Cory Lebovitz

I have often mentioned in my blog posts that I am currently parenting a toddler. In case you are unaware, parenting a toddler is a lot of hard work. I love my daughter more than she could ever imagine even though parenting takes more work than I ever imaged.

To serve and lead my daughter well over the long haul I need some fuel for the fire. Raising an adult out of a child requires a lot of effort, and there are ways that the parenting fire gets fueled. Sometimes it is my daughter crawling up next to me on the couch and asking me to read to her. Other times the fuel for the fire is watching something click in her head that I have been trying to teach her. I need that fuel if I am going to lead her well over the long haul.

Volunteers need fuel. The work of volunteering is worth it, but that doesn’t remove the fact that it is hard work. Just because the mission is valuable does not mean the passion tank is always full. Never underestimate the need for fuel in soul of a volunteer. Volunteers need encouragement. (click to tweet)

One of the best ways to add fuel to the tank of a volunteer is to share a story of why their service matters. Most people begin volunteering because they have a sense that they can make a difference in the lives of others. Over time people start to wonder how much of an impact they are making. Sharing stories of impact are essential for the fuel tank of a volunteer.

Often times the stories that come from our service rise to the top. What I mean is that people often look to those in leadership roles to share their story. They wont usually walk up to a random greeter, or children’s volunteer or worship team member and say, “my life has been changed, I need to tell you about it.” People tend to go to the pastor, or the person they perceive as the leader to share the story. Here is the thing – stories of life change are not the leaders story, they are the team’s story. (click to tweet)

We as leaders must be diligent to take those stories as we hear them and share them with those we lead. We must find every opportunity we can to put fuel in the tank of those we lead. Sometimes it might be just a quick mention of a story that puts a little fuel in the tank. Every once in a while you need to take time to share a major story of impact and watch as the fuel tanks fill to capacity and overflow. The stories, both big and small, seem to flow naturally towards leaders. So leaders, it is our responsibility to share those stories with those we lead.