3 Keys to Difficult Conversations in Ministry

In The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership, Steven Sample says a great leader has to shoot his own horse.

Here’s the context: Sample grew up on a farm. His dad didn’t know how to farm, but that was his dream, so the family went for it. When it came time to kill an animal for any reason (mainly for food), his father would get help from the neighbor, who would kill the animal for him.

But one day, their horse misstepped and broke its leg. It was not reparable, so they knew they had to put the horse down, even though it broke their hearts. Sample’s father went to the neighbor to ask for help and the response he got was (and I think you need to read it with a Deep South accent), “Son, I’d sooner violate a man’s wife than shoot his horse! You gotta shoot your own horse!”

I guess that’s a part of country living I’ll never understand, but the principle Sample talks about has never left me. He said there are certain things a leader has to do, that you don’t want to do, but no one else can do for you. Read More