Week 4: Empowering Those Around You (10.26.2026)

Podcast: Maxwell Leadership

Description: John shares three distinct traits of an empowering leader.

Discussion Questions:

In your own life and ministry context, where have you hesitated to empower someone—even when they seemed ready? What fears or patterns held you back?
How does building trust in your congregation or team create a safe environment for empowerment? Can you share a moment when trust (or lack thereof) influenced mentor–mentee growth in your own journey?
John says developing leaders involves delegating authority. What’s a concrete step you could take this week to delegate meaningful responsibility to someone—perhaps a volunteer or junior team member —to foster their growth?
Maxwell suggests great leaders make themselves replaceable. As a pastoral leader, how could you work toward this—ensuring that others can carry the mission forward if you’re not there? Why is this important for ministry sustainability?
Empowering others often involves letting go—but how do you maintain healthy accountability so that new leaders feel supported yet responsible? What structures or practices help you strike that balance?

Required Reading:

How to Win Friends and Influence People
Part Four: Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

What makes feedback feel life-giving rather than discouraging?
Why does correction often trigger defensiveness - for both the giver and receiver?
Which of Carnegie’s approaches to correction do you find most wise or difficult?
How can leaders tell the truth about a problem without minimizing its seriousness?
What role does self-awareness play when giving feedback?
How can publicly honoring growth and privately addressing concerns shape a healthy ministry culture?
What does it mean to give people a good reputation to live up to?
Think of someone you are responsible to develop. What is one next step that combines clarity, encouragement, and appropriate support?