Collaborative Leadership: PART 1

Posted by: DVULI | March 22, 2023

Are YOU a collaborative leader? Let’s face it. Getting people to collaborate can be hard!

If I told you there is a secret sauce to help you bring your peers, youth, and community together in a way that enabled them to see past their own talent to accomplish a shared goal, would you want it?

You already have it!

In workshop 5 of the 15-month training, DVULI liaisons walk their cohorts through these skills that were consistently conveyed throughout the program:

6 Skills of Collaborative Leaders*

  1. Self-Reflection
    • Reflect ==> Adjust. Seek to better understand one’s own values and assess if the behaviors are congruent. How does this impact others?
  2. Building Trust
    • Ability to build trust among staff and stakeholders to keep interest and share ideas.
  3. Developing People
    • Commitment to the development of people as a key asset best achieved through mentoring and coaching.
  4. Assessing the Environment
    • Understand the need to recognize common interests, purpose, and values. Set priorities and identify obstacles and barriers.
  5. Creating Clarity – Visioning & Mobilizing
    • Understand everyone is a small part of God’s greater mission. Having clear values collaborators to commit to a cause that transcends the self.
  6. Sharing Power & Influence
    • Work collectively, empowering others to share their experience and expertise to contribute to the decision-making process.

The point of it all?

God never intended for us to do ministry alone. He designed us for interdependence. We’re better together!

Need a collaboration tune-up?

  • Review your LW5 workbook and notes.
  • These biblical leadership foundations are found in the story of Nehemiah. Read to see how collaborative leadership skills brought about the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. (Neh. 1:1-7, 10; Neh. 2:1-5, 11-5, 17-18; Neh. 3:1-10, 12.)
  • Self-reflect with these two assessments:
    1. Determine how often you work with other youth-serving organizations in your community by taking this assessment.
    2. Review your personal leadership collaboration skills by taking this questionnaire.

*Adapted from Collaborative Leadership: Self-assessment Questionnaires, Turning Point

Banner photo by Keira Burton

Back

Latest Resources