Whenever I think of "leadership" I think of Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Church in Dallas, Texas. While I've had the incredible opportunity to work with Jack and his PowerPoint Media Ministry team for many years, when it comes to leadership, there's one memory of Jack that I will never forget:

Years ago, there was a crisis at the church. It involved a new staff member, and it was serious. So serious, that a press conference had to be called, and the local police were conducting an investigation. The issue had nothing to do with the church, but since it was a new staff member, the church was obviously pulled into the news reports.

When it happened, Jack was speaking at a conference in Israel, and after being notified, he took the first flight back home from Tel Aviv. I was asked to come in to help Jack and his leadership team craft a strategy for responding. So I flew in and landed a few hours before Jack arrived from overseas. Once he arrived at DFW Airport, he immediately drove to the church—no shower or change of clothes. And when he arrived the press was all assembled.

But before he spoke to the press, he first spoke to the entire church staff—and this moment is what I'll never forget. The staff had been waiting—obviously nervous and unsure of what would happen next. After all, the press was outside ready to pounce. But when Jack walked into the room, you could actually see and hear a sigh of relief from everyone on the team. It was palpable and it was significant. It was as if those employees all felt: "OK. Now Jack's here. Everything is going to be alright."

I will never forget that moment.

As I looked at the response from those employees, I thought, I want to be that kind of leader. I want to inspire such confidence in my team that they feel that as long as I'm there, everything will work out. Jack had led that church through challenges before.

They had seen him in action, they'd seen his composure, and they trusted his judgment.

And it did work out. We responded in a way that averted a crisis, and Prestonwood continues to make a positive impact in the Dallas area—and across the country.

Leaders don't have to know everything, but they need to inspire confidence. When that happens, your team has confidence, and that means you can overcome any obstacle in your way.

An internationally known writer and speaker, Phil Cooke has actually produced media programming in nearly 50 countries around the world. In the process, has been shot at, survived two military coups, fallen out of a helicopter, and in Africa, been threatened with prison. And during that time—through his company Cooke Pictures in Burbank, California—he's helped some of the largest nonprofit organizations and leaders in the world use the media to tell their story in a changing, disrupted culture.

For the original article, visit philcooke.com.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.