Paradigms in Gospel Leadership

Interview with Ron Edmondson

Here are seven hard paradigms I had to learn to be an effective leader:

1. I had to develop an ability to say no more than I get to say yes.
I love to say yes. It makes people happier. But I’ve learned always saying yes makes me very ineffective and eventually leads to burnout.

2. I have to be okay being unpopular.
A natural tendency is to want to be liked. I’ve learned, however, every decision makes some happy and some unhappy. 

3. I have to move forward at times in uncertainty.
I’ve never had all the answers before a decision had to be made.

4. I had to get comfortable challenging mediocrity.
I’ve learned as a leader it’s my job to challenge us to improve.

5. I had to lower my pride and admit I can be wrong.
I entered leadership believing I had answers. Sometimes I do. But I’ve learned my team often knows more than me.

6. I had to come to a reality where I couldn’t be everywhere or do everything.
As a creative, if I’m not careful, I’ll try to be too involved in everyone else’s work and the work I’m supposed to do suffers.

7. I had to realize sometimes the best thing to put on my calendar is rest.

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