As leaders ambition is often a trait we come by naturally. The world praises us for getting the job done or for creating jobs or for climbing the success ladder.  But is this what God calls us to?    In this episode of the leadership traits series, Holly and I are exploring the concept of what we are calling ‘surrendered ambition’ and how we can develop this as leaders.   For the full show notes, visit estherlittlefield.com/episode142. Key Points Discussed in this episode:  Why are we talking about surrendered ambition? What is ambition? The tension between being ambitious and driven versus building God’s kingdom Why is this idea of surrendered ambition important? How to develop the trait of surrendered ambition Action step Fun question  Connect with Esther and Holly:  Esther’s Website The Christian Woman Business Podcast Holly’s Website Facebook Group Facebook Page   This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode142.

142: Balancing Ambition with Surrender [Leadership Traits Series]

It's time for you to embrace your God-given gifts, skills, and passions and lead with confidence. Host Esther Littlefield is a pastor's wife and business owner, and she is joined by co-host Holly Cain. They discuss issues related to leading as a Christian woman, and they also interview other women who share their leadership journeys. Through this podcast, Esther and Holly offer encouragement, tools, and resources to help you live out your unique calling as a leader.

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Today we want to talk about something that we ALL do, and that is hard to stop especially if you’re not aware that you are doing it. And it’s causing problems in your communication and your leadership. Can you guess what it is? This has the potential to cause breakdowns in your relationships, misunderstandings in your communication, and can even lead to major leadership problems. If you guessed assumptions, you guessed right. In this conversation, Holly and I are sharing 2 truths about assumptions and the dangers that assumptions have for us as Christian leaders. But we're not just leaving you with the bad news. We're also sharing 3 specific practices you can develop that will lessen the impact that assumptions have on your communication and your leadership. If you want to become a better leader, have better relationships, or improve your communication with others, this is a must listen.   Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast:   Website   Esther’s Instagram     

234: One Thing to STOP Doing as a Leader for Better Communication

Have you ever felt like you are juggling so many balls at once, and at any moment, they could all come tumbling down? Kayla Cornish found herself here, and she actually experienced the balls crashing down. She had been living the life of hustle and seeing success–but it came at a price. It wasn’t until she and her family began accepting the gift of Sabbath rest that things started to change. As a leader, you may have wondered: is practicing the Sabbath something that modern day Christians need to do? And if so, how on earth can you practice it while still managing all the rest of your responsibilities–especially if you are involved in church ministry on Sundays? In this conversation, Holly and I talk with Kayla Cornish of Legacy Roots Co. Kayla believes there are 2 important aspects of our purpose as believers, and when we neglect the gift of Sabbath rest, we are missing out on some beautiful things God wants for us, such as healing, peace, love and a deeper relationship with Him. Listen in to discover more about what it means to practice Sabbath rest and why it’s so important, especially for Christian leaders. Key Points Discussed:   Kayla’s life & leadership journey   Why Kayla became passionate about the importance of Sabbath   Why mission, vision, and values (or roots) are important for families   Why Sabbath rest is non-negotiable & what it looks like   The benefits of shifting away from a hustle mindset    The church’s role in leading Christians to cultivate the practice of Sabbath   Tips for getting started with the practice of Sabbath   Why leaders need to model honoring the Sabbath and rest   What to do when your leader or your spouse isn’t on board with the idea of rest    Leaders are Learners recommendations:    Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer    John Mark Comer Teachings Podcast   The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry   The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan    Connect with Kayla   Legacy Roots Co Website   Sabbath Ideas   Kayla’s Instagram   Legacy Roots Co Instagram   Ultimate Sabbath Guide     Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast:   Website   Esther’s Instagram    

233: How to Live a More Peaceful & Deeply Rooted Life by Practicing Sabbath Rest with Kayla Cornish

Is it possible to lead when you don’t have a leadership title or role? Is there a difference for someone who does have an official title vs. someone who is a team member?  In this conversation, Holly and I talk through how leadership looks different for us now than it did when we started the podcast. And we discuss how we feel about leading without a role or title.  Finally, we give some practical tips for things you can do when you are wanting to grow as a leader, whether you have a title or not! And, for our fun question of the day, you’ll hear as Holly and I share about whether we got into trouble in high school (and if so, what for).    Links mentioned: Episode 2: What is Leadership? Episode 6: The Importance of Leading with Confidence   Connect with me: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com/ Instagram: @estherdlittlefield

232: Can You Lead Without a Title or Role?

When life changes, does our leadership change? How do we navigate seasons of loss or change as leaders? And what does it look like to endure the pain of healing even when we'd rather avoid it? In this episode, Holly and I are chatting through some life updates and sharing some reflections about the past year of our lives. We discuss what our goals are looking like this year as well as how they are different from past years. We also dive into the idea of healing and how it's often painful to go through healing and growth.  We hope you enjoy this conversation and gain some new insights and ideas on how to approach your goals for the year or walk through a season of healing from loss.   To get our FREE Reflection Guide, go here: https://go.estherlittlefield.com/reflect-optin   Connect with me: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com/ Instagram: @estherdlittlefield

231: The Pain of Healing & Growth [Life Updates & Reflections with Esther and Holly]

Have you ever set goals and then a few weeks later completely abandoned them? Or perhaps you even forgot what goals you were supposed to be working on?  You're not alone. And the reason so many goals are abandoned is because we forget to create a plan for how we're actually going to accomplish them. In this final episode in our Purposeful Goal Setting Mini-Series, Holly's going to talk you through creating an action plan for your goals. She's giving you real-life examples and some helpfup tips and tricks to make sure your goals don't just become something collecting dust in the back of your closet.   Tools & resources for creating an action plan:   Episode 31: The Key to accomplishing your goals    Books (affiliate links)   The Twevle Week Year   Atomic Habits   The Power of Habit     Calendar - iCal, Google Calendar, paper planner, goal sheets  PowerSheets [affiliate link]    Connect with me: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com/ Instagram: @estherdlittlefield

142: Balancing Ambition with Surrender [Leadership Traits Series]

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