10 Characteristics of Magnetic Team Leaders

By Rick Howerton

Ten qualities of a leader whose leadership style is a magnet for followers.

Oftentimes, when we think of a church leader we think of the ultimate human leader leading the church, the senior pastor. Below the senior pastor on the flow chart are multiple team leaders. These individuals are most often staff members, but in many settings they are non-staff members, church members with the leadership gift who lead teams of their own. Because these individuals are without the senior pastor title, in order to be effective, they must be more than good—they must be magnetic.
Below you’ll find 10 characteristics of a great team leader, a leader whose leadership style is a magnet for followers. Magnetic team leaders …
1. Have been called to a vision/responsibility only God can accomplish.
2. Communicate the vision God has given them so passionately and effectively the unimaginable becomes a visible reality in the listener’s mind’s eye.
3. Gather followers to aid them in accomplishing the vision by personally inviting those potential followers to join the team.
4. Spend recreational time with the team members, and during those recreational experiences discipline themselves and don’t discuss the work the team is involved in.
5. Seriously consider the team members’ ideas and prove it by taking those ideas to the rest of the team for discussion.
6. Are available to team members 24/7.
7. Get to know the family members of each team member, sincerely care about each of them, and prove it by asking about the things each of them are involved in (ball games, plays, etc. …).
8. Understand team members have busy schedules and call meetings only as often as is necessary.
9. When in conversation, continually make eye contact with the team member they’re speaking with and acknowledge he/she is listening by responding appropriately to statements made.
10. Pray daily for each team member without ever telling team members of the time spent praying for them. 

Rick has one passion… To see “a biblical small group within walking distance of every person on the planet making disciples that make disciples.” He is presently pursuing this passion as the Small Group and Discipleship Specialist at LifeWay Church Resources. Rick has authored or co-authored multiple books, studies, and leader training resources including A Different Kind of Tribe: Embracing the New Small Group Dynamic, Destination Community: Small Group Ministry Manual, The Gospel and the Truth: Living the Message of Jesus, Small Group Life Ministry Manual: A New Approach to Small Groups, Redeeming the Tears: a Journey Through Grief and Loss, Small Group Life: Kingdom, Small Group Kickoff Retreat: Experiential Training for Small Group Leaders, and Great Beginnings: Your First Small Group Study, Disciples Path: A Practical Guide to Disciple Making. Rick’s varied ministry experiences as an collegiate minister, small group pastor, teaching pastor, elder, full-time trainer and church consultant, as well as having been a successful church planter gives him a perspective of church life that is all-encompassing and multi-dimensional. Rick is a highly sought after communicator and trainer. More from Rick Howerton or visit Rick at https://rickhowerton.wordpress.com