It’s a feeling that everyone can relate to: too many tasks to complete and too little time. There are a few things that feel more overwhelming than looking at a full calendar or a lengthy to-do list while the clock ticks away. Feeling overwhelmed can lead to stress, anxiety and sometimes even depression. If your tasks are consuming all of your focus, time and energy, burnout is a likely result…

Over the last several months, we have looked at the competencies required for a mentor, supervisor or coach to lift the vitality of the leaders around them. Now it’s time to wrap up this series and recap what we have covered…

We have spent months looking at the competencies that are essential for an effective leader, almost completing our series last week with a blog on self-awareness. Growing these competencies (specifically self-awareness) leads to the growth of another important, overarching necessity in leaders: emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to see, understand and manage emotions in yourself and others, and to have the humility and wisdom to rely on others when you are struggling to do so…

Why does self-awareness matter? Throughout every individual’s journey of transformation, there are challenges, some small and some seemingly insurmountable.  Without self-awareness, we cannot hope to overcome these challenges, much less lead others in facing their struggles. The sense of self can vary greatly between one person and the next: wise and healthy leaders need to be intentionally developed in this area. There have been various stages of my own life where I felt self-aware, only to look back and realise that there was much I wasn’t seeing. Self-awareness is not some epiphany that comes once in a lifetime and gives all the insight one will ever need; it is a process of continual discovery, and growth of self-awareness often leads to even more questions to ask oneself…

For dedicated spiritual leaders, I have found that one of the most challenging areas of life to make time for is, ironically, spirituality. Despite spending much of our time and energy upholding services to our community and helping others on their journey towards spiritual transformation, our own relationship with God can often flounder…

If you have been following Verve Lead for even just a few weeks, you will know that I am a strong advocate for the work of mentors, coaches, and professional supervisors. Personally, having a mentor has brought me closer to God and my calling, and I believe that developing a relationship with a mentor is crucial for all ministry leaders. Given its positive impact, let us encourage everyone to participate in the process. There is, however, a hard truth: mentoring costs…

If you ask any marathon runner, they will tell you that running as hard as you can the entire race is impossible. There may be moments for sprinting and pushing yourself, but what is really important is finding a pace that you can maintain for miles at a time. There are times to slow down, drink water and find your breath. It’s about using your energy in a sustainable manner. This is also true for our professional lives; working hard constantly will only lead you to run out of steam before the race is over, compromising your goals, mental and emotional health, and making you much more susceptible to injury. A person who prioritises work over everything will likewise face risks over time; this can cause stress on relationships and negatively impact one’s physical, mental, and emotional health…

The word “boundaries” is being used more and more in current discussions of well-being, from licensed professionals to people wanting more control over their lives. It can feel like boundaries are just any reason to say no to something in order to avoid unpleasant feelings. However, truly healthy boundaries take more into account. It’s not all about saying no, but also about curating habits that support your needs, and prioritising them over distractions. Creating healthy boundaries means taking serious inventory of your values and reflecting on your personal and professional limits. The goal of boundaries for a mentor, supervisor or coach is to prevent harm coming to yourself and your clients…

For any Christian leader, having a trusted personal mentor, professional supervisor or coach is necessary. Even the most experienced leaders need another person’s insight for support and to ensure that they are developing and following proper practices. No matter how wise a person is, how much integrity or empathy they have, situations will always require a new perspective. A mentor/supervisor or coach is a comfort in difficult times and lets leaders rest knowing they are not alone in their struggles. There are three significant ways that a great mentor, coach or supervisor can help you: by upholding professional standards and by providing professional support and development…