Four Quick Reminders For Any Start-up.
A couple years ago I left a stable and comfortable position on a large church staff. I resigned for no negative reasons and I still love the congregation and the men and women with whom I served.
So why leave?
For a few years, I had been working on the side with leaders in ministry and business. I would spend time teaching, encouraging and equipping them to be transformative leaders. To be a transformative leader inherently means that you need to be transformed as well. So, it begins with leaders who are willing to be challenged and desire to grow. Watching that type of transformation and being blessed to be a part of it is an amazing journey and one I could not let go. I resigned, took over a non-profit called The Trellis Group and took this new and exciting path leading a non-profit. Oh, yeh... and scary, too. If you will allow, I would like to offer you some lessons I learned and who knows, maybe you will be reminded of some things as well.
You had better believe it. If you don't believe in what you are doing, I'm not sure anyone else will either. You have to understand the mission, you have to believe in it, and then you have to live out the mission. Raising funds for an organization will do two things... It will clarify your purpose and the purpose of the organization. Donors will ask what you are doing, why you are doing it, and where you are headed. While this may sound daunting and intimidating these conversations hold you accountable. Most business leaders I work with could use a little organizational accountability. Ask yourself the question, "What am I trying to accomplish in my work?" HINT: Making money is a terrible answer. Income is a result of what you do. You still need to know why you are doing it.
Humility is learned. Good leaders believe in themselves and you have to have confidence, but there is a very fine line between confidence and arrogance. I believed in myself and what I felt called to do, but that confidence is going to be questioned when you start down a new path and the hard times come. Getting knocked down hurts. Staying knocked down kills. Nothing like a good dose of failure to teach you that you don't know it all, you don't have it figured out, and you need outside help. Humility allows you to have perspective and see things clearly. Are you teachable? If so, you will seek people who are more skilled, knowledgable, and proficient than you are in different areas. No shortcuts here. Stay humble.
Success is earned. Humility opens the door to learning. Learning what to do, what not to do, where to spend your time, and what to cut out. When you start learning you will start growing. How much you grow depends on, what I call, the Rate of Transformation. The more focused and decisive you become in where you want to go, the faster the Rate of Transformation will grow. You have to put the time in and be willing to dig the ditches before you build the walls. Someone told me once, "Work smart, not hard." That is the biggest bunch of bull I have ever heard and it probably came from a lazy guy. How about this axiom, "Work smart and hard" and then go change the world. Are you willing to put the time and work in to make a difference?
Be patient with yourself. Anytime you start something new, there is a learning curve. Some curves look more like a wall than a curve. It takes time to get in a groove and feel like you have a handle on what is going on. Here is a statement that I have come to live by, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." It takes time and most leaders are not born with too much patience. They have a lot of drive, but little patience. Learn to be patient and trust the growth process. If you get that, you will be a lot further down the road to being patient with others and that is a key quality in raising up other great leaders around you.
I would love to say, "I have figured it all out." But, I haven't. There is always room to grow. While starting something new may be difficult, it's worth it if you believe in what you are doing. So, don't give up so easily and when it gets difficult, talk to someone and allow them to encourage your life.
Chad is the Executive Director of the Trellis Group and their work is to equip motivated leaders to live a life of spiritual health, clarity, and direction. He works with individuals and organizations encouraging and equipping them to craft a clear vision for the future
