Photo by Bonnie Kittle on Unsplash

Here are four key areas in which you must be able to learn:

1. Yourself. Self-awareness is essential to understand yourself and to understand your impact on others. Become curious about yourself. What sustains you? What triggers you? What strengths do you have? What has shaped you?

This strategy is not something you do once and for all. I continue to be surprised by new insights into the forces that have shaped me and how I respond to them, sometimes decades later. I realized recently that the fact that my mother handled the money in our family was a big benefit to me in ministry. Not everyone my age grew up with a mother who paid the bills. Yes, my dad earned most of it, but my mom managed it. As a result, when I entered ministry as a young woman, I didn’t feel out of place at finance committee meetings. I continue to benefit from that early learning today.

One idea: Ask yourself: What is one strength I gained from my family of origin that has enabled me in my leadership?

2. The system of which you are part. Unless you started it, there’s a history. There were forces at work before you came on the scene. What is that history? What are the founding stories—

Both the true story and the one that people believe? There’s a church in Plymouth, Mass., that dates to 1620. You can bet that the past has a powerful impact on that church! Even if your church is only a few decades old, your tenure is but a small piece of the story. Learn at least a little about the history behind the system of which you are part. If there are founding members or descendants of the founding families, get to know them. Simply listen to their stories and see what you can find out.

One idea: If there’s a written history of your institution, read it and see if you can identify any parallels from the past with what’s going on in the present.

3. The world in which we live. I don’t have to tell you that there’s a lot going on in our world. Be curious about it. Engage with the news and other sources as a learner. Become a student of our time. Instead of being frustrated or outraged, take a step back and reflect: What are the broad forces at work? What do you see in your own community that reflects these forces?

One idea: Choose an area that interests you and go deeper with it rather than ricocheting from issue to issue as the media gains and loses interest.

Choose an area that interests you and go deeper with it rather than ricocheting from issue to issue as the media gains and loses interest.

One idea: Pick one skill area and find a small way to improve it. Write for five minutes a day. Try a new app. Read one article about supervision. When making your selection, choose something that draws you, rather than something you feel obligated to do.

If you’re a leader, you’ve already learned a lot. Keep it up! Choose one area from the list above and spend a little time at it. You’ll find your leadership will become easier and more effective.