Mission Critical Priorities: Leadership Development Aims to Grow Staff Members

Growing the scope and focus of Athletes in Action is the overarching goal that drives the mission. But if the people who are doing that on day-by-day basis aren’t growing as well, the entire effort may fail.

That’s why one of the critical priorities is building staff members up spiritually, emotionally and professionally through leadership development and the HR department.

“We place a high value on continued leadership and growth of our staff. We don’t want them to stay in the same place,” says Leif Anderson, national director of LD/HR for AIA. “The road to the mission has to go through the heart, not through paperwork or teaching.”

Anderson says growth can be emotional, in terms of increasing self-awareness and dealing with issues that create roadblocks in relationships and workplace effectiveness. From the spiritual aspect, growth could be deepening the walk with God through advanced study or discipleship opportunities.

Whatever it looks like, Anderson says encouraging staff members to grow continually is the key. The assessments are partly done through testing and evaluations at the department levels.

A core emphasis is on the staff member learning to lead himself and manage his/her relationship to God, self and others, along with discovering the barriers that can hinder growth. Knowing what “refuels” members can be helpful as well. As Anderson says, “You need to be making sure you are not giving and giving and not refueling yourself.”

Another element is realizing how the gifts of others can be tapped to help staff members reach a goal they cannot attain on their own. Overall, Anderson says, it’s just about having healthy staff members who are effective and grow as God would have them.

“If our leaders are leaving a negative wake behind them, we start to shut down. Teams don’t work well,” Anderson says. “We want to be a river, not a pond, where things keep moving; that helps us keep the main mission of ‘win, build, send’ in front of us.”

By Teresa Young, AIA Communications

Prayer Requests:

• For God to grow staff members in all areas of their lives
• For staff to embrace the need for growth and pursue it
• For the leadership development personnel as they mentor staff

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