Summary: Your leaders sit above you. You hold one perspective. You do not see the entire picture. Do you hold the perspective that you leaders might know more information than you do? Seek to adopt this perspective.
Your leaders sit above you. You hold one perspective. You do not see the entire picture. Your leader may share new information that changes everything. This is a time to listen and learn.
I lead at a particular level, let’s say 30,000 feet. I have a particular view. My Wednesday night volunteers are at the 5,000 foot level. However, my top-tier Wednesday volunteers may sit at the 10,000 foot level. My volunteers may not understand each and every decision I make as their pastor. I may have information and a perspective that they do not yet see.
My hope, however, is when they seek to learn more about the rationale for a decision, I can bring them up a few levels and to see things beyond the isolated area in which they serve. The same thing holds true in my relationship with my senior leaders.
If I sit at the 30,000-feet, my senior leaders may sit at 60,000-feet. They see the ministry I lead in relation to all the other ministries. They hold a larger and more global view. They have a handle on the overall budget. They see the scope of the ministry in a way that I just have no ability to see. In addition, the senior leadership exists at a level with the elder board.
Often, they are dealing with matters that have yet to be disclosed to me and other key leaders. They know what is coming. Their “NO” may be quite justified. I want to not only be a learner; I want to be perceived as a learner. On matters above my pay grade, I want to learn everything that I can and come to understand more about how the church at large operates.
Do you hold the perspective that you leaders might know more information than you do? Seek to adopt this perspective.