In this actionable episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole introduces The Project Triangle - a simple leadership framework for navigating moments when vision expands but capacity doesn’t. You’ll learn how to use time, budget, and quality to clarify expectations and identify tradeoffs before pressure quietly lands on you or your team

This episode equips you with clear language to negotiate added demands without sounding resistant or disengaged. If you want to lead with wisdom, protect your people, and steward energy well in fast-moving ministry environments, this is a skill you’ll use again and again.

TIMESTAMPS

01:15 - The Ministry Leadership Challenge

02:45 - The Project Triangle Explained

04:30 - Why Women Leaders Absorb Costs Personally

06:00 - Practical Examples of Negotiating Added Demands

08:15 - Leading from the Framework Instead of Emotion

Resources mentioned:
Assertiveness Cheat Sheet - kadicole.com/assertiveness

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this practical episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole explains why volunteer disengagement is rarely a motivation issue and almost always a leadership signal. She breaks down the specific conditions that cause volunteers to drift - and how small leadership shifts can make a big difference.

You’ll learn how to lead volunteers with clear expectations, meaningful ownership, healthy assertiveness, and simple follow-up practices that build trust and growth. This episode equips you with practical tools to develop people - not just fill roles - so your teams stay engaged, healthy, and aligned with the mission.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Introduction - Why volunteer leadership is sacred, not secondary

2:30 - Four reasons volunteers disengage

5:15 - The role of assertiveness in volunteer leadership

7:00 - Four practical foundations:

8:45 - Provide clear, simple role descriptions

8:45 - Know your people, not just roles

10:15 - Annual check-ins and clear commitments

12:00 - Use high-attendance seasons (Easter/Christmas) for recruitment

Resources mentioned: Assertiveness Cheat Sheet. Download it at kadicole.com/assertiveness

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this clarifying episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole breaks down why so many capable female leaders feel stuck early in their leadership journey. Drawing on research and ministry experience, she explains the “Broken Rung” - the missing early leadership opportunities that shape long-term growth.

You’ll learn how access shapes leadership formation, how to identify the next growth step you need, and how to ask for opportunities that build skill rather than just add responsibility. You’ll also learn why sponsorship - not just mentorship - is essential for developing future leaders and how you can begin creating access for others.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Why female leaders feel “stuck” in leadership

02:15 - The Broken Rung: Why women stall early in church leadership

04:30 - Women in church leadership statistics: Volunteers vs leadership roles

06:45 - Challenging biases about women in leadership

08:20 - Gaining “sober judgment”

10:00 - It's never too late and you haven't missed your moment!

12:15 - How sponsors help more than mentors

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this practical episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole breaks down what actually happens when leaders carry responsibility without the authority to lead it well. She walks through why unclear roles, decision rights, and expectations are so common in church settings—and how this misalignment quietly drains clarity, energy, and effectiveness.

You’ll learn how to assess whether your responsibility and authority are aligned, how to identify where things have drifted over time, and how to begin clarifying your role without overstepping or backing away. This episode offers concrete language and leadership frameworks that help you lead with greater freedom, confidence, and long-term sustainability.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction: When leadership responsibility and authority don’t match

02:15 - Why this problem exists

05:30 - Leadership principle: Responsibility and authority must be aligned

07:00 - Example: Responsibility without authority

10:45 - Example: Authority without responsibility

13:20 - Action step: Compare your responsibilities vs. your authority

15:00 - How to address misalignment

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this encouraging and practical episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole introduces the 10-80-10 delegation framework—a simple, sustainable way to delegate without losing clarity, control, or care for your people. Kadi names the real tension many female church leaders face: the desire to empower others while still personally carrying responsibility for outcomes. With wisdom shaped by years of ministry leadership, she shows how delegation can become an act of discipleship, not just task management. You’ll learn how to lead with confidence, reduce burnout, and develop leaders who grow in ownership and maturity. This isn’t about doing less—it’s about stewarding your leadership so your team, and your church, can thrive.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction

01:30 - The Challenge of Delegation

04:00 - Introducing the 10-80-10 Framework

07:00 - The First 10%: Setting the Stage

09:00 - The Middle 80%: Empowering Others

11:30 - The Final 10%: Ensuring Alignment

13:00 - Overcoming Emotional Traps

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this grounding episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole explores the often-missed connection between confidence and competency—and why lasting confidence is built through skill, practice, and experience, not self-talk alone. Kadi unpacks the “Missing 33%” of leadership development: the strategic and operational skills that quietly shape credibility, influence, and long-term impact in ministry. If you’ve ever felt unsure of yourself in leadership, this episode will remind you: you’re not behind—you’re building. You’ll walk away with clarity, encouragement, and a practical next step toward becoming the leader God has called you to be.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Why most female leaders aren't waiting for confidence—they're waiting for competence

2:15 - The wrong order: Why confidence comes after skill, not before

5:30 - The "Missing 33%": Strategic and operational skills women aren't being taught

8:45 - A female pastor's breakthrough: When leadership conversations shift from feelings to actual work

12:00 - One action step: Identify a leadership skill to develop this week

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this kickoff episode of The Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole shares a powerful reminder: you haven’t missed your moment. She unpacks the real reasons female church leaders often feel overlooked or uncertain, and reveals how the future of leadership is shifting in ways that actually fit your God-given strengths.

You’ll gain a clear framework for why female leadership matters today and walk away with practical steps to grow as a leader in this season. If you care deeply about the future of the Church, this podcast was created to help you lead into it - with wisdom, faith, and conviction.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Introduction & encouragement for female leaders

00:42 — Research: Most women lack development, not calling

01:31 — The importance of resources for growth

02:19 — Personal story: Finding your leadership voice

03:21 — The impact of empowered female leadership

04:25 — 3 Steps to grow: Identify gaps, get feedback, ask for support

06:35 — Strength comes from being resourced, not striving

07:09 — Take the Sticky Floor Quiz & final encouragement

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

If God has called you to lead in the Church, you don’t have to figure it out alone. The Female Church Leaders Podcast gives you practical tools, biblical wisdom, and honest encouragement to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and joy.

Join host Kadi Cole each week and step into the leadership God has entrusted to you - faithfully, courageously, and with great hope.

Next Steps and Resources:

• Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
• Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
• Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.

Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!