Self-Leadership Begins with Owning Your Growth
Ministry leaders cannot lead others well if they consistently avoid responsibility for their own growth. This article challenges leaders to reject excuse-making, pursue personal development, and take intentional steps toward healthier leadership.
- Leaders who last are willing to look inward before blaming outward circumstances.
- Personal development, spiritual disciplines, coaching, and healthy rhythms are responsibilities leaders must own.
- Intentional growth strengthens not only the leader but also the ministry, team, and church they serve.
By Mike Edmisten
Last March, a Division I college basketball coach was fired after his team failed to make it to the NCAA Tournament. I won’t name the coach or the school, but the situation itself is hardly unusual. Coaches in high-profile programs are dismissed every year when expectations aren’t met.
What made this case stand out, though, was the coach’s pattern of excuses before his termination. It was never his fault. He created a narrative in postgame interviews where the problem was the referees, the media, the schedule, or, at times, even the fanbase. But it was never him.
A Different Pattern
Leaders who refuse to look inward eventually lose the ability to lead outward. It short-circuits growth, both professionally and personally.
I’ve seen a stark contrast to this mindset in my work with the Center for Church Leadership. I don’t meet many basketball coaches in my role, but I do meet a lot of ministry leaders. A different pattern emerges among leaders who last. They are allergic to excuse-making and blame-shifting. Instead, they embody the words of Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “If you start to think the problem is ‘out there,’ stop yourself. That thought is the problem.”
Leaders who go the distance take that introspection seriously. They lead themselves first, asking what needs to change in them before assigning blame anywhere else.
The Responsibility No One Else Will Carry
I’m not suggesting that we become overly critical of ourselves. That’s not a healthy path. But self-leadership and self-development are essential for those called to lead others.
In my decades of local church ministry, I was charged with developing other leaders (see Don Sanders’ fantastic article in this edition of Ministry Edge for more on that). However, one hard lesson I learned was that, as a pastor, no one was going to advocate for my personal development except me. Occasionally, someone might ask what I was reading or which conferences I was attending, but no one consistently asked whether I was really growing. The responsibility for coaching, healthy rhythms, spiritual disciplines, and ongoing development rested squarely on me. If I didn’t take ownership of my personal health and growth, no one else would.
Excuses That Stall Growth
Most ministry leaders already know where they need to grow. Many are hesitant to pursue it, though.
There are plenty of reasons why ministers neglect their own development.
“I don’t have time.”
“I don’t have the resources.”
“My leaders won’t understand.”
“It feels selfish.”
While some of those pressures can be real, they can also easily become a more acceptable form of excuse-making.
It doesn’t sound like a coach blaming the referees or the media for a loss, but the result is the same: responsibility is deflected to outside sources, and inner growth grinds to a halt.
The Path Forward
Despite these real (or perceived) obstacles, this truth remains: we can’t lead others well if we don’t first lead ourselves well. Leaders who ignore this usually don’t last. Or, if they do, they often deeply wound those around them. A person who holds a leadership position but does not lead themselves well is a danger to everyone within their sphere of influence. Humility can give way to arrogance. Responsibility can morph into blaming. People, ministries, and churches can be deeply hurt.
If we are going to endure the weight of leadership without inflicting such pain on others, we must understand that leadership doesn’t begin with “them.” It begins with us.
This kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident, though. It requires time, structure, and the right support.
The Center for Church Leadership can help you take the next step in personal development. Whether it’s growing as a communicator through a Level-Up Preaching Cohort, developing as a children’s ministry leader in a KidMin Cohort, strengthening yourself and your leadership team through a Healthy Church Co-Op, or pursuing formal training through the Russell School of Ministry, there are clear pathways for growth.
These resources and communities are designed to help you grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. No one else can take responsibility for your development, but you also don’t have to do it alone.
We’d love to talk with you about these opportunities. You can email me (mi***********@**********ip.org) or visit our website (ccl.network) for more information.
By taking advantage of these opportunities, you’re not just investing in yourself. You’re strengthening your ministry, encouraging those around you, and modeling what intentional growth looks like for your team.
Because leadership doesn’t begin with “them.” It begins with you and your choice to keep growing.
