Leadership Lessons I Learned from Floyd McClung
Dear Friends,
This November we look forward to celebrating 33 years since Floyd and Sally founded All Nations. I think back to March 2000 when John and I moved to Kansas City where we “accidentally” landed in Floyd and Sally's home group. I was a young frazzled mom with no head space for anything except my oversized baby and clingy four-year-old. But every week when I showed up for home group, Floyd would make a beeline for me saying, “Mary, do you know you have a strong leadership gifting?” When I tried to dismiss him, he would do the same again, week after week. Other than my dad and my husband John, it was the first time that a male leader intentionally and consistently called out leadership in me.
A few years later, when I was overseeing the All Nations Kansas City Hub, Floyd called out the “apostolic” in me. I was leading primarily from my administrative managerial strengths because it felt safe, planned, orderly, and comfortable. But Floyd had me read two books on Ephesians 4 about the five-fold ministries: apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher. Then, we had several conversations where he helped me to shift by leading as a visionary using my apostolic gifting, followed by my administrative gifting to scaffold the vision.
Later on, there was a prolonged season that I was very unhappy with this and that in All Nations. So, I privately took my many discontents to Floyd thinking he would fire me. Instead, after hearing my complaints, he looked into my eyes and responded, “I’m so sorry, Mary. Will you forgive me?” Now, 16 years later, I don’t even recall what my discontents were. I’ll never forget his ready humility. Floyd never got too famous to humble himself.
In September 2014, during a lunch in Jordan, Floyd asked me to consider succeeding him as the next international leader of All Nations. I was totally surprised and took several months to pray. Before he announced me as the future international leader at a November 2015 leadership gathering, he made me promise him, “Mary, if anything happens to me, promise me you’ll never leave without putting leaders in place.”
Floyd taught me four simple leadership lessons:
We need to intentionally call out and affirm each other’s giftings;
We need to lead with bold apostolic vision;
We need to lead with great humility; and,
We need to actively cultivate the next generation of leaders after us.
In each of our spheres, let us influence and lead with affirmation, vision, and humility, always developing the next generation of leaders. I’m forever grateful to Floyd for speaking into my life and shaping my leadership. Next time, I’ll share about how Sally shaped my leadership!
Blessings,
Mary
About the Author: Mary Ho is the All Nations International Executive Leader
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