Are you an Enabler or a Mentor?

I recently read an article written by Bishop Joseph Mattera http://www.josephmattera.org/. I have altered the article to make it fit our business, but I didn't alter it very much. Enjoy this and feel free to comment:

6 Traits of an Enabler:

1. You accommodate your message and approach based on the commitment level of your group rather than keeping a high standard of excellence. Your goal tends to be to keep them happy and not make them uncomfortable.


2. You do not challenge your group when they are not performing at a very high level.


3. You do not integrate your vision into your group. You should teach and repeat your vision every chance you get. And encourage everyone to buy into the vision and tell others as a part of their daily lives.


4. You continually make excuses for those in your group when they are operating outside of the vision of the group or the leader. For example, they are too busy to attend a training or take a lead roll in your team.


5. Your group feels comfortable around you because you are reinforcing their low performance. This is due to your lack of conviction/passion or because you desire and need the group to like you.


6. You sympathize (rather than empathize) with your group when they complain about leadership and/or how hard it is to stay focused on the goal at hand.

8 Traits of a Mentor:

1. Your number one goal is to point people in your group to their dreams and goals, not to you. Thus, your primary concern is supporting your group to find their purpose and then go for it.


2. You do not hold back proper counsel. You teach on things that are uncomfortable like finances, tithing, relationships, forgiveness and commitment.


3. You continually pray for your group, your leadership and the vision of your team. You teach putting the vision above their own interests.


4. You encourage them to volunteer to serve the group so they learn to use their gifts and talents.


5. You challenge and coach them regarding personal growth, reading, devotional time, and time with their families.


6. You teach them, model for them, and exhort them to walk in forgiveness and build lasting relationships with their immediate families, their team and their mentors. Not basing the relationships on a self-centered "I, me, my" existence but on putting others before themselves.


7. You are empowering them to reproduce themselves by growing their team instead of being in survival mode or seeking comfort and having their own needs met.


8. Your goal is to feed them meat not milk. Everyone is new in the beginning of the journey, but eventually leaders have to transition in to performing and leading on their own.

If you want to please all people, become an entertainer, not a leader!