Ask Steve
Lessons to learn from 2021
ATTITUDE The danger of dominance
The longer I have worked with churches and charities, the more that I have seen the harmful impact when one person dominates. It is often (but not always) the ‘founder’ or, if not the founder, someone who has, by their skill and personality, driven the ministry forward. It is called ‘founder’s syndrome’. There is a vital place for leadership which is clear, dynamic and inspiring. But I would add one word to that, without which those others are important – but ultimately a liability and not an asset. That word is ‘teachable’.
We learn from mistakes. It is always better to learn from others’ mistakes than from your own (although sadly we are never exempt!) and 2021 has been a year when there were mistakes made in the realm of Christian charity finance and governance that we can all learn from. I have picked three that I hope are useful.
In 2021 we have seen an international Christian ministry, a large church in the UK, and a number of more local ministries have their effectiveness seriously damaged with financial mismanagement, complaints of abuse, team members ‘frozen out’, and the key leaders resigning as a result of personal dominance.
I have categorised them under the headings of attitude, accountability and administration. These three characteristics form the basis of our AAA rating for churches and charities – or what makes an organisation good with money.
To maintain a healthy attitude, key leaders need to be ‘servant leaders’ who encourage other views, receive criticism, and develop team leadership. 28
