Description
Definition
Leadership is the ability to instill vision in people, then motivate, challenge, and lead them so they voluntarily follow you and work together.
“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account” (Heb. 13:17). The Bible is clear about the need for leaders and what their role should be. It also addresses their motivation: “Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves’” (Luke 22:25-26).
From these scriptures we see that leaders should not domineer or harshly rule over those who follow them. Instead, they must focus on serving their followers. We also see that leaders are accountable for how they lead–ultimately accountable to God. These and other scriptures use such words as “authority,” “rule,” and “govern” when referring to leaders. These relate to people with the aptitude of leadership, not just those in official office because anyone motivated by leadership will exercise authority, rule, and govern.
Nehemiah in the Old Testament is an excellent example of a leader in action. While captive in a foreign country, he heard about the condition of Jerusalem, the capital of his country. As a leader, he understood authority and the need to submit to those he served, so he asked to be relieved of his duties and allowed to go rebuild the city. Having traveled to Jerusalem, he inspected the city walls to see what needed to be done, then he addressed the city’s residents. He instilled in them a vision of living within a secure city and no longer living in disgrace. He organized the workers, giving them specific assignments, and actively directed the work. He overcame opposition to the project, reprimanded those who were taking advantage of the situation to make exorbitant profit, made several religious and social reforms in a culture that had virtually fallen apart, and restored order to society. This take-charge approach is typical of leaders.
As a leader, you frequently have a vision for what needs to be done or how things ought to be. With that perspective, you naturally take charge and begin directing others to do the tasks necessary to reach the goal. You probably will communicate your vision so others can picture the same goal, then challenge and otherwise motivate them to work toward the goal. Because you have a clear goal and direct your followers confidently, they likely will place their confidence in you.
Scripture clearly states that those in leadership are not to subdue or exercise dominion over their followers. Rather, they should practice servant leadership. This also applies to those with leadership motivation, even if they are not in positions of leadership. So what should you do as a leader when your followers don’t follow? Here are some practical steps to consider:
● Continue imparting the vision and motivating the people. Because each person has his own goals and perspective, it may take a while for them to “buy into” yours.
● Re-examine your goal and efforts to reach it. Look for assurance that your plan is legitimate, worthwhile, and appropriate to the people you are leading. Listen to your followers because they probably will have insight you do not.
● Check your timing. Someone with prophetic insight often telescopes future events, sensing urgency even about the distant future. Similarly, your leadership vision is long-range and your goal may be more distant than you suspect. Timing is important to success.
● Allow people to choose. Unless the situation is critical, you must allow people to choose to follow. Remember, you lead people rather than drive them.
You can see the overall picture and clarify long-range goals; you are visionary and skillful at imparting your vision to others. Another important skill is influencing others to perform to the best of their abilities. You exhibit an attitude that says, “Come on, we can do it!” You feel very comfortable being in charge and may assume control whenever you perceive a need for leadership, even if no one asks you to lead. You also like getting things rolling because as you see it, people will never reach their goal (or yours) unless they begin moving.
You probably are goal-oriented and decisive, very influential, and forceful. Once you have decided which course of action to take, you can be very committed to your decision and unwilling to reconsider it. Even if the decision proves faulty and the resulting problems become greater challenges, you might just work harder to implement your decision. Your normal function is setting a goal and leading people to it, but you do not always judge the value of the goal, which sometimes causes you to choose poor ones. Having completed your current project, you are ready to move onto a new challenge because you are restless without a goal or challenge.
You are willing to take risks to achieve your goal and aggressively take charge to overcome problems. Your assertive nature motivates you to assume control in any conflict.
Because you enjoy being in charge, you may have trouble delegating responsibility and allowing your followers to make their own decisions. It is important that people follow you voluntarily, so you need to establish your credibility before expecting people to follow.
Typical Characteristics
● Readily take responsibility for directing people.
● See the long-range goal, then motivate and guide others to reach that goal.
● Able to influence others and get them to accept your position or goal.
Tendencies
● General Orientation: extrovert. You like working with people because a leader needs people who will follow. You also enjoy activity because you can direct active people.
● Perspective: positive. You are optimistic about the results you can achieve and confident of your ability to achieve them. This in turn gives your followers confidence in you and your ability.
● Priorities
● People. A leader is nothing without people to lead, so people are important to you.
● Production, results. You are highly goal-oriented, so achieving the desired result is very important.
● Possibly career or cause. Being successful in your career or adopted cause may serve as your greatest goal.
Misunderstandings
Others do not have the long-range and “big picture” vision you do, so they may consider your goal unreasonable. Once you have committed to a plan, others may think you do not listen to their opinions simply because you do not change your plan at their suggestion. Some may even consider you lazy because your function in life is to motivate and lead others, rather than do everything yourself. In reality, you may be very energetic–spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Vocations and Roles
Leadership of all types and at any level.
Perversions
Self-Centeredness
(Perverts your aptitude by focusing it on you, emphasizing the pleasure or fulfillment it gives you.)
People who think like the world want to be free from accountability, and this is especially true of leaders. You feel a need to be in charge, to have complete authority without accountability, so you easily reject advice or correction. You are highly self-directed, so you enjoy having your own way.
Arrogance can be a major problem for you. You can take a confused, disorganized group of people and make them successfully accomplish their task. You see yourself as more capable or important than others in the group because you think they would accomplish nothing of value without you.
Extremes
(Perverts by exaggerating, taking your characteristics and tendencies to extremes.)
The thrill of a challenge, of overcoming obstacles to reach your goal, is such a part of your nature that you may take on an unreