Building a Winning Leadership Development System
When Steve Young was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame, a television commentator asked him about his first four years on the San Francisco 49’ers playing as backup quarterback to Joe Montana. “Steve, was it tough for you to stay in San Francisco when you could have been a starter on any other team in the league?” Young replied that he thought about leaving plenty of times but one thing kept him anchored to this team—Coach Bill Walsh had a winning system that Steve Young believed in.When Walsh arrived in San Francisco in 1979, the 49’ers finished the previous year with a 2-14 record. But during his time as coach he led them to three Super Bowl victories. Walsh built the foundation that allowed the 49’ers to play 16 straight seasons with at least 10 wins per season. He brought the team a new method of training, a new way of practicing, a winning attitude, and revolutionized the game with his pass-powered “West Coast offense.”What if the church could build a winning system for developing leaders? What if we delievered quality leadership training that enhanced a leaders life not just at church but in every aspect of their life? What if our leadership development efforts went beyond information to true transformation? What difference would a system like this make in the life of our church?Three things stand out to me as I think about Steve Young’s response:
- People will sacrifice their time and energy to be a part of a leadership development effort that produces results.
- Leaders want to grow. They want to discover their strengths and realize their potential. They want to serve and lead in meaningful ways.
- Churches must give attention to defining their leadership development strategy and build a winning system.
What are the strengths of your leadership development system? What are the weaknesses? What adjustments do you need to make so it will be great?
