Strategic Skills of Top Christian Business Leaders
A master’s degree can prepare you to be a world-class leader in virtually any industry. Spring Arbor University’s online business programs integrate Christian values that can transform you into a highly regarded, highly successful leader with wisdom in business and in life.
Programs such as the online Master of Arts in Executive Leadership and the online MBA, include coursework that reinforces some of the most essential strategic communication skills that will make you a top Christian leader.
Leadership Guided by Christ
Jesus led by focusing on personal character first, using his own integrity as a foundation for his teachings. Without personal integrity, no one would have followed Jesus; the same can be said for a Christian business leader.
Jesus was also a servant to those he led, washing the feet of the disciples who followed him. A Christian entrepreneur and leader understands that he or she must demonstrate a dedication to the people being led. You can become a more effective leader by leading with a mind toward Jesus’ example, regardless of the faith of employees This will create a strong foundation for the other skills required by Christian CEOs, communications leaders and business owners.
Clear Communication
Like good leadership, good communication is difficult to define. As a business owner or leader, you may be tempted to create inspiring speeches or lead your employees with a steady stream of emails. However, you must remember that the best communication has clarity.
All of your communication, from company emails to one-on-one conversations, should emphasize exactly what you expect. Avoid unneeded redundancy; get to the point, make the point and get out. When someone walks away after communicating with a good leader, they know exactly what to do next. This is an essential skill for Christian leaders.
Knowing Where to Place People
Having good people on your team is crucial, but having them in the right place is just as important. After all, you wouldn’t have the best catcher on a baseball team playing centerfield any more than you’d have the best sales representative hidden in the accounting office.
Finding the right place for people can be difficult, and in many cases it takes time for someone’s skills to become clear. Having the skill to put people in positions where they will succeed will, inevitably, allow your business to succeed as well.
Delegation
An executive who thinks he or she can do it all is bound for failure. As a good leader, you have to delegate. Having the right people in the right seats will be extremely helpful, and if you have communicated properly, they should complete the task in the way that you expect.
Once again, we can look at Jesus for an example of leadership. He knew he couldn’t reach everyone, so he gathered his disciples and sent them out to preach on his behalf. Jesus delegated, and so should you.
Persuasion
If you communicate clearly and honestly, persuasion should come naturally. Persuasion essentially means getting people to follow a desired course of action, and this skill often starts by identifying the needs and preferences of those you’re trying to persuade. It will also include establishing a relationship.
Persuasion involves listening so you can tailor messages to best influence a person’s action, but persuasion does not mean deception, it simply means showing people why a certain action or commitment is best. Persuasion was essential to spreading Jesus’ message, and it’s crucial in your role as a Christian business leader.
Organizational Management
Now more than ever, businesses are complex and far-reaching. Businesses can be complex vertically, with numerous levels designed to meet the needs of one market. They can also be complex horizontally, with departments across numerous markets, giving them a strategic advantage over the competition.
Business leaders need to have the skills to deal with these organizational complexities, ensuring greater success for everyone in the company.
Emotional Control
Being in control of your emotions does not mean being dispassionate, it simply means avoiding excessive displays of anger, frustration or despair. As a leader, you don’t have the luxury of sinking into low morale, you have to constantly maintain the stable emotional level that you expect from your employees.
While many people have this trait inherently, some leaders will need to develop emotional control, much the same way they develop strategic-thinking skills. Through education, experience and discipline, you can have the required emotional steadfastness to be a top-quality Christian business leader in any industry.
To find out more information on how a master’s degree in strategic leadership will help you become a more successful leader, contact the team at Spring Arbor University.
