Many mission workers do not go to the field expecting to become leaders within their own organisations.  They go because they want to plant churches, do student work, or fulfil any of a number of other frontline roles.  Yet after a couple of terms they find themselves among the longest-serving people in their team, and are given a team leadership role.  Yet they may not have the management skills and leadership gifting to help them in their role as junior management.  Their previous life may not have involved any management training, and they might not have had much opportunity to develop any leadership skills they have.

This has negative consequences for them and for their team.  Uncomfortable in their role, and somewhat guilty that they’re no longer doing the job they felt they were called to, they can either resort to an authoritarian leadership style, or abdicate their responsibility which leaves their team without direction.  The whole team suffers and leaders burn out quickly.

Last year, Syzygy took our first step in addressing this issue by teaming up with Springdale College: Together in Mission to produce our mentoring programme for mission leaders with Rick Lewis.  Now we’re able to add to that another joint project with Springdale – The Christian Executive Leader’s Course.

This course (or CEL, as we are calling it) acknowledges the fact that many people in executive leadership, whether in the UK or in the field, have had little opportunity for management training or to develop their natural giftings, and therefore are not fully equipped for the day to day task of running an agency.  As a result they can suffer unnecessary levels of stress, and can contribute to organisational inefficiency, or even collapse.

Our course looks to address this issue by providing training in financial management, HR, law, accounting and strategic management, among other things.  Modelled on equivalent secular management courses, each topic is delivered by qualified professionals in their field, and is available at a fraction of the cost that might normally be charged commercially.

Running for a full week, from 28th October to 1st November, CEL will be delivered in a quality management training centre in Birmingham.  Accommodation and all meals are included in the cost, and activities are organised for each evening to ensure that full value is delivered.

For more information contact Syzygy on info@syzygy.org.uk.  We’re confident that this will be an excellent course, equipping CEOs and directors to be more effective in managing their agencies.