Principles of Leadership - Communicate 2

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders. 

During 2022, my theme has been “10 Principles of Spiritual Leadership”.  Today we complete our final principle which is Communicate!  It is my experience that when there is good communication, problems can be overcome and issues resolved.  However, when communication breaks down, everything suffers. This is true whether the context is inter-personal or organizational.  

Some years ago, I read an excellent article on Communication written by Dr. Dan Reiland, an American leadership consultant and Christ-follower.  His main points – which I share today – are an alliteration in English, and his instruction applies to both personal conversation and public speaking.  

1. Heart – is about connection. It's about being real and authentic.  When we reveal our humanity, people connect with us, and when they can connect with us, they begin to trust us. Connection is often best accomplished through storytelling; this is a skill that I’m personally working to improve upon. Heart is also about caring. When we genuinely care about the people we communicate with, it will show.

2. Humility – at its core, deals with conquering our pride. People are turned off by egotistical and arrogant communicators … by men and women who just love to talk about themselves.  Here’s a great diagnostic question to ask as we evaluate our communication.  Am I more concerned about what people will think of me, or am I more concerned about others and how their lives are impacted? 

On this point, Reiland offered some strong counsel for preachers and teachers.  “You may be a gifted communicator, but if you are tempted to teach on your own power, you are flirting with grave danger. Christ expects you to be fully dependent upon Him and His power, and He longs to grant it to you. But if you live in such a way, even subtly, that suggests you can handle it on your own, He will remove His anointing from you.”

3. Help - is the practical element of our communication that offers the listener useful truth that can be applied. Whether speaking in private or public, we need to ask ourselves, “what is the desired response of my audience?”  

4. Humor - Sometimes tension builds as communication is taking place.  The use of appropriate humor may help to temporarily break that tension and allow yourself and others the chance to calm down, step back from the emotions and refocus upon the discussion at hand.   

5. Hope – Men and women worldwide are searching for hope in these days.  As leaders, we have the opportunity – and responsibility – to point them to the One who is our Hope Giver. 

Colossians 4:6 (MSG) reminds us, “Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.”  

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.