I had an hour-long conversation with “B.” She described to me how the times when she performed really well were circumstances when she had opportunity to critically evaluate leadership situations. She views that one of her main strengths is the ability to intuitively and quickly identify problems; most frequently people problems. At times, B is frustrated because on occasions when she identifies a problem, she has difficulty identify the cause or source of the problem.
In five years, B wants to transition out of parachurch work into business and I agree with her reasons for wanting to make this change. She is a dominant, decisive, “black and white” kind of person, and has great difficulty in dealing mediocre performance. We both feel that her leadership style is not appreciated within a Christian leadership context as much as her style would be encouraged and supported in a secular business context.
I feel that B will accomplish her five-year goal of transitioning to very different career because of two important things. First, she has a very health grasp of reality, her circumstances, very emotional needs and spiritual leading of the Lord. Secondly, she has, what I feel is, a very mature and objective understanding of herself. She is aware of and understands her temperament, her learning style, her spiritual gifts, birth order, love language and leadership style.
My advice to B to help her obtain her five-year goal is to:
- Expand her hobbies of bicycling and hiking for health reasons
- Read more widely
- Keep a journal
- Dream and envision
- Consciously strive for contentment
I appreciate the diversity of advice — including reading and journaling — and the two strategies of both dreaming for something new and striving for contentment in the current situation. I believe you’ve identified something so critical — the need to incorporate both appreciation for today and aspirations for tomorrow. Too often we believe that contentment equals complacency, but you’ve highlighted the nuanced perspective of both contentment and hope for more to come.
I do hope that the Christian leadership context does not always equate to mediocrity. Certainly striving for excellence is a key component of transformational leadership, which aspires to create something better. I’m hopeful that the two can go hand-in-hand: Christian leadership AND excellence.
— Leadership Prof