Justin and I met in College and started doing ministry together in 1994. I have had the privilege of leading in various student ministries and in 2002 planted Genesis Church in Noblesville, Indiana. As the church quickly grew so did the demands and seductions of ministry and in 2005 our marriage imploded. You can read our story here.

Through the good and bad of 15 years of ministry there is one leadership lesson that often comes back to haunt me… insecurity. Insecurity in my opinion is one of the hardest leadership pitfalls to overcome. I know throughout my own family life and ministry career there have been seasons where I have had to fight through the tendency to lead out of my own insecurity.

You can read more of this post I wrote for the CultivateHer Blog HERE:

I was asked to be a gust writer on my friend Jenni’s Blog. Below is the post I wrote for her on Leading from the Second Chair.

Jenni and I met 8 years ago when my husbandJustin was on staff at the church she attended. We have recently reconnected as my husband took a job at Cross Point Church where Jenni serves as the Executive Director.

One thing that Jenni and I have in common is our passion for leadership. Each time we get together we enjoy deep discussions about how to be better leaders, how to help others be better leaders and what leaders are currently impacting our lives.

So you may be wondering what do I do for a living? What is my title…. Are you ready? Well sorry to disappoint you but I don’t have a title. I have always led from the SECOND CHAIR. Let me further explain. Justin has been a pastor for 13 yrs (you can read our story HERE). I have not only been his #2 leader at certain times in ministry, I have played that role for many other leaders without a title or pay. I have had offers and opportunities but for the past 13 years my primary focus has been being a full-time stay-at-home mom to my three awesome boys and a part-time/full-time leader from the second chair. So I am sure your are asking yourself… “then what does this chick know about leadership?”

Webster’s defines a leader as “Someone who leads.” Leadership is not defined by a title or the number of people you are leading. I have met many people that have big dreams or feel as if they don’t have a big enough dream that are either waiting for a title or a belief in themselves to make those dreams a reality. While they wait, they see others who are less gifted to lead take off in pursuit of their dreams. Often, frustration and defeat sets in and the once big dream has now turned into bitterness and resentment. While I don’t believe that all of us are wired to be CEOs or Executive Directors, I do believe that God has given all of us the gift to lead from the second chair!

Leading from the second chair for me has been birthed from two passions and three principles. I have a passion to help people find their way back to God AND to help them discover God’s purpose and plan for their lives. In order to make these passions a reality from the second chair, I have lived by these three principles:

1. Leadership is about influence and using that influence to spur others toward a common goal.
2. Leading from the second chair eventually requires you to learn to lead from the first chair or to submit to someone else’s leadership.
3. A GOOD leader leads… a GREAT leader teaches others to lead.

I have had the privilege to see first hand three women who lead from the second chair although there are many more I could write about! Angie has taken her pain of loss and grief and turned into a website and soon to be book. Although she is not counseling every person that’s on a similar journey, from the second chair she has provided encouragement, affirmation and hope! She and her best friend  Jessica also started a book club to provide further encouragement! My dear friend Brandi’s second chair leadership has MANY different facets, but one of my favorites is her blog. She uses her second chair to inspire, encourage and just make people laugh, that yes, even pastors’ families aren’t perfect.

Any further insights or experience you have had in leading from the second chair?

Below is a video that the Cultivate Her team and I produced to introduce the topic of “Bullying” this past Friday. If you are a woman that has the gift of leadership, you should really consider attending October’s Cultivate Her experience on Friday, October 16th, at 7:00 AM. For more info check out the Cultivate Her link on Jenni’s blog.

Cultivate Her – “Bullies” from Jenni Catron on Vimeo.

The Cultivate Her team share their own “bully” stories.