Creativity Gift

The Administrative Leader

Highlights

· Address the detailed operational tasks associated with any project

· Support the accomplishment of a vision, but is motivated by resourcing and supporting their leadership in accomplishing tasks

· May struggle with multi-tasking, preferring rather to work from a check-off list

· Bring to the team an eye for the many practical and administrative details that must be addressed

· Highly dependable and conscientious project support team members

Report

Every ministry requires good stewards and managers, people with gifts of administration (Acts 6). Any vision or change requires people who are able to plan, problem solve, delegate and organize. Without this gift, the best plans may not get implemented. The apostles delegated the practical tasks of sharing food and taking care of the widows to those gifted with the necessary skills, including Stephen and Philip.

Administrative Leaders are often under-appreciated, having a leadership style which is less "up-front" than some of the other styles. However, much of the work simply would not get done without them. They are able to organize and follow through on all the necessary tasks and activities to ensure that projects are completed on time. They may struggle to relate to visionary leaders, not because they are unable to appreciate a vision, for they often highly value a noble vision, but they may become quickly overwhelmed by the many practical details that they perceive must be accomplished. Administrative Leaders are 100% committed to addressing the practical operational issues of any task.

Administrative Leaders are highly skilled at handling the details associated with any project. They are able to help people be successful. In fact, they may see themselves as the “Power behind the throne”. Administrative Leaders are at their strongest addressing the ongoing operational management of a project. The Administrative Leader is a practical detail-oriented person. The Administrative Leader can successfully serve an organization or a project for an extended period of time. Administrative Leaders put the plans of the Strategic Leader into action. They provide a level of accountability that is necessary to ensure that each task is done, and done right! Administrative Leaders provide a practical bridge between the ideal plans of the Strategic Leader and the practical people-oriented tasks of the Team Leader. The Administrative Leader is generally not comfortable serving in entrepreneurial roles. While the Administrative Leader may also have some level of skill as a Strategic Leader or Team Leader, they will be most comfortable addressing and managing the practical operational details of an organization, along with its many projects. However, multi-tasking skills are not typical among Administrative Leaders. Administrative Leaders are people of incredible focus and will tend to work their way logically down a list of responsibilities. The Administrative Leader will likely receive the greatest personal satisfaction when he or she is able to observe how they have enabled others to be successful in their areas of responsibility, as well as observing how many duties they have “checked-off” their to-do list.

Administrative Leaders are very task-oriented. Administrative Leaders typically claim that they care about people…and will likely cite the many tasks that they have accomplished which have empowered people to do the work of ministry. Because they are naturally task and detailed oriented, they may unfortunately be perceived by others as being very “professional,” yet emotionally cool and relationally aloof. The Administrative Leader is typically unaware of how other people may be feeling in this regard. After all, from their perspective, they are simply trying to help others be successful! They are convinced that if people adhere to their practical support, everyone will benefit in the end. When people do not affirm their supportive efforts, the Administrative Leader may respond with confusion and an over-whelming sense of failure. They may respond to disaffirmation by assuming that they missed some valuable information, inspiring the Administrative Leader to conduct more research in an effort to gain affirmation of their support. Ultimately, if their support is rejected, the Administrative Leader will likely receive the rejection personally…believing that they have failed their leaders and subordinates. This sense of failure, and the resulting feelings of guilt, will inspire the Administrative Leader toward one of two extremes: 1) either they will double their efforts and work tirelessly and sacrificially to support the needs of their superiors and subordinates, or 2) they will emotionally shut-down, become disillusioned, and seek to distant themselves from their perceived failure. Either extreme is unhealthy for the Administrative Leader as well as for the people he or she serves. Administrative Leaders have such an intense internal sense of responsibility that they will likely blame themselves for their perceived failures…real or imagined…for years to come. This inner sense of responsibility to the people they serve, and the projects they support, is both a blessing and a curse. They may work tirelessly to ensure the success of others and their projects, even sacrificing their personal life, their family, and their spiritual life in the process.

In a team context, the Administrative Leader will bring to the team an eye for the many details associated with accomplishing a project or running an organization. The Administrative Leader should be given responsibility for supporting the implementation of the many task-oriented details associated with completing a project or running the organization. Once the road map to success has been defined by a Strategic Leader, the Administrative Leader will ensure that the details are completed in the right way and according to designated time line goals. Administrative Leaders will naturally subordinate themselves to supporting Pioneering and Strategic Leaders, largely due to the fact that Administrative Leaders are not risk-takers. They are so focused on the details, that while they may be inspired by a vision, their motivation is in helping make the vision a practical reality.

Because of the relational challenges typically experienced within with in a team environment, Administrative Leaders should have responsibility over the tasks and details of a project, while the human elements of the project should be addressed by a Team Leader. The Administrative Leader will likely find that managing data and tasks is far easier than managing people. While they may have some people-management skills, care should be taken to protect the Administrative Leader from overwhelming stress caused by relational conflict. The Administrative Leader is wholly ill-equipped to pastor and encourage the team for an extended period of time. The team should have one team member whose primary responsibility is to pastor and encourage the team members emotionally, spiritually and relationally.

It is important that the Administrative Leader realizes that they cannot accomplish the many tasks alone…they need their team members and the team members need the Administrative Leader. 1 Corinthians 12 affirms that the Body of Christ is comprised of many different members who all need one another. The passage also affirms that God positions the members of the body, just as he has determined. God created the Administrative Leader and positioned him or her strategically in this world, at this particular time, and within specific churches because God intends for them to support ministry systems, as well as personally resource those who do the work of ministry. With the support of the Administrative Leader, the Kingdom of Christ will be propelled forward within a world that desperately needs to know the power and love of the God who himself supports those who call upon him to accomplish his will and purposes within this world.

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