5 Ways Covid Has Brought Leadership Changes

by Ron Edmondson, churchleaders.com

My leadership is different now than it was at the beginning of 2020. Covid has forever brought leadership changes–including for me.

1. More short-term planning.

I’ve almost dropped the five and 10 your plans from my leadership.  Of course, we still have long-term visions that drive us forward continually but it’s just hard to plan very far down the road these days. I’m doing more quarterly and six months planning.

2. Adaptable to change quicker.

People seem more willing to jump into a change project faster than they might have in past. That’s a good thing for leaders.

3. More appreciative of all team members.

Communication department. Tech department.  Facilities people.  What could we have done without them during the pandemic? Who on our team have we taken for granted? Everyone matters.

4. Appreciation for practitioners.

The people doing the work are the ones I want to learn from most.  I continue to consult with leaders but I never want to lose the experience on the ground. I always say “you can’t see what I see until you sit where I sit“.

5. Less fear of the unknown.

I’m not saying there’s no fear. That will always be a part of leadership, as well as anxiety and worry. Hopefully, we learn to manage those emotions. Yet, I am less surprised these days when the unexpected happens.

Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years of business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been helping churches grow vocationally for over 10 years.