Paul planted the church in Corinth. Apollos came afterward and taught there. Before long the church had split into fans of one man or the other.
Paul answered with one line: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” He did his part with full effort, and he did not claim the result.
A farmer controls the seed, the soil, and the water. He does not control the growth. A farmer who digs up the seed every morning to check on progress kills the plant.
The idea. Allowing autonomy is the third step of the LEADS Path. Autonomy means doing your part fully and releasing the outcome. A leader who hands over a decision and then hovers has not handed over anything. People can tell whether you trust them or whether you are supervising a result you still consider yours.
The action for this week. Choose one thing you delegated and still check on daily. Agree on one check-in date with the owner. Until that date, do not ask, do not look, and do not hint.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”1 Corinthians 3:6, ESV
Jake
P.S. How much room does your team have to decide? Take the LEADS Self-Check.