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This article also serves as the show notes for my podcast, “All In,” episode 27.
This week I hit the big 50. I know it is hard to believe. But yes, I am 50 years old now. Debbie asked me on the morning of my birthday, “So how do you feel, Old Man?” Well, I feel great!
In the Old Testament the priests would start their ministry at the age of 30 and then retire at the age of 50. After they retired their ministry was to mentor the younger priests. I think this is awesome. When I was young I longed for fathers and mothers in the faith to mentor me.
Now that I have crossed that strange threshold of 50, I am thinking about what advice I would give to young leaders. Here is a list of 10 things I would advise all young leaders. (If you are a “not so young” leader, you may benefit too.)
- Always connected equals never present.
Go to any public place and you will see it: Dozens, hundreds, perhaps thousands of people all tethered like slaves to their smart phones.
It may be a gaggle of young people at the mall, sitting together but not being together because they are too busy texting the people who are not there.
It may be a family sitting at a restaurant with their noises in their iPhones.
It may be friends out for a good time and good conversations, constantly being distracted by the notifications on their smart-phone.
In late December of last year I thought to myself, “If I hope to have any down time during Christmas I need to shut off my email and all notifications on my phone.” So I did. It was hard at first. I thought the world would end, or at least I would miss out on something.
It took about a week but I got used to it. Then after another week I fell in love with it. I never turned them back on. I am free.
I still answer every email and message; I just do it on my schedule, not everyone else’s.
I have not missed out and the world has not ended. The best part, I am actually present now.
You have a great life. Don’t miss it: Always connected equals never present.
- Find mentors who see your calling, not just your potential.
It is easy to see potential in people. Seeing potential is not enough.
A mentor who only sees your potential will use you for their purposes. A mentor who sees your calling will help shape you for God’s purposes.
- Character is destiny.
Our choices shape our habits.
Our habits shape our character.
Our character shapes our destiny.
- Go slow.
Cherish time with you kids. They will be old much longer than they are young. These are precious days. Don’t miss out because you are in such a hurry to prove and to earn.
Living and loving is a bigger deal than proving and earning.
Slow down to be with the people around you.
Over time I have learned the value of walking slowly through life.
- Grow deep.
Take time to read.
Take time to reflect.
Take time to celebrate.
Take time before your time is taken.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Recently I heard of someone claiming to be a catalytic leader. It made me think of something Margret Thatcher said, “Power is like being a lady… if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
If you are something, people will see it. You don’t need to tell them, or prove it. Just be it.
It is not good to think about all the accolades you think you deserve. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
- Take Jesus seriously.
Jesus is a big deal. He is the one we should take seriously, not ourselves.
We cannot make a big deal about Jesus and ourselves at the same time. So, let’s spend our time making a big deal about Jesus.
- Details matter.
“It is the little foxes that spoil the vineyard.” Song of Songs 2:15
Rock star and guitarist extraordinaire Eddie Van Halen would include a strange request in all performance contracts: A bowl of M&Ms with absolutely no brown M&Ms. If he found a brown M&M the concert could be canceled without notice.
When I first heard this I thought it was either a silly rumor or one of those quirks of the rich and famous. It ends up there is a very logical explanation. The band was placing its equipment, lives, and reputation into the hands of the people who managed the concert venues. The details mattered. If the management didn’t pay attention to the details the results could be disastrous.
Careers have been destroyed and lives lost because people neglect the details.
- Prepare yourself for your highest ambition: if you get there you will be prepared, and if you don’t get there, you will still like the person you have become.
Let’s say your highest goal and ambition is to be the leader of some organization you love and respect. Prepare yourself for that role. Learn all the skills, characteristics, and habits a leader at that level must have. Build your network. Cultivate your skills. Develop your habits. Then if you ever get that position you will be ready and if you never get that position you will still like the person you have become.
- You cannot delegate your personal obedience to Jesus Christ.
You, and you alone, are the only person responsible for your own obedience to Jesus Christ. You cannot delegate that to someone else. They cannot follow Jesus for you.
People make demands on you. But you are still responsible to Jesus for your Sabbath rest. You do not get a pass because people are demanding things of you.
The same goes for the Great Commission, or loving others, or caring for the poor. We are responsible for our own obedience to Jesus Christ.
Dear young leader, it is your life. Now, go live it.
Debbie and I serve as the FMI Global Associate Director for MENACA and Europe. We focus on cultivating disciples, leaders, and church planting movements.
