How to Lead When You're Not in Charge

About the Author

Clay Scroggins is an author and speaker specializing in leadership development. He served as an evangelical pastor for ten years and currently focuses on helping people embrace leadership, regardless of their position within an organization. Scroggins emphasizes that anyone can be a leader by inspiring others toward a shared goal of a better future. He wrote How to Lead When You’re Not In Charge to help individuals realize their leadership potential and make meaningful changes in their roles.

Main Idea

How to Lead When You’re Not In Charge by Clay Scroggins teaches that leadership is not about holding a position of authority but about inspiring others to strive towards a common goal. Scroggins outlines practical ways to lead from any position by embracing servant leadership, focusing on self-improvement, and effectively influencing others.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The Biblical Roots of Servant Leadership
• The Danger of Confusing Authority with Leadership
• Embrace Leadership of Yourself
• Leading Your Actions
• Leading Your Perception
• Leading Your Identity
• Embrace Leadership of Others
• Leading Your Environment
• Leading Your Superiors

Introduction

In How to Lead When You’re Not In Charge, Clay Scroggins introduces the concept that you don't need to hold a position of authority to be a leader. Leadership is about inspiring others and creating positive change from any position within an organization.

The Biblical Roots of Servant Leadership

Scroggins explains that true leadership is about serving others. He draws on the example of Jesus, who, despite having ultimate authority, focused on improving the lives of others. Servant leadership involves building strong relationships and fostering an environment where others can flourish.

“Jesus epitomizes servant leadership: Despite having ultimate authority as God, he didn’t exploit humanity for his own benefit.” - Clay Scroggins

In The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, John C. Maxwell says serving others makes them more likely to follow you and help you succeed because it shows you care about them. When people know you care about them, they’re happier and more loyal, which in turn makes them more productive and inspired to do good work. To show care for people, learn about their interests and dreams and incorporate that knowledge into your leadership style. For instance, you may offer to mentor them in a skill they want to learn.

The Danger of Confusing Authority with Leadership

Many people mistakenly believe they need authority to lead, which can stifle their leadership potential. Scroggins warns that waiting for authority can lead to a sense of powerlessness and missed opportunities for creating positive change. Instead, focus on what you can control in your current role.