Written by Amie Gamboian

Read: Romans 12:3-8

I first remember using my leadership gift in 2nd grade when Mr. Peterson left me in charge of gym class to deliver an item to the principal’s office. Upon his return, he found the balls and jump ropes put away, and the children standing in a single file line ready to return to our classroom on time (and no one was fighting or injured!). When he asked the class how I’d done it, they said I’d shared what we needed to do and asked them to do it with me. The experience wasn’t hard or confusing; it felt natural and I was at ease.

I’ve been leading ever since and am grateful to use my spiritual gift to help leaders and teams transform. During a recent executive team retreat, the level of dysfunction and emotional reactivity were at a point of overwhelming the team, and their lack of unity and clarity was reverberating throughout the entire organization. I sensed a climate of extreme judgment with very little grace.

Committed to their transformation, I explained the possibility of becoming a healthy, high-performing team and the roadmap of how to get there. It wasn’t an easy or quick fix; it’s taken months of intentional focus for them to be in right relationship with themselves and others in order to grow into healthy influencers instead of title chasers.

As I pray over every leader, team, and board room I’m in, I thank the Holy Spirit for the gift of leadership and being a part of His incredible transformational work in the marketplace and in the church.