How Does a Young Leader Earn a Seat at the Table?

The next gen is the future of the church, especially our upcoming young leaders. The more we invest in developing young leaders, the greater the potential and future of the church.

I love that young leaders have lots of questions. They are eager to learn and serve others. And like all of us, rise in competence, capacity and responsibility to make a difference in people’s lives.

One of the questions young leaders commonly ask is how to earn a spot at the esteemed “leadership table” where direction is set and decisions are made. How do you answer that question?

A good place to start is with another question. Why does this desired seat seem to elude young leaders? Of course, some leaders rise quicker than others, but it’s not always just about talent. In fact, some of the most gifted and capable leaders get stuck.

Why do talented young leaders not advance?

If you are a young leader, rising in influence is not only about how good you are, its equally about how you demonstrate your influence and express your desires. It’s about who you are and how you serve.

That means, in addition to skill, it’s also about self-awareness, attitude, passion, drive, humility and adaptability. These attributes may seem more subjective, but truthfully, they are easy for others to see.

In smaller churches there may be only one leadership table, in larger churches there will be many, but either way, there are always a finite number of seats. The encouraging truth is that there is never a shortage of opportunities to influence others toward their spiritual best and for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

Bottom line — You don’t need a seat to start serving.

I Timothy 3:1 says . . . Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. (NIV)

I love how The Message says it: “If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good!”

The rest of the passage, however, addresses the qualifications of the leader. Except for the ability to teach, none are skills! None are about pure competence and talent. The qualifications address character, reputation, demeanor, attitude, emotion, self-leadership, ego, sincerity and relationships.

All that is about who you are which effects how you serve and lead.

The real question is this. As a young leader are you willing to pay the price to qualify? If your answer is yes, are you still in if you learn that this cannot be accomplished in a short amount of time?

Read this again… Young leader, it takes time to rise in your leadership. My advice to you is enjoy the process of growing as a leader. Enjoy leading, build what you have been entrusted with and over time you will be trusted with more.

Advice to young leaders:

1. Do your best to select a healthy environment over the perfect job.

Landing your dream job right out of school or a residency is a risky temptation. The environment you choose is more important that getting your perfect position on the team.

In other words, choose the right team with the right culture, and the perfect job will find you.

As a young leader, select a church environment that has:

• A clear and vibrant vision – Is there a sense of direction and movement?
• A healthy staff culture – Are trust, honesty, and clear expectations evident?
• A commitment to development – Will they invest in your personal and leadership growth?
• An authentic spirituality – Is it obvious they love Jesus and focus on spiritual growth?
• A sense of humor – Do they have a lighthearted spirit, laugh easy and not take themselves too seriously?

You can edit and add to this list. It’s not meant to be the final comprehensive list, but it gets you started in the right direction. NOTE: I do recommend that you keep it short and to the essentials.

2. Focus your energy on being helpful more than being at the table.

If your heart’s desire to serve and add value is greater than to be at a particular table with a certain position, your influence will rise, and in time larger leadership opportunities will present themselves. If not where you currently serve, someone somewhere will notice.

There is always an opening, somewhere, for bright and capable young leaders — young leaders who are willing to learn, grow, work hard and add value rather than assume a seat at the table.

It’s important to remember that an official position or title is not required for significant influence. *Truly serving others brings an authentic spiritual authority all on its own. From there, when competence is combined with character and a good attitude, a place at the table will become available at the right time.

3. Demonstrate competence in the area you have been chosen to lead.

First things first. Feel good about the fact that out of all the candidates, you were selected to be on the team!! Now make it your focus to genuinely care about people and excel at what you have been asked to do.

Get really good at your current job before you seek the next position. Learn your craft, grow as a leader, and become the go-to person that everyone wants on their team.

Your results should speak for themselves so loudly that you never have to call someone’s attention to how hard you work. Let’s be candid; effort isn’t a leader’s best attribute. Everyone believes they work hard; it’s about what we accomplish that matters.

It’s better to find a good leadership coach in a healthy environment than to find a top job with a seat at the big table.

A good coach will help you see things from a long-haul perspective. He or she will bring wisdom that will offer long term success over winning a quick reward.

4. Wait for an invitation rather than persuade your way in.

If you are a sharp young leader with aspirations of increasing influence and making a big difference, it’s hard to wait. I truly understand. But to become good at your job, (as mentioned) it’s also important to enjoy your job. I’ve never met anyone who was really good, with a seat of influence somewhere in the organization, who dislikes their job. (Or is indifferent about their job.)

Enjoying your job helps you wait for the invitation. 

Waiting for an invitation to lead larger requires patience and maturity, but it also brings joy. Joy not only rewards you with inner satisfaction but is contagious and draws others toward you. In the end you receive what you dreamed about and without persistently coaxing your way in.

Knowing your true gifts and talents takes time. Try different things, practice different skills. You short-circuit your future when you focus on rising quickly and gaining a seat at the table, rather than taking the time to learn where God has gifted you and what He wants you to do.

I pray God’s peace, guidance and blessing over you and your leadership journey.