The Female Church Leaders Podcast

Kadi Cole
  • 5.0 (25)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

The Female Church Leaders Podcast with Kadi Cole offers practical tools and biblical insight for women leading in the local church. Each week, Kadi shares real stories, leadership strategies, and spiritual encouragement to help you grow in confidence, sharpen your skills, and lead with clarity. Whether you’re on staff, volunteering, building a ministry, or stepping into new levels of leadership, you’ll find wisdom, hope, and a community of female church leaders who get it - and are cheering you on!

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    FCLP 6 | Why Volunteers Drift

    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!

    15 min

  2. JAN 26

    FCLP 5 | The Broken Rung and Why Your First Opportunity Matters

    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!

    14 min

  3. JAN 19

    FCLP 4 | When Responsibility and Authority Don’t Match

    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!

    18 min

  4. JAN 12

    FCLP 3 | Delegating Without Micromanaging Using 10-80-10

    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!

    15 min

  5. JAN 12

    FCLP 2 | Competency Builds Confidence

    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!

    15 min

  6. JAN 12

    FCLP 1 | Why Female Leaders Are Essential to the Future of the Church

    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!

    13 min

  7. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    The Female Church Leader Trailer

    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!

    1 min

Trailer

5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

The Female Church Leaders Podcast with Kadi Cole offers practical tools and biblical insight for women leading in the local church. Each week, Kadi shares real stories, leadership strategies, and spiritual encouragement to help you grow in confidence, sharpen your skills, and lead with clarity. Whether you’re on staff, volunteering, building a ministry, or stepping into new levels of leadership, you’ll find wisdom, hope, and a community of female church leaders who get it - and are cheering you on!

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