Leading well under authority and advancing a shared vision.
You don’t have to be the person at the top to help an organization move forward. Whether you work in a business, serve in a nonprofit, or lead in a church, you can help advance the mission, carry the vision, and shape the culture from the position you’re in.
As a bivocational minister, I’ve spent much of my leadership experience in two roles at once: serving as the key leader in one organization while leading under someone else’s authority in another.
For 12 years, I owned and ran Butler Branding. I was the key leader. The buck stopped with me. At the same time, I served as an elder and teaching pastor at The Word Community Church, leading under the authority of my pastor, Bishop JR Coleman.
A year after planting Ekklesia, I sold Butler Branding to Archer & Hound Advertising and joined their team as Creative Director. My roles had essentially reversed. I was now the key leader in our church while professionally serving under the authority of the agency’s owners.
Both experiences have shaped how I think about leadership. I know what it means to carry the responsibility of setting direction, and I know what it means to help carry out a vision entrusted to someone else.
I recently walked our leadership team at Ekklesia through a short training on “leading up”—how to lead well when you’re not the primary leader. While our conversation focused on church leadership, the principles apply wherever people work together toward a shared purpose.
Leadership
Leadership, simply put, means you’re going somewhere and people are following. It assumes you know where you’re going, believe the destination is worth pursuing, and invite others to join you. Leading means using your influence to inspire and guide people toward a shared goal, building trust and commitment rather than relying on coercion or your title alone.
Organizations are coordinated groups of people working together in a structured way toward a shared purpose. In every organization, everything rises and falls with leadership. The way leaders serve, make decisions, and work together shapes the health of the whole organization.
The Key Leader Needs a Leadership Community
Many organizations have a recognized key leader who takes primary responsibility for articulating the vision, guiding the direction, and shaping the culture. That person needs a community of leaders who help support, strengthen, and carry out the mission.
At Ekklesia, we have a recognized lead pastor serving under Christ and His Word, alongside fellow elders who share in shepherding, governing, and teaching the church; deacons who serve its tangible needs; and other ministry leaders who lead and carry out its various ministries.
In a business, that community might include department heads, managers, and team leads. The roles differ, but the principle carries over: a key leader needs others who take ownership of the shared work.
Leading Down and Leading Up
Leading down means faithfully leading those entrusted to your care. As a Christian, I look to Jesus’ model of servant leadership. Jesus gave direction, made decisions, and called His disciples to follow Him. He also washed their feet and laid down His life for them. Exercising authority and serving others belong together (Mark 10:42–45; John 13:12–15).
Leading up means advancing the mission as a leader serving under authority. It means taking ownership of the shared vision, supporting those entrusted with its direction, and helping those you lead embrace and carry it out.
Most leaders have responsibility in both directions. You may lead a team while reporting to someone else. How you follow influences how your team learns to follow, too.
Leaders Worth Following
All of this assumes you are part of an organization led by people of integrity and character, pursuing a mission worthy of your commitment. Leading up requires trust in the leaders you are following and conviction about the work you are advancing.
It never means ignoring misconduct, excusing wrongdoing, or surrendering your judgment. In a church, our ultimate allegiance is to Christ and His Word. In any organization, supporting leadership includes being willing to speak honestly and pursue accountability.
How to Lead Up Well
1. Know and embrace the shared vision, philosophies, and culture.
Learn what the organization is pursuing, why it matters, and how it approaches the work. Understand the convictions, language, and practices that help people move in a common direction.
At Ekklesia, we call our shared language “Ekklesia-isms”—the particular words and phrases we use to communicate who we are, what we believe, and how we carry out the mission. This includes how we define a disciple, our gathering, our missional strategy, liturgy, Formation Pathways, and membership expectations.
Your organization probably has its own version: core values, service standards, operating principles, or particular ways of describing its work. Even if you would typically use different words, learning and adopting shared language builds unity and helps you lead consistently.
2. Support and strengthen the work.
Leadership means personally participating in the work you encourage others to embrace. Be present, follow through, use your gifts, and take responsibility for helping the team succeed.
At Ekklesia, we talk about investing our time, talent, and treasure: showing up, serving faithfully, using our gifts, and giving generously.
In a workplace, that commitment takes a different form. It means giving your attention and ability to the work, honoring your responsibilities, helping solve problems, and supporting the people around you. When you see a need, consider what you can contribute to meeting it.
3. Promote and advocate for the mission.
Help others understand what the organization is doing and why it matters. Learn the reasoning behind its direction so you can explain it clearly and invite others to participate.
At Ekklesia, that includes understanding the biblical convictions behind our approach and inviting people into the life and mission of the church.
In any organization, it also means handling disagreements well. Bring concerns honestly to the people who can address them. Hold personal preferences with humility, avoid fueling gossip, and work toward resolution. You can ask hard questions, offer correction, and advocate for change while treating people with honor.
Lead by Example
These commitments extend beyond formally recognized leaders. At Ekklesia, we ask them of every member who calls the church home. But we expect our leaders to model them first and invite those they lead to join them.
The same applies in other organizations. Whatever your title, you have an opportunity to influence the people around you through the way you participate in the shared work.
You don’t have to be the key leader to help advance the mission, carry the vision, and shape the culture. Leading up means taking ownership of your role and faithfully doing your part.