8 Minute Read…
I’ve been asked perhaps 50 times. Maybe more.
If I wasn’t asked directly, people posed the question to a former staff member or friend.
The question, you ask?
“What’s the real reason you left Woodstock City Church?”
After nearly 13 years serving this church as lead pastor, I stepped down from the role for one specific reason:
It was time.
That’s the reason. Really, that’s why.
We (pastoring is a family affair) came to this community all those years ago to help revitalize a struggling church. We did that and watched it grow and change and grow and change and change some more. It was a fantastic journey, and we had a front-row seat.
But seasons come and seasons go. This was a great season, but as I evaluated my future, I just couldn’t shake the sensation that it was time for this season to end. As a Christian, I believe this feeling was from God. God led us to Woodstock City Church, and now he was releasing me to do something new.
This move makes perfect sense if you know anything about my background, experiences, education, personality, and passions. I have an undergraduate degree and MBA in marketing. Before ministry, I spent a decade in the marketplace as a consultant. I completed my doctorate in church revitalization in 2020 and developed a framework to help leaders navigate the challenges of leading change.
I don’t say any of that to brag. I say it to suggest my reason to end a season of pastoring one church and begin serving leaders in churches and the marketplace en masse seems pretty apparent. Dare I say logical.
So, why did so many people question the reason? Why did people on social media demand more transparency? Why did anyone assume there must be more to the story? Why must there be something not being said?
I guess because we so rarely see trustworthy, transparent transitions.
In fact, we rarely see trustworthy, transparent leaders.
Healthy transitions are only possible when trusting leaders create transparent organizations.
Our world is full of unhealthy leaders! Egotistical leaders. Narcissistic leaders. Controlling leaders. Insecure leaders. Leaders with identity issues. I could go on, but you get the point.
I’ve been that leader at times. While I left Woodstock City Church healthy and with transparency, I’ve not always been the epitome of emotional leadership health. Heck, on any given day, I may fall into old, poor leadership habits. We are all broken, and therefore have a propensity to lack emotional health.
But, in leaving my role, why was something nefarious assumed? As I received and heard all the questions about my exit, it reminded me that we live in an era of mistrust, misinformation, and disinformation. Too many leaders have not treated us to and trusted us with the truth, leaving us all floundering in a sea of uncertainty.
This lack of truth and transparency is why conspiracy theories take hold, by the way. Most conspiracies are so far from reality they should be laughable. Still, to a person striving for any semblance of certainty, anything solid is better than something that feels false and fluid.
In our world today, we are experiencing:
- Political leaders purposely spreading misinformation for the sake of their personal platform and future votes.
- Media leaders (AKA: cable news channels) creating an echo chamber, catering to fake outrage, fear, and personality popularity, all for viewership ratings (profit).
- Business leaders deceiving the public in the name of profit.
- Religious leaders publicly pretending to be something they privately are not, hiding issues of impropriety.
We live in a time where leadership distrust is the default. And for that, I get it. It seems too many leaders are untrustworthy for us to choose trust easily.
Hence all the questions about my exit. People simply aren’t prepared for trust and transparency.
“What’s the real reason you left Woodstock City Church?” is a question worthy of the world around us.
The questions about my exit didn’t frustrate me, though. They disappointed me. It’s sad to admit we live in an era when trust is so low while ego and selfish ambition is so high. We can’t control the world other leaders have created, but we can build our organizations on a foundation of trust.
I know you desire trust to be foundational in your leadership. Whatever season you are in, it will eventually give way to an end. When that occurs, you’ll want to end well with the ability to be honest about your exit. You ensure future trust by providing present transparency.
Here are 10 things trustworthy leaders always do. If you’re not currently living these out, there’s never been a better time to start:
1. Deal with your past.
If your past is affecting your present, it’s not really your past. Every person has a past, and every past created some scars. The better you can address your past, the more apt you’ll leave it in the past. We all know political, business, and religious leaders who allow their past to dictate their present. Trustworthy leaders don’t let past scars create present wounds.
2. Take responsibility for your leadership.
We live in a world of shame and blame. Taking responsibility is painful, but it’s what grownups do — especially leaders. When you make a mistake, own it. When your organization makes a mistake, take one for the team. Pass along the credit, but accept all the blame. You’ll build trust in the process. Trustworthy leaders take responsibility for the wake of their leadership.
