5 Ways You Can Grow in 2019

My wife says, “You are addicted to progress.”

It’s true.

I want things to move forward and feel myself getting frustrated when they don’t. Surrounding myself with people and organizations that share this value is very intentional for me. Chances are, if you are reading this, you value growth as well.

As you look back at 2018, what propelled you forward as a leader? What helped you grow as a leader the most? Consequentially, what gave you the least return on your investment?

I have identified 5 ways we all can grow as leaders 2019. I am going to invest time, money and focus into these 5 things. Some more than others as you will see below.

Here are the 5 ways you can grow as a leader in 2019:

1. Get A Coach

Hands down the biggest return on my investment the last several years has been coaching. The best part about coaching is they will save you time. Because they have been where you have been before, they can help you understand and navigate through things quicker than you would by yourself. There are valuable lessons we can learn on our own, but it may take a year or two. A coach shortens the time spent learning these lessons, saving you months perhaps even years of time.

Coaching cost me more money than all of the other things I list below combined.

Was it a sacrifice for me? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

2. Read

We have all heard and said the famous “leaders are readers and…” quote so I will spare you the redundancy. 86% of pastors say they read books to grow as a leader. Why is this the most popular way pastors learn? For one, it’s the cheapest and most accessible way to learn. It takes zero vulnerability to pick up a book and read.

I read on a macro and micro level. Books are macro. Blogs, articles and reports are micro. I prefer the micro over the macro because I can complete my readings in a shorter amount of time. Everyone is different.

3. Online Conferences

82% of pastors said they aren’t able to attend more conferences because of money and time. In person conferences can be expensive between the registration and travel costs.

The beautiful thing is, we live in an age where you can get world class training while sitting at your desk or home in front of your laptop or smart tablet. The main reason I created the Propel Conference was so pastors at churches under 300 could get access to amazing training without incurring the high overhead of an in person event.

If you pastor a church under 300, this event was tailored made for you and your leadership team. The best part of all, your entire leadership team can attend the broadcast for only $97.

If you haven’t done so, register here. The conference is on February 1st so time is running out.

4. Join a Peer Group

In business, they are called masterminds. You may know them as cohorts. Meeting, learning and growing with other leaders/pastors can be a very encouraging experience. You bring experiences and wisdom to the group that several others need. There also may be things they share that help you as well.

5. Become a Coach

Last year, I coached a few ministry focused entrepreneurs who were looking to grow their business. What surprised me was how much I learned from them through the process. They came to me to grow, but I was also a beneficiary of their experiences and lessons learned along the way.

These are the five main ways I am using to grow myself and our organization. I am going to spend more time with coaches in 2018 because I saw so much fruit come from it in 2018. Everyone is different. Everyone learns differently.

Maybe the best thing for you and your church would be to attend the Propel Conference. It is a very practical online conference with speakers who have been where you have been.

My prayer for you is that God will continue to do in you, what He wants to do through you.