“The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.” ~ John C Maxwell

There is a huge difference between addition and multiplication.  Adding followers to your cause is a good thing but multiplying leaders for your cause is so much better.  When you add followers, you simply grow in numbers.   When you multiply leaders, you grow in both capacity and consistency.  When you multiply leaders who multiply leaders, you gain limitless potential.

Getting bigger isn’t always better.  If your growth of followers outpaces your development of capable leadership, you will experience drift from your purpose and values.  Without the right leadership in place, fast growing organizations often face confusion and chaos.  This is the common fallout of undisciplined growth.

By intentionally multiplying and developing leaders, you create capacity for healthy and sustainable growth.  Having enough good capable leaders is foundational for maintaining your culture and staying on course with your mission. Always develop leaders ahead of your growth so they are already in place and ready when the growth occurs.  Practicing this discipline will help you avoid chaos and bring more clarity and consistency to your team through all the challenges of growing to the next level.

Your process for multiplying leaders must be very purposefully framed by your vision, mission and values.  Leaders working together toward clearly defined goals and guided by core values brings stability to an organization that is essential for healthy growth.  Growing by just adding to your numbers can only result in local and limited growth.  Preparing for sustainable growth by multiplying capable leaders with a unified purpose creates the potential for unlimited growth. 

Multiplying leaders will move your organization from “local and limited” to “global and generational” in your capacity.  This is why the early church leaders made multiplying leaders their priority.

I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. (Titus 1:5 NLT)

The early church leaders knew that they needed leaders of character aligned in their values and beliefs in order to sustain healthy growth and build capacity.  These leaders laid the groundwork for cause of Christ to become a global and generational movement.  Every time a group of new believers emerged during the missionary journeys of Paul and his team, they would appoint capable leaders in that town. 

Every organization needs three things in order to be successful: the right people, the right resources and the leadership capacity to grow.  You don’t want just any people; you need to right people equipped with the right resources.  You also need leaders who are prepared to lead at the next level before you get there. Take time today to evaluate the leadership development strategy of your organization.  Are you multiplying leaders?