When to Leave - Knowing When to Hand Over the Baton

During this episode, we explore the critical elements of leadership transitions in church settings, emphasizing how to recognize the right time to pass the baton and ensure a healthy, intentional transition. The conversation highlights evaluation of leadership effectiveness, transparent communication, and the significance of preparing successors. 

• Recognizing signs it’s time to transition 
• Evaluating personal leadership seasons 
• Importance of mentoring successors 
• Effect of clear communication on trust 
• Planning healthy transitions involves practical steps 
• Reflective action steps for current leaders 
• Resources for further exploration of transition strategies

Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:08

Hi there, welcome to the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. My name is Todd Rhodes, I'm one of the co-founders over at chemistrystaffingcom and I am so excited that you're here today. We are in the middle of a series on Wade Hodges' book called when to Leave how to know when it's time to Move On Before you Stay Way Too Long and, like I said, I'm thrilled that you're joining us here today. Leadership is often compared to a relay race and there comes a time in every leader's journey when it's time to pass the baton, and we're going to be talking about that time today the time of transition for your leadership and how to do it well. So stick around, and at the end of the podcast I'm going to tell you how you can grab a free copy of Wade's book when to Leave, if you haven't already.

Speaker 1: 0:58

Leadership transitions are inevitable, whether it's stepping away from a role or mentoring someone into it. Knowing when and how to hand over the baton is really critical. How do you know when the time is right? Here are a few indicators. First of all, maybe you've reached your leadership ceiling. If you've taken the church or the ministry as far as your skills or vision will allow, it might be time to let someone else take the lead. Maybe your church needs fresh energy. New leaders bring new ideas and perspectives and momentum that you can't because you've been there for a while. If you sense the church needs a fresh voice, consider whether you're holding them back by staying. Maybe it's not the church, maybe it's you. Maybe you're feeling that God is pulling you in a new direction. Sometimes God just gives us a nudge. Sometimes it's a gentle nudge, sometimes it's a shove, sometimes it's a forceful shove when it's time to move on. But pay attention to those moments of forceful stuff when it's time to move on. But pay attention to those moments. And it's better to leave when things are healthy than to wait until circumstances force your hand. Leaders who leave do proactively. So handing over the baton isn't just leaving. It's about preparing your church and your team and your successor for what's next. So here's the bottom line for today. If you're looking at 2025 as being a time of transition for you, here's the bottom line.

Speaker 1: 2:34

A successful handoff is intentional. It's not accidental. If you sense that it's time for a transition, there's some steps you should take, and the first one is just to evaluate your season, reflect on your leadership and ask have I accomplished what I set out to do, what God has called me to do here. Is my church ready for a new leader in the area that I lead? And maybe you need to identify and invest in your successor. Now. Every church is different. Sometimes you have say in who is your successor, sometimes you don't. But if you haven't already, even if you don't have any say in it, start mentoring someone who could, at least during the interim, help carry the baton forward. It's good for you as you leave On a good note, it's good for your church that you have somebody that can at least fill the gaps while you're gone. It might be an internal candidate from somebody inside the church, it might be from somebody outside the church, but any way that you can invest and make sure that that gap time that they go, your church goes without your leadership is covered, that is great and it serves you. It serves the church.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Communicate transparently. Be honest with your team and your congregation about your intentions. I know this can be tricky, but clear communication does build trust and reduces uncertainty. And you might say, todd, I'm not serving in a place where there is trust. Then you have to communicate transparently very carefully. Okay, we talked to candidates. We've talked to a good number of candidates and if you're in this type of church that once they try to communicate transparently, they're offered the door. Go, put your stuff in a box and I'll meet you in the parking lot. You got 15 minutes. Read your church, read the room and know whether or not you can really, how transparent you can be and how upcoming and forthright you can be, and then plan for a healthy transition.

Speaker 1: 4:28

Healthy transitions don't just happen. Work with your church's leadership to create a transition plan and that might include a timeline and a search process. It might be an overlap, some onboarding for the next leader, but here's your action step this week Take some time this week to reflect on your leadership season and if you know that there's a transition coming it might be weeks away, it might be months, it might be over a year away but write down what you have accomplished, what you think still needs to be done and whether or not you're sensing that it's time to pass the baton and, if it is, start preparation for that healthy leadership. This is one of the things I deal with a lot in talking with leaders and candidates and churches in my work and in my role at chemistrystaffingcom. Are you wrestling with a leadership transition? I may love to hear your story. You can email me at podcast at chemistrystaffing. Whether you're thinking about leaving or preparing to hand over the baton, I'm here to help. And if your church is looking for a new staff member or to transition a staff member, reach out again to me at podcast at chemistrystaffingcom and podcast at chemistrystaffingcom. I'd love to be able to help you build a healthy transition and a healthy team.

Speaker 1: 5:43

All right, two things, two resources for you. First of all, if you would like a free copy of Wade Hodge's book when to Leave, you can get one at chemistrystaffingcom slash when-to-leave. It's a really great book. I think you'll really enjoy it, particularly if you're looking at 2025 as a discernment time as to whether or not to stay where you are. And then we are going to have an upcoming webinar and you can find out more about that at chemistrystaffingcom slash learn. You can find out the date and the time and all of that coming up here in the next couple weeks, where we will be presenting a lot of what we've learned, taking some questions and just having a good time together in a little bit different live setting than what a podcast will allow us to do All right.

Speaker 1: 6:31

Thanks so much for spending some time with me today. Remember, handing over that baton isn't just about giving up. It's not about giving up at all. Actually, it's about setting your ministry and your church up for greater success. Leadership is a relay, it's not a solo race, and finishing well where you are is just as important as starting strong where you're going. Okay, take care, I'll see you tomorrow right here on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. Have a great day, thank you.