The column "Leadership Whiteboard" provides a short visual leadership coaching moment. It introduces and explains a new sketch in each issue, provides leadership coaching for further development, and shares a leadership quote and recommended book.

Leader as Learner

Leaders and managers are frequently compared to one another in this column. By now, you understand leaders deal with change and direction while managers deal with the complexity of the day-to-day. Like an airplane, where the fuselage determines the direction and the wings keep it flying, both leaders and managers are vital. Leadership decisions determine direction, and managers—like the wings—create the lift needed for success.

While churches do not have managers in the business sense, the roles and functions described here can apply to the church. The pastor should naturally fit the role of the leader. This role also describes specific age group leaders—children’s pastors or youth directors because they lead within their departments. However, these positions would be considered managers in relation to the pastor, who leads overall. A pastor sets the direction, mission, and vision of the entire church. Ministry leaders (managers) from each area (youth, children, worship, men, women, seniors, and others) all follow the big picture direction of their leader.

Without mission or vision, there is no aim, direction, or discipline for growth. However, vision without follow-through is only an idea. Don’t be a daydreamer with no action. The second part of vision or mission is the tactics for accomplishing the mission of the church or organization. To find your tactics, break down the mission into incremental, achievable, measurable steps. These incremental steps provide the tactics for achieving the mission. Tactics “keep the plane flying.” Do not confuse tactics with busyness; everyone is busy.

Measurable steps become the goals for managers to help their teams accomplish the mission. Pastor, you are but one person, and while capable of much, your capacity will increase when you inspire direction and set goals. A church, school, or denomination all need vision (mission) and goals (tactics), because without both we sit like the proverbial frog in a pot while the temperature slowly rises.

About the Columnist:Ron Hunter Jr., Ph.D., is CEO of Randall House Publications.