Leadership Tips & Training Anticipation

"Defense wins championships," is a statement I have heard many basketball and football coaches drill into the minds of their players. A winning team must not only be able to score points, but also be able to keep their opponent from scoring more points than themselves. One of the keys to being a good defensive player is the ability to anticipate the opposing team's actions. To be a good defensive basketball player, one must anticipate when the opposing team will pass the ball. A player must keep their eyes focused on the ball and on the player, so that they can steal the ball just as it is being passed across the court. 

After many years of attending my daughter's basketball games I tend to relate just about any leadership quality back to the basketball court. So it is with this month's theme of anticipation. An effective leader must be able to anticipate member's needs, attitudes, and actions. Planning and preparing to lead a First Place class is crucial for a successful session. But planning and preparing without anticipation may cause some of those plans to fail. Anticipation will provide a leader with solid defense leading to a championship First Place session! Let's look at some of the things to anticipate when leading a First Place class:

Member's Needs: When preparing to lead, consider who you are leading. Who is in your class? Does your class consist of all ladies, men, singles, senior citizens, young moms or middle-aged married couples? Each of these groups of people has different needs that are specific to their gender, age, occupation, and home life. Do your members all cook or do they eat out regularly? Do they have more than 100 pounds to lose, only 10 pounds to lose, or weight to gain? Don't be caught off guard. Ask yourself these questions as you anticipate ministering to their specific need, so that you will be ready to give advice or direction when faced with that need.

Member's Attitudes: People not only come in many shapes and sizes, but they also come with many different attitudes as they walk through the door of your First Place classroom. Check out their body language, facial expressions and the words they choose. Be ready to give an encouraging word to those who are discouraged and a soft answer to those who may be overly stressed from the day. James1:19 instructs us how to anticipate such people, "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Recently, I discovered that I had not anticipated a member's attitude after overlooking her request when I prayed aloud to close our class time. Later that day I received a call from one of my members informing me that I had hurt this member's feelings by voicing everyone's request and not hers. It was a totally innocent oversight as I had forgotten to wear my reading glasses to class, which hindered me from seeing the prayer list clearly. I immediately called her and then sent her a note of apology and let her know that I had made a mistake and would most definitely be praying for her. If I had anticipated her response, I might have asked others in the class to voice prayers for each of the requests, and then I would have closed in prayer. This would have assured that all were prayed for and that no one felt left out. Of course, we cannot anticipate every attitude, but we can be slow to speak and quick to listen as we do respond to the attitudes we find ourselves faced with in our classes.

Member's Actions: To be a champion leader, one must anticipate the member's actions. It is always best to anticipate that they will follow through with their commitments, always expecting the best. It is similar to the self-fulfilled prophecy theory that we become what we believe we are. If a child is told he can't read, then he probably will have a difficult time learning to read. The opposite is also true; tell a child he can accomplish anything and they will become a confident risk taker. At the same time, be realistic and anticipate that many of your members will have good weeks and bad weeks. They may gain weight three weeks in a row, not exercise or hand in a CR. This is when you must plan challenges, prizes, games, and competitions in order to motivate those who are wavering in their commitments. The best defense for member's actions is to expect the best, but anticipate the worst, armed with "plan B's." 

I pray you will not be singing the lyrics of an old folk song "Anticipation is getting me down," but that you would look to God who never disappoints. He will give you all the defensive weapons you need, so that you will become a champion leader! 

Romans 5:5
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Lead on!

Nancy Taylor
Leadership Training Director



Nancy Taylor is the First Place Leadership Training Director and joined the First Place staff in 1997. Nancy teaches leadership principles to First Place Leaders throughout the country and at Houston's First Baptist Church where she coordinates all the First Place groups. Nancy also speaks at First Place workshops, rallies, retreats, and conferences, where she delights her audiences with humor and encourages them with boldness. She writes a monthly article, which includes helpful tips for leaders, for the First Place E-newsletter, and was a contributing writer to the Today is the First Day devotional book. Nancy is the resident First Place Bible Concordance because of her love for Scripture memory.