Three parts of leader development:
- Identification – choose the right people.
- Development – train and build their lives.
- Deployment – send them out with ongoing support for lifelong growth.
- All three are critical; neglecting any reduces effectiveness.
Leader ID Model – Identifying High-Potential Leaders
Principle: High-potential leaders are already thinking and acting.
Four key elements:
- Think – visionary, strategic, conceptual, reflective, holistic, adaptable, embraces ambiguity, interdependent, practical + theoretical.
- Act – initiative, responsibility, decision-making, courage, challenges the status quo, passion for purpose, energises others, communicates well, resilient, finishes tasks, leads without positional authority.
- Observation & Community Confirmation – watch their lives and gather input from those who know them; if unavailable, test their initiative and responsibility in real situations.
- Dependence on God – identification is a spiritual exercise; seek God’s guidance (example: Jesus praying all night before choosing the 12).
Key principle:
- Character is foundational (gets you “on the elevator”), but thinking + acting determine leadership potential.
- Look for expressions of indicators in young leaders; more indicators = higher potential.