The Young Leaders' Pathway to Credibility

It’s tempting for young leaders to try to gain leadership credibility by pretending they have all the answers. But having the humility to acknowledge you don’t have it all figured out is often a quick pathway to getting others to buy into your leadership.We see in Exodus 3-4 that Moses was feeling overwhelmed by the thought of leading the Hebrew people to the Promised Land. This sense of inadequacy is what led him to ask God a series of questions. In these two chapters, Moses asks a question and God gives him further revelation. Then he asks another and another and another. While Moses’ questions may have been driven by his insecurity, he did demonstrate a teachable spirit that God used to prepare him for the task ahead.The best leaders I know have an unquenchable desire to learn. They read nearly every day, ask questions of other leaders, and invite feedback from their team.Solomon stresses the importance of being a voracious learner when he writes, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding – indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-4)I promise you, your team will be much more impressed by your humility and pursuit of wisdom than by your attempt to appear wise and experienced. Teachability is the fastest pathway to credibility.Dig Deeper:Video: 7 Ideas for Developing Young Leaders