Being a leader is no easy task, but it can definitely be a rewarding one. For those of you striving to lead girls ministry teams within your church or community, here are five key steps to increase the effectiveness of your leadership.

1. Cast the vision clearly and often.
   It is difficult to follow when there is no clear direction, so be certain that each of your team knows your ministry vision and mission inside and out. At least a small portion of your regular meetings should revolve around the reiteration and re-casting of the ministry’s purpose. Otherwise, it is far too easy for the vision to become splintered, resulting in activities that are not aligned with the overall goal.
   
2. Believe in and empower each woman to do her best for God.
   To truly believe in them, you must spend time investing in them as individuals. Go for coffee, meet for lunch, take an annual leadership retreat – all of these options create an environment for true bonds to develop. To truly empower your women, be certain that they each have an area of responsibility that is solely theirs. Ask what tools they need and equip them accordingly – then let them lead.
   
3. Learn constantly and be faithful to share the knowledge.
   As the leader, you must never stop learning. Read, read, read, and then read some more. We live in an age when there are many resources available at an affordable price. Find the best of those resources and then invest in your leaders by sharing the material with them.
   
4. Earn their trust by respecting their time.
   People are busy, plain and simple. Because of that immutable fact, you must learn to maximize the time you have with your leaders. Outline the agenda ahead of time and share it with your team via email. Ask them to prepare for the meeting in advance by reviewing the planned discussion items. Set an allotted time for your meeting and stick to it. By honoring their time, they will be more likely to honor yours by attending faithfully and preparing well.
5. Hold them accountable and speak the truth in love.
   Growth happens within the context of godly accountability, and your leadership team should be a safe environment for truth-telling to exist. Love your team members enough to hold them accountable for their responsibilities and the manner in which they execute them. When they join your team, they must do so with the understanding that accountability is part of the package.