Leadership Development - More Characteristics to Look for in Emerging Leaders

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

Our topic for 2026 is Leadership Development. In my last episode, I introduced some characteristics that I look for in potential emerging leaders. Those attributes are an identity firmly rooted in Jesus Christ and humility.

Today, I want to introduce you to two more things to watch for. What is someone’s track record or their history? Have they been entrusted with small leadership responsibilities, and were they successful? Do others look to them – or defer to them – in situations where leadership is needed? Have they demonstrated a willingness and an ability to influence others? Or to motivate others?

Years ago, when I was a hiring manager, and we were interviewing candidates, our axiom was that “the best predictor of future performance is one’s past performance.” In other words, if a candidate had a strong history of accomplishment, there was a good chance that he or she would also be successful in a new role. On the other hand, it was very unlikely that someone would suddenly transform into an excellent worker just because they received a promotion or they stepped into a new position.

Leaders, as you intentionally look for potential new leaders, carefully investigate their history. Jesus taught in Luke 16:10 that “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” Emerging leaders are trustworthy and have shown success in small things.

As I am watchful for new leaders, I also look for areas of aptitude or competency. Do they possess a particular skill that is needed by the organization? In our VCP context, this might be a strong ability to cast vision or to effectively train others or to handle administrative tasks quite well due to outstanding computer skills. (You will notice that these are very different abilities, and very few people are good at such a wide variety of responsibilities.) As leaders, it is important for us to identify those with skills needed and to then assign them to roles where those abilities best contribute to the work.

Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” As leaders, we need to watch for those who are skilled in their work, and we then need to empower and enable them to apply those abilities in ways that maximize the fruitfulness of the ministry.

I will continue my thoughts on characteristics to look for in emerging leaders in my next podcast.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.