Jump directly to the Content

Leading Indicators

Jean had the credentials. Solid academic preparation for her ministry role in a large congregation. High IQ. Two years of experience that had polished her technical proficiency. Nevertheless six months after she began, her supervisor concluded no amount of mentoring would remedy the deficiencies in her job performance.

Karen accepted another staff position in the same congregation. She possessed neither formal education nor experience in this ministry role. Her IQ was average. After six months, though, church members were telling her supervisor, "She is the best we've ever had. I hope we can keep her forever."

The four key predictors of vocational success—specialized skill, IQ, academic training, and experience—do not guarantee effectiveness as a leader.

A fifth quality, which some call emotional intelligence, must accompany the first four. This leadership quality is so potent it can to some extent compensate for the absence of the other four.

An explosive increase in leadership ...

March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
Mapping Your Private World
Mapping Your Private World
Journaling: a tool to bring your soul into focus.
From the Magazine
The Evil Ideas Behind October 7
The Evil Ideas Behind October 7
The Hamas attacks in Israel have a grotesque ideological history and deserve unflinching moral judgment.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close