I think most adults think it’s hard to build a relationship with a student. They think students are totally different from them and they can’t understand their world. I don’t really buy into this though. I think students have real needs and if you can meet those needs, you can have a transformational relationship with them. The key is to understanding those needs is what I like to call the cries of their heart. The four cries of a student’s heart are:

1. Spend Time with Me
Students know that your time is valuable, so when you give them your time, they know they are valuable to you. When students know you value them, they are willing to open their hearts to you. Here are some practical ways to spend time with students:
•    Take them places you are going
•    Go to their activities, for example: plays, sporting events and musical performances
•    Hang-out where they hang-out

2. Discover Me
Students have a favorite subject and it’s them. Not many people want to talk about their favorite subject so if you spend time asking them questions about themselves they will be your friend forever. Here are a couple of question to ask them:
•    What is your favorite movie, song or book?
•    What are your dreams, goals and fears?
•    Who do you like? (This may seem awkward, but few people actually ask them this question)

3. Connect with Me
Students have hobbies, interests and activities that they love. Some of these activities are the same things you love. Find common interest and bond over them. You may like the same sports teams, hobbies or cooking. When you discover something you connect on, plan a time to get together and do the activities together. Through a shared experience you will create a bond that will last.

4. Pursue Me
Students want to know that you will not quit on them. Many adults in their lives have left them and they don’t want to be treated that way. By pursuing them you are demonstrating how much you care, so write notes (the best are the ones that come in the mail), make phone calls, text and ask to have coffee. All of this will communicate that you are different and that you care.

If you understand the four cries of a students heart you can build a transformational relationship with them.

Ever notice when students return from a mission trip they always talk about how they were impacted more than the people they went to help? We need to pay attention. Students are telling us that mission trips are more about their growth than their service. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying service is not important. I am saying we need to spend more time focused on their growth through the mission trip than the logistics of service. If you’re focused on logistics, you need to read this book so you can maximize your student’s mission trip experience.

Download it for FREE http://leadertreks.org/ebooks.html

As we are getting ready for the big snow storm here in Chicago I started to think about preparation. I know how to prepare for a storm because I was told 4 days ago that it was coming. But how do I prepare for leadership challenges that I can’t see? As leaders we have to be prepared for obstacles and opportunities we can’t see. After all only those who see the invisible will do the impossible. So how do we develop leadership vision to see what can’t be seen?

1. Believe in Better
Leaders must believe their ministries can be better, no matter what their situation. If a leader doesn’t believe in better, than obstacles will seem impossible and opportunity will seem undoable.

2. Trust Your Gut
God has placed you in leadership and he has given you everything you need to lead so trust your instinct. I have found that God not only gave me LeaderTreks but also gave me the wisdom to lead it. I am sure the same is true for you.

3. Push for Excellence
On the road to excellence you find more obstacles and opportunities then when you leave well enough alone. Your leadership vision will grow as you push and you will begin to see opportunities you could never imagine.

Working and serving on a team is satisfying. We get lots down and everyone shares the work load, so why don’t more ministries use teamwork? Most of us say we value teamwork but why don’t we actually use it? I believe we don’t use teamwork because it’s hard work. I know it sounds easy but to actually do it takes commitment and dedication. To have good teamwork you need three things:

1. Clearly Defined Roles
For teams to function at high capacity everyone needs to have a role and understand what is required of them. When team members do whatever they want, whenever they want, teams become disasters. To have clear roles leaders need to provide job descriptions. Those job descriptions need to be followed and leaders need to evaluate how people are doing. This is the number one place teams breakdown.

2. Clear Mission
Teams need to have one mission and do everything to support that mission. No mission is just as bad as multiple missions. The main job of the leader is to keep people focused on the mission. If the leader does this and people all support the mission, teamwork will be fun!

3. Equal Sacrifice
When teamwork is great it’s because the team has equal sacrifice. When people on the low end are doing all the sacrificing, jealousy and envy are not far behind. When the leaders are doing all the sacrificing then they become bitter towards who they are serving. Equal sacrifice will product a willingness to sacrifice more and will give people great joy!