Two sneaky things for leaders over 40?

Yes.

While these two things are things that every leader needs to be aware of, I think they start to rear their heads once you pass 40.

For simple reasons.

At 40, you have gotten somewhere. You might own a business, be the lead pastor, or have climbed some ladder. You are “someone.”

You spend your 20s and 30’s learning, building, driving, and moving up.

But something happens at 40. Things change in life, leadership, and marriage.

So what do you need to be aware of and guard against when you hit 40 as a leader or pastor (or everyone, really)?

Becoming cynical

The older you get, the more cynical you become. The gif’s of Clint Eastwood telling kids to get off his lawn is real life!

In your 20s, every idea is a great idea, brainstorming is more accessible, and you are the one starting the firm or church that will finally get it right. You won’t be like “grandma’s church” down the street.

At 40, you have more things to lose; you have less energy to pull things off. It becomes easier and easier to sit in a meeting and think about why something won’t work, why you are the most competent person in the room or why it isn’t their turn yet because you just got your turn.

It is embarrassing to admit how many times I have had to catch myself saying, “That’s dumb,” more times than I can count when I hear an idea from someone under 30.

The reason cynicism comes into play in your 40s is that you worked hard to get to where you are and want to have your time at the top. You might be the most intelligent person in the room on specific topics. You are probably the top leader in the organization or team, so you have much power and influence. And you still think of yourself as cutting edge and young because you aren’t full of gray hair or near retirement age. The cutting edge’s shelf life is getting shorter, and younger leaders aren’t waiting around like they used to.

Coasting on your gifts and talents

It is amazing how many leaders begin to coast later in life. They do this in all kinds of areas, but one place in particular that leaders and pastors need to pay attention to is in the areas of your gifts. 

Around 40, you are probably proficient at some things; you know how you are wired, what you are good at and what you aren’t. You have spent years working on your craft in a host of areas; you have refined and tuned processes around those gifts and talents, and more than likely, you have seen some evidence of growth, success, and promotion because of that work. 

It is easy at this point to start to pull back and coast. To think, “I’m not the greatest at ___, but I’m pretty good.” It is easy to feel like you have arrived somehow, and that can be very dangerous. 

I have been preaching since I was 19 and have logged many hours in prep, fine-tuning, standing in front of a group of people, and opening God’s word. A few years ago, I was on staff at a church that did a weekly run-through, no matter who preached, and it changed my preaching in some profound ways. I would never go back, as it has continued to help me grow and not coast as a communicator. 

How do you guard against these two things?

You first need to admit you could fall into these areas or others not listed here. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Are you still learning and growing?
• Are you getting around people younger than you and more intelligent than you?
• How often are you saying no compared to yes to new ideas?
• When was the last time you were uncomfortable?