3. Tell the truth, even when it hurts.
The truth often hurts. Honest leaders often must admit mistakes, ask for forgiveness, and admit they don’t know. No wonder we don’t do this naturally. Telling the truth isn’t a sign of weakness but strength. Start telling people the truth. When you are unsure about a pending decision, admit it. When you need to confront someone, do it in love and truth. Trustworthy leaders are honest, no matter the consequence.
4. Say you’re sorry.
And not like a toddler without a choice. When you mess up, fess up and ask for forgiveness. When you offend or hurt someone, refuse to be defensive and instead ask for forgiveness. I mean, everyone around you knows that you messed up. Better to admit it openly through a posture of humility. Trustworthy leaders apologize when they are wrong.
5. Remain open-handed.
Pride tells us that we know what to do because, in our pride, we assume we’re the smartest in the room. If you are the most intelligent person in your organization, the organization (and you) are in trouble. You might be incredibly gifted, but you’re not the most talented at every aspect of leadership. Open-handed leaders are able and willing to listen to the wisdom of people not like them while incorporating new suggestions into their approach. Trustworthy leaders resist pride by taking a posture of learning.
6. Care equally for people and productivity.
People are not a means to an end. People are a means in and of themselves. Yet, as a leader, there is another end we call the mission. Our organization is a combination of people and products. We need to lead the first to enhance the second. Trustworthy leaders prioritize people and productivity, realizing they are inextricably linked.
7. Hold people accountable.
This one is difficult because it requires an element of confrontation. Holding people accountable is critical to organizational success. Accountability is how we grow, and evaluated experiences create the crucible for accountability. Trustworthy leaders set systems and expectations in place, then hold people accountable to them. In doing so, they elevate expectations to the surface while building trust.
8. Listen to people with different perspectives.
I’m an ENTJ, Red temperament, Enneagram 8, Driver/Director RightPath profile. Name your flavor, and I’ll lean a Type “A” challenger. If you’re thinking, “Wait, that doesn’t seem like a typical pastor profile,” join the club!
My personality was advantageous to some extent, and it was a disadvantage in others. I learned along the way that people like me are the easiest for me to work with, but they didn’t offer different perspectives to enhance decision-making, communication, and innovation. We are leading organizations filled with unique personalities. Trustworthy leaders intentionally surround themselves with people not like them. Then, they listen to them.
9. Communicate openly and clearly.
I’m not talking about preaching well, although there is much trust to be gained from preaching competence if you’re a pastor. As a leader, I’m specifically referring to how you handle information and pass it along within the organization. Information is power; therefore, people tend to withhold information for selfish gain. Trustworthy leaders prioritize openness and clarity in their communication, because openness battles dishonesty while clarity removes uncertainty.
10. Know yourself to become the best version of yourself.
Leaders tend to believe they need to have it all together: all the capabilities, all the skills, all the capacity, and all the answers. That’s ridiculous. A leader who pretends to have it all together is untrustworthy. For one, your lacking will eventually become evident to all, creating distrust. Next, you’ll never be fully you. People can sniff out a fake like a dog sniffing out that dropped scrap of chicken. Trustworthy leaders know themselves, lead as themselves, and surround themselves with complementary leaders.
Quick note: “Being you” isn’t a pass for poor behavior. “I’m just harsh, so get used to it” isn’t okay. The best, most healthy version of you is what your organization needs.
Conclusion…
Walking away from Woodstock City Church wasn’t easy. Leaving my role, our staff, and the congregation is a loss I’m still grieving. But, I am proud that we prioritized trust and transparency along the way. While some have asked about the “real” reason for my departure, the vast majority believed my reason the minute they heard. Why? Because as a church organization, we have always ensured trust by providing transparency.
When you consider this list, which behavior is the easiest for you? Which is most challenging? It may be worth asking those around you for some feedback.
How can I help?
Coaching ministry and marketplace leaders to make things better and make better things is why I created Transformation Solutions. That includes your leadership of the people and organization.
Go right now to mytransformationsolutions.com and sign up for a free, 30-minute conversation to decide if working together works for you.
