For the past two weeks, we have been looking at the survival guide to successful leadership. We have discussed a number of tools that are essential for any leadership role.

So far we have looked at things such as teachability, being a good listener, forgiveness, core values, delegation and communication. This week, let’s consider yet another skill that is crucial to successful leadership.

Successful leadership calls for a leader to be open minded and willing to change. Open-minded leaders are those who listen with sincerity to the opinions and suggestions of those they lead. It is destructive for any leader to believe that only their ideas are correct and should be unquestioned or unchallenged by those under their leadership.

Leaders who show they are not open to input from others are leaders who are generally insecure in their position or think themselves to be above those they lead.

Leaders need to be careful of giving directions or ideas to those they lead and, without allowing for input or questions, stating that they are what God has directed. While God does speak to leaders on the direction for the organization, they must not forget that just as God speaks through them to others, God speaks through others to them.

Sometimes God uses those you lead to help clarify and focus where He wants you to lead them.

Have you ever experienced a leader who invited you to a meeting to discuss some new plan for the organization but never allowed for your input? Or, perhaps input is invited yet not taken seriously; you are allowed to offer a perspective or opinion but you know it will not change a thing even if some glaring potential problem is identified.

Leaders who are not open-minded are those who present their ideas with minds already made up. Leaders who are not open-minded take questioning of their ideas personally. They cannot manage conflict in a healthy way.

Open-minded leaders understand the importance of buy-in from those they lead. And buy-in comes through gracefully and humbly receiving questions and challenges of your ideas. Open-minded leaders also know how to change course when pitfalls are identified, without allowing their emotions to highjack their decision-making. Open-minded leaders are leaders who will adopt the ideas of someone under their leadership if they are better ideas, and support them 100 percent.

What kind of a leader are you? Are you open to having your ideas and direction for those you lead challenged and questioned without taking it personally? Are you open to making changes when the need is pointed out by those under your leadership? Are you open to giving a 100 percent support to an idea that came from someone under your leadership that turned out to be a better idea than one you first suggested?

Take some time this week to examine what kind of a leader you are: open-minded and open to change or insecure and controlling – one who thinks you’re ideas are the best.

To be a successful leader you must be open-minded and willing to change.

If you would like help in achieving your goals in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.

Photo credit: Bindaas Madhavi / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND