Seven Steps to Building Powerful People

Originally posted on: idreamculture.com –

Going after your dreams was never meant to be outside of the context of community. Even better, part of our mandate is to inspire, encourage and empower those around us into their dreams. If you take what I give you and go further with it, you have honored me and I celebrate that. So how do you intentionally develop people around you?

One of my heroes who is phenomenal in intentionally building the people around him is Steve Backlund of Ignited Hope Ministries. Steve is also a Pastor with Global Legacy at Bethel Church. In spite of his full itinerary and other commitments he has a team of interns that rave about how well he purposefully and intentionally develops them.

Steve recently gave a group of leaders his insights on mentoring in the form of the acronym I.N.T.E.R.N.S:

I – Include. Jesus appointed the disciples that they might BE WITH HIM and that He might send them out to preach (Mark 3:14). In every way possible include them in what you do. “How can I creatively have them as part of what Im doing?” Giving them opportunities to do things with you… maybe a one minute introduction, or  a 3 minute mini-presentation, or a 5 minute word to your team in the morning… It validates them as part of you rather than just a task.

N – Need. I need my interns. Send them that message. Jesus said to His disciples “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch WITH ME.” (Matthew 26:38) Jesus needed his interns! “God has chosen you not just because you need me but because I need you!” Ask them for their perspective. Ask them for their thoughts and feedback on how you are doing and how you can develop. Before you give them feedback on what they are doing, ask them to give you feedback. Raise their value with you and open the heart connection to another level.

T – Train. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  Timothy 2:2. Intentionally develop them.

1. Life management – how can you help them grow in LIFE and not just in a specific thing. Personal life, finances, relationships, conflict management. Give them resources, messages, that will develop them in other areas. How are they doing with their health? How are they doing in relationships outside of ‘work’? How can they be prepared to thrive in life?

2. Beliefs – what we believe is more important than what we do. Your future will be transformed by what you think today. Focus more on beliefs behind the actions than the actions themselves. What are the lies they believe about themselves? How can you introduce them to truth? What lies are holding them back? What do they need to believe in order to thrive?

3. Ministry skills or skills associated with their specific role. Opportunities to lead meetings, receive and give feedback. Debrief your activities afterwards in order to gain understanding and secure the learning for the future. What did we do well? What could we do better? What did we learn? What principle is behind that?

E – Empower. Give them something to have ownership of. Jesus send the disciples out two by two. Give them the freedom of how to come up with the plan. Responsibility and authority to act/implement. Refrain from micro-managing. Refrain from doing for them what they can do for themselves. Treat them as who you want them to be and call them UP. Give them a goal or target then let them work out the how-to (but keep open connection and accessibility as they may well need to come to you for pointers on the way).

R – Reproduce. ”…who will be able to teach others also.”  Timothy 2:2. Involve your interns with setting up systems, and structures for the next interns coming. Utilize them to help find other interns, internalize their learning, leading small groups. Who can they develop as you develop them? Can you use them to do aspects of the training you want to do with them, with each other? Recruit teams of people to help you do your job. Its easier to have a future intern out of existing relationship – your own relationships or those of your interns. Who would they recommend to be your next years interns?

N – Notice. They are really important to you. Communicate it, using words if you have to! And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as [is] the manner of some, but exhorting [one another], and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24. Notice the good things they are doing. Public praise is incredibly powerful IF you are specific. Make the most of private emails – “Here’s three things I appreciate about you.” Whatever you celebrate in your environment will grow. Notice what needs to improve and speak into it… because you have already established trust and value. Heart connections grow when you become sensitive to how they are really doing. Little things mean a lot.

S – Set them up for success in the future. Decision making skills. How do you decide what you are going to be doing with your life. How you make your decisions is more important than the decisions you make. What are your options? Break off fear of not knowing what to do. How can you set them up with connections in the future – the relationship will not be the same. Once you become part of my team you become part of my family forever. Use this years team to stay connected with last years team.

Which of the above steps was most significant for you? What will you do this week to put that into action?