Some leadership roles come with built-in accountability structures.
- Pastors stepping into new church roles as appointed by Executive Pastor oversight and/or Elders.
- Non-Profit Directors who report to their Board.
- Group Leaders supported by overseeing Shepherds.
Yet some of us need to build our own accountability relationships. And even those with established structures must be intentional to utilize the covering and guidance provided.
Whatever circumstance you find yourself in …
8 ways to build accountability for yourself as a leader:
1. Apply yourself to studying the Word
We must know what the Bible says if we want to live by it, and especially if we want to use it to teach and encourage others.
How are you dedicating yourself to the regular study of God’s Word?
2. Align yourself with a local fellowship
Where is your church home?
As believers, we are invited in to experience communion with God and community with one another.
But don’t just settle for attending a church. Find a fellowship that you can align yourself with—in heart, theology non negotiables, and where you can engage in community and service.
Note: this may be a church organization in a church building, a home church, or alternate form of Christian community. Whatever conviction God has placed in your heart for this season, ask Him to confirm if you’ve aligned yourself with a local fellowship that offers accountability and shepherding in your life.
Your ministry may occur outside the church, but are you yourself outside the church as well, or are you under covering?
Jen Weaver
3. Adhere to a standard
What are your guidelines? This includes identifying your statement of beliefs, your character standards, and your ministry guidelines.
What’s your process? What checks and balances do you go through when starting something new or making a pivotal decision?
4. Cultivate an arsenal of friends
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 ESV
Identify friends you can trust to sharpen you as an instrument useful to the Lord. Cultivate those relationships. Speak truth to each other. Invite them to speak into your life and see if they welcome the same from you. Find ways to be of support, encouragement, and yes, sharpening for each other.
5. Find trustworthy advisors
Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22 ESV
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:15 ESV
Who are your advisors? How do you seek out their counsel? How do you practice listening to what they insight they provide?
Having people around you who could be advisors isn’t helpful if you don’t invite them in, or wholesale disregard their counsel. This doesn’t mean you need to abandon yourself to blindly doing what they say either. Weigh the words they share with you. The Holy Spirit is your Chief Counselor, what does He have to say about their feedback and your next steps?
6. Be approachable (teachable)
Related to #5 above, respond with a teachable heart when advisors or other trusted people in your life come to you with instruction or insight. In fact, don’t wait for them to be the one to approach you. Who in your life can you approach for mentoring or feedback in your current season? Not sure? Let me help! Let’s schedule a free initial coaching session.
7. Acknowledge your shortcomings
Freely admitting our own shortcomings demonstrates self-awareness and helps us hold ourselves accountable to growth. This comes into play with aspects like making apologies when we mess up, communicating new changes with transparency, and asking for help from those whose strengths differ from yours.
8. Always keep growing
We’re never done. If you choose to learn from your present circumstances and best efforts, you’ll be a better leader every “next time.”
Which of these items resonated most with you? Talk with God about what action step you can take now and let me know if I can help. Let’s schedule a free initial coaching session.
