image from iStockphoto, user: LDF

You might think that great leaders always leave you confident of the product (or service, or idea) that they’re “selling.”

You might think that great leaders always leave you with a clearer understanding of a key idea or concept.

You might think that great leaders have to be a certain age or stage in life.

But if that’s your sum total of a great leader, you’ve missed out on the one thing that all great leaders do well.

Great leaders leave you feeling better about yourself.

When you meet with a great leader, you feel more confident in God’s call on your life.

They aren’t afraid to point out holes, and prod into the areas that need work.  But somehow, when your time with them is up, you feel more confident and sure of your leadership than before you’d met.

Great leaders look for tiny glimmers of hope and expose it for you to see.  They look for areas where God’s working and say, “Do you see that?”  They listen for God’s voice and sound the trumpet when He’s working in your life.  Great leaders see the best in you and say, “Do more of that!”

I only know a couple of great leaders.  And I love when I get to sit down with them.

Great leaders encourage.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up… – 1 Thessalonians 5:11