James Henley

Emerging Leaders #1: The Call to Adventure

Just like good old Luke Skywalker (or the hero of your favourite story), the first step towards growing into leadership is hearing a ‘call’ to move forwards.

For the hero of a story, this is the call to adventure - for those of us thinking about Christian leadership, it’s a call to join God on his Mission.

What does it mean to hear a ‘call’ to leadership?

And how should we respond?

This is the first in a series of posts on emerging leaders - to do with growing and developing as a young leader. I’ll be using story and narrative arcs as a way of think about leadership as a journey and making regular references to the Star Wars saga.

When I first felt God’s call to become a leader with The Lab, I didn’t experience a ‘eureka’ moment to do with leadership - there were no burning bushes and I didn’t audibly hear the voice of God calling me out as a leader. What I felt was a profound sense that God was doing something with The Lab, something was happening, and I couldn’t not be the person to respond and help it to happen.

That was my call to leadership - it was really just a profound sense that there was something that needed to happen, that I needed to do.

Luke experiences the ‘call to adventure’, when R2-D2 plays part of the distress signal from Princess Leia. There’s a sense of urgency, a sense that someone needs to step up and do something, and it needs to be him.

So, what does it mean to experience and respond to the call to adventure?

1. It means pushing aside doubts about your capabilities
The doubt that we are the right person, that we aren’t one of those people who is a ‘born leader’, that we aren’t charismatic enough or don’t have leadership gifts.

‘Leaders are neither born nor made. Leaders are summoned. They are brought into existence by circumstances. Those who rise to the occasion are leaders.’

- Leonard Sweet, Summoned to Lead.

If you see a situation that requires action and step out, then you are a leader - regardless of gifts, training or confidence.

2. It means choosing to commit to moving forwards
Anyone can describe the problem, pick holes in the current situation or deconstruct what went wrong. It takes a leader to begin to formulate solutions and make a commitment to moving forwards.

3. It means taking others with you
It means having the courage to step out and look for a new direction to head in. Instead of just heading there on your own, though, you need to try and draw others with you. This means listening to where they are coming from, and sharing where you are coming from and where you’d like to go.

You don’t need to be trained, qualified or special to hear the call to leadership - you just need to push aside your own doubts, commit to moving forwards and draw others around you to make the journey with you.

• Have you heard the call to step up and be a leader? What was it like for you?
• What challenges have you faced in hearing the ‘call to action’?

Please feel free to agree, disagree or suggest an alternative to what I’ve said.

Next week #2: ‘The Challenge to Stay Put’