Leader health is essential to the effectiveness and longevity of leaders. Health does not happen by accident, it takes intentionality. Health is also not easy. Below are three of the key realities of leader health.
Health Trumps Everything
Patrick Lencioni, in his book, The Advantage, notes that ‘organizational health trumps everything.’ Not only have I found his argument to be true in the church to a high degree, but I have also found it to be true for the leaders of the church as well. Outside of the work of God, health is the most important factor in the effectiveness of pastors, staff and ministry leaders. Health trumps.
You Cannot Give what you don’t have
If you do not embrace health through self-care, you will eventually burnout or worse. As leader, better yet as humans, we cannot give to others what we do not have. We need to pour into ourselves, allow God and others to pour into us so that we have something to give our families and those we lead.
As a leader you will foster health or toxicity
There is no neutral here. Either you will intentionally foster health or you will, intentionally or unintentionally foster toxicity. You will foster health or toxicity in your own life, in your family and in the people and organizations you lead. Toxicity is the default position, health takes intention and effort.