BANANA LEADERSHIP

 

Growing In Colony

Everybody is a leader. If you are not leading others you are leading yourself. For you to live meaningfully, you need to have a leadership style that can enhance your performance. As for me, I have the Banana Leadership style. If you are used to seeing banana trees, you will notice that they grow in a colony. There is room for the young ones to grow, replace the older ones and bear fruits after their predecessors are cut off. Could it be why it is easy to cut?

Always plan with the growth of others in mind, who will replace you in future. You are not the only person God will use in your development. Some people will come around you for mentoring, while others will learn from a distance. Whichever way it goes, you should not neglect developing the right people who will take over from you eventually. If such people are not developed it means your ministry will easily fade out or lose focus when the wrong people are in charge.

Jesus has clearly demonstrated the leadership of developing others. He taught His disciples properly which made it possible for them to continue after His ascension.

A banana leader focuses on the following areas:

Looking For The Good In Others

It is easy to look for people’s weaknesses rather than their strengths. Those leaders who see beyond the weaknesses of people to their strong areas can achieve better results.

Giving People The Chance To Participate And Grow

A leader who does everything while the people working with him stand often as spectators will not be a banana leader. When he or she is not around, the system will collapse because nobody can manage it as the leader.

Leaving The Scene Willingly For Others To Continue When The Need Arises

When God was done with Moses, Joshua took over without crisis. Are you willing to allow others to continue from where you will stop?

Spending A Lot Of Time And Resources In Developing People

Don’t be afraid of investing in people. Let them enjoy their time with you before they leave. They will be useful wherever they go. You will have them as partners even outside your working environment.

Working With Others As A Team, Not Tools

Your co-workers are contributors, not tools to be used and dumped. People perform better as a team. It is your duty to ensure that you develop teamwork in your leadership circle.

Appreciates People

People want to be appreciated. A little appreciation can go a long way in developing the right motivation for the greater good of your area of responsibility.

Get involved in banana leadership.

Pusonnam Yiri (Theologian/entrepreneur)

(Excerpts from a chapter of his book, THE MEANINGFUL LIFE).