The Cost of Leadership Part 3

This is part 3 in The Cost of Leadership Series. If you missed it, read part 1 here and part 2 here.

Cost 3: the cost of learning new things. Maybe because I love to read, and always have lots of books going at the same time, you might think this is easy for me to say. Actually, just because I read a lot, doesn’t always mean I am learning new things. I must first admit I need to learn and then I must choose to learn. But I definitely do believe in continuing to grow and learn.

While at LifeWay, one huge learning challenge for me was technology. When I landed there in 1994, email was the big new thing! You young things were born into this digital world…not so for those in my age range! So what is somewhat innate for you, is definitely NOT for me.

My job required that I use technology so I was always on a learning curve. Our IT department knew my “ring” from day one since I called them often! First, I had to understand that I wouldn’t break the computer if I did something wrong while using it. I also discovered, the younger generation was always willing to teach me what I needed to know if I was willing to learn.

Not only was technology something I needed to learn, but so were leadership in general, church ministry, relationships with women as well as family. These continue to be areas where I need to learn. Reading books and blogs, and listening to podcasts, as well as talking to people who know something I need to learn…that is how I seek new insights in my education.

Leading and learning go together whether it’s technology, women’s ministry, or leadership in general, not to mention spiritual disciplines (which I will address in detail in cost #4).

If we come to a place where we do not need to learn anything new, we have just arrived at “arrogance”. At times, I just need to learn I’ve been wrong about something I assumed was right.

Arrogance is not a place you or I want to be, so let’s continue growing and learning as we seek to serve Christ faithfully.