Below are some ways you can be a good leader and model good leadership in your home:
• Take time to know your children.
Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less. You cannot influence your children if you do not spend time to get to really know them. Do you know your children’s personalities? Do you know what moves them, what makes them laugh, what excites them? Do you know what problems and issues your children are dealing with? Do you know their strengths and weaknesses? How can you help your children develop strengths and overcome weaknesses if you don’t know what they are?
• Add value to your children.
Love your children unconditionally. Take the time to praise your children regularly for right choices and gently point out the choice they missed when they go astray. Give them age-appropriate responsibilities and let them stand or fall on their decisions. Reward them when they stand, correct them and lift them up when they fall.
• Demonstrate a Servant’s Heart
Take the time to involve your children in family activities and work. Include service projects for those outside your immediate family as well. This will help kids learn responsibility, teamwork (sharing and considering others) and a good work ethic. In his essay titled “Three Roles of the Leader in the New Paradigm,” Stephen Covey wrote, “There is no place where [the] spirit of service can be cultivated like the home. . . . People are supposed to serve. Life is a mission, not a career.”
• Have a Teachable Spirit
When you make a mistake be the first to say, “I’m sorry. I messed up.” This teaches your children that it’s ok to fail. Failing does not make one a failure. We all fail. Our response to failing determines whether or not we are a failure. Saying “I’m sorry. I messed up” shows that we understand that we are wiser today than we were yesterday.
Let your children see you learning, reading, listening to those who are more knowledgeable and experienced than you. Your children will see that learning is a life long process. Growth is a process not an event.
• Demonstrate Faith
Teach your children how to know God, love God, and serve God. If you want your children to grow up to serve God, then show them what serving God looks like. If you want your children to grow up to make a difference in someone’s life for eternity, then show them how to lead a person to faith in Christ. If you want your children to grow up to be givers, then show them what tithing and giving looks like. Teach them that leaders are givers.
Men, God has called you to be leaders in the home. Step up! Take the responsibility! Lead! Your children’s future depends on your leadership.
