointed with the development that’s taking place. Don’t get me wrong, conferences are great places to develop leadership, and I love a weekend retreat to develop leaders. However, leadership development is more organic; it doesn’t take place over the course of just a few hours. It takes a lifetime. We have to resist the temptation to allow retreats and conferences to constitute our entire leadership development program. It’s easier in the short run, of course, and faster; but in the long run very little leadership development will take place.
A leadership development program takes constant, intentional, targeted work; and that takes time. Because we are working with individuals with different personalities who are in different places, we can’t put a time frame on their development. Some of your students are going to soak this stuff up quickly. With others it will be longer sinking in. Either way, you’re going to spend a lot of time developing leadership.
Please don’t believe that leadership development is a quick process, or fall prey to the summer intern line of thought. Leadership development is a lifelong journey for every leader. Young leaders are no different, except they are just starting their journeys, looking to you to spend as much time on their leadership development as you did on yours.
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