Know - Grow - sow
You’re a leader, even if you don’t think you are. Leadership is less about a title and more about influence. Most likely, someone in your life right now is observing who you are and what you do, and they’re following after you (whether you realize it or not). They could be a co-worker, friend, family member, or acquaintance. Or even someone in a previous season of life whom you had a profound impact on through something you said or did, without you even being aware of it.
Leading positively in what you do and who you are in the everyday spaces and moments of life is profoundly significant. By being an everyday leader, you create ripples of impact and influence that can build lasting change and transformation. You inspire others to grow and be the best they can be. You foster collaboration and build confidence in yourself and others. You can even help change the trajectory of someone’s life.
Given the significance of leading well, how can we be more intentional about becoming leaders who leave a legacy of positive leadership, influence, and lasting impact? Our “know- grow- sow” principle provides guidance.
What do you know? Where can you grow? Who can you sow into? When you answer these questions, you can start being intentional about who you’re leading, how you’re leading, and possible outcomes of your leadership.
KNOW
What do you know? In what areas are you an expert? At times we can feel like an imposter, like we’re not competent or confident in what we do, when we actually know a lot! But you don’t have to be a master to be an expert at something. Think about a hobby you do or your job or your own faith journey. If you’ve spent 100 hours actively learning something (that’s approximately one hour a day for three months), you are much more competent in that activity than the majority of the population.
Another way to identify what you know is to ask yourself the question: “What am I passionate about?” or “What makes my heart sing?” It’s likely that you know a great deal about things you’re passionate about because you’ve taken the time to learn and grow in that area. Or maybe simply asking these questions raises your awareness so that you can start growing in that area.
GROW
Where can you grow in your knowledge, skills, and abilities in the areas of expertise that you identified? Or if you identified something that makes your heart sing or sparks a passion in you, and you don’t know much about it, how can you begin a season of growth in that area to increase your knowledge, skills, and abilities? Some practical ways to grow in knowledge and ability are through online learning (like YouTube videos or instructional courses), reading books, finding a mentor, volunteering, taking a class, or engaging in meaningful discussions with like-minded friends. (A great opportunity to grow in knowledge is by attending our Groundwork community nights.)
By continuously learning and growing, we become more capable, well-rounded individuals who can then pour into others in a deeper, more meaningful way. Growth can also give us a new perspective on what we do and how we do it so that our impact as a leader is multiplied.
SOW
Once you’ve identified what you know and where you need to grow, then ask yourself: “Who can I sow into as a mentor?” Is there someone in your life who would like to know what you know and is hungry to grow? It could be someone in your family, church, workplace, or other personal spheres of influence.
Mentorship doesn’t have to be an overly formal process, and you don’t have to know everything to be a mentor. As a mentor, you’re a listening ear and trusted ally to discover where a person is struggling or facing challenges, areas where they want to grow, areas of weakness that need further development, and goals they’d like to achieve. You’re sowing into their life by encouraging them; sharing relevant experiences, knowledge, and wisdom; and offering constructive feedback, an unbiased opinion, honest advice, accountability, and guidance.
Pray about who in your life may be ready for a mentoring relationship with you. Create a simple plan for how that might look (for example, how you’ll invite them, when and where you’ll meet (and for how long), what your first meeting will look like, etc.).
Along with your own personal development as a leader, the principle of know- grow- sow is also “others-centered.” While modeling it to those you lead, you’re also helping them know, grow, and sow along the way.
