Leadership

On Sunday the preacher spoke about Biblical Leadership, with Joshua as the example. I love Joshua, and it was a really good sermon... I left with leadership packaged up in a pretty box with a bow on top, ready to face the new church year with gusto! Mission accomplished for the preacher!

... Leadership ... wait ... that's huge!

How can it be summed up in a three point outline in 25 minutes!?

Obviously it can't, even though it makes us feel good to try. But my guess is that even the shortest, simplest blurbs out there about leadership have some truth to contribute to the subject. There are zillions of books on leadership, and probably a million just on Biblical Leadership (of which I own several. :)) There are thousands of people who make their living teaching leadership skills... seminars, conferences, one-on-one coaching (I just went to a leadership banquet tonight). And still the lack of good leadership is seemingly everywhere! (I spare you a list of examples, as I'm sure several popped into your mind immediately.)

From the United Nations to the neighborhood book club, our world needs good leaders. Good leadership can change the world! And poor leadership... well, what can I say, we are a very broken world.

The List
I was thinking about what qualities I consider to be important for good leaders. So, here's my list - some taken from the recent sermon and banquet speech I heard, and some I've come up with based on my experiences. Though none are original, they are essential, nonetheless, to good leadership:

• passion - believe in what you're doing and saying
• poise - staying cool in a crisis
• integrity - you actually are who you claim to be
• optimism - smile and exude hope
• fearlessness - sure of what needs to be done
• decisiveness - sometimes you just have to make a decision
• purpose - cast vision continually
• good listener - hear what others suggest
• vulnerability without sacrificing credibility
• empowerment - empower others to act and make decisions toward the goal
• love - truly love and care about the people you lead
• encouragement, affirmation - others respond well to this
• God-dependent self-confidence - be sure of yourself, but remain dependent on God's direction
• humility - being willing to admit mistakes, being able to accept constructive criticism, not being arrogant or haughty, and lifting up others above yourself

Now I have to stop here to share about my biggest influence in this area. It's my husband, Leon. Leon is a great leader, and has been mentored by a few great ones, as well (including his father, a long-time boss, and a spiritual mentor). In business he has managed teams of people who to this day sing his praises, and he has people ask to work for him - I think that, for sure, is a sign of a great leader! As a part of groups and teams he's on, when he's not the one "in charge," he has a great style of leading from within - suggesting ideas in order to inspire discussion or action. He is what you might call "a change agent!" It's definitely a gift he has! I've had lots of conversations with Leon over the years about leadership and what works and what doesn't. So, on this subject, I pull from his experience and mine.

The list above is a tall order, I know, but it's a great goal to have as you lead...

So who is a leader?

Something else that's been milling around in my head for a while about leadership is this: who is actually a leader? A president, a preacher, a manager, a guru, a pope, a parent, an officer, a friend?

I've decided that I believe that anyone who has influence over another person is a leader: Leadership = Influence.

Do you consider yourself a leader? I believe you are one... because we all have influence over other people! No matter how big or how small your roles in life, you have impact on others in each of those roles, and that means you have significant impact on this world!

If you have a position of leadership, then you have obvious ways to lead others actions toward the common good - whatever the business, organization or group. If you are a parent, aunt, uncle or grandparent you likely have considerable influence on a child, impacting how he or she sees, acts and thinks about the world. And if you have a friend, neighbor or acquaintance, you impact each of them by your actions, words and attitudes. ALL of that is LEADERSHIP!

Think about how you live your life... Do you live as a leader? Do you realize that the things you do and say have an enormous influence on others!? God has placed you and me where we are in this life to make a difference. We get to be used by God to live out His purposes for this world! How amazing! So, let's go out there and do our very best in our areas of leadership!