Leadership Tensions: Tender vs. Tenacious

“Be tender in approach but tenacious in intentionality”  Blake Bergstrom

Blake Bergstrom, the campus pastor for our Nashville Campus, shared this quote in a message awhile back.  I love the quote in general but I particularly love it as it applies to leaders.

It’s another leadership tension… managing the tension of being tender vs. tenacious.  As with most extremes we usually have a tendency to be one or the other rather than a delicate balance of both.  But that’s what great leaders do.  They discern the moments where tenderness is appropriate and they also discern when tenacity is necessary.

Blake’s quote gives some guide rails for us.

Be tender in approach – Treat people respectfully.  Let the fruits of the spirit shine in your interactions with others.

But…

Be tenacious in intentionality – Stay laser-focused on the vision.  Don’t back down from what God’s called you to.  Hold others accountable.

Managing that tension is the mark of a great leader!

Is there a situation in your leadership that requires you to work through this tension right now?