private and public life in ministers. In my situation, I was quite out of respect of what was happening and the people involved. But, I was still leading. However, because of my quietness, it allowed others, louder than I, to talk, to make baseless accusations and to spread gossip. I was quiet and allowed others to do what they chose to do. I was quiet and I got blasted for it, even though I was trying to protect others. I could have said more, given an explanation, but didn’t. When I finally spoke up, the damage was already done. I’m not saying that if you are quiet by nature you can’t be a real leader. Or, that you need to go out and start over-stating your opinion to others. You do not need to become the most vocal person on your team or staff to be an effective leader. But what I am saying is that fellow quiet people do need to share what they are thinking and their opinions in some way or form. If not, we tend to get walked on by stronger personalities and then we have the possibility of bitterness seeping in. If you do not like speaking up, here are some things you can do to be an effective quiet leader:
- Write down what you want to say and then share it at the appropriate time in a private one-on-one time. You can email it but I would suggest in person is better. “Tone” can be hard to tell on email.
- When asked if you have an opinion, share your thoughts. I know this sounds obvious, but often times if I was asked my opinion, I would say “no”. It doesn’t have to be something major, but a simple insight will go a long way. Share respectfully, but share.
- Lead and influence by example. You may be quiet but you can lead by example and show people what it means to be a leader. You will earn respect and trust.
Also, if you are interested in being a Digital Missionary or if you want to learn digital tools to expand your reach in ministry this year, check out the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group!
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