God used Winston Churchill to save his country during World War 2 – and a legitimate case could be made that the free world would have fallen without his strong leadership through one of the greatest crises in modern civilization. But shortly after seeing victory, Churchill was removed from office when his coalition government fell apart.

Hardly a week goes by that I don’t hear a tragic story with haunting similarities: another pastor destroying the church that he loves so much by staying in place too long; another Christian leader clinging tenaciously to power to the dismay of those around him; another non-profit leader making a comeback in an effort to reclaim past success. Why do so many successful leaders struggle to let go? Answers to that question can be complex, but they relate to being a long-view leader.

Why Do So Many Leaders Struggle to Let Go?

There can be valid reasons. Some leaders really do make every effort to develop a succession plan and carry it out. These plans don’t always succeed: maybe the right successor just can’t be found, maybe the potential successor turns out to be the wrong person, or maybe the potential successor walks away partway through the transition process. These kinds of things happen. But sometimes (maybe often?), the blame for a failed transition lies squarely on the shoulders of the outgoing leader.

When Good Enough Never Is.

In a way, it is understandable. Driven leaders strive for excellence. They set a high bar of excellence for themselves and for others. This high standard propels their church or ministry or non-profit forward. But then when the time comes to find a successor, that standard of excellence can become an obstacle – especially if excellence is equated with “how I did it”. No successor will ever continue to do everything exactly like it was done before: and they shouldn’t. Change does need to happen from one generation to another.

“In my own generation…”

The fact is that God does use different people in different ways to accomplish his purposes. Paul made this point while teaching in a synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia in Acts 13:36: “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers…” Did God use David greatly? Absolutely. But even the towering figure of David eventually passed of the scene after serving God’s purpose for his life. Leaders come and go. But God’s plans continue.

Truth be told, strong leaders sometimes struggle to envision a future in which they themselves are not playing a key role. The idea that another leader would come in and make changes can be down-right offensive.

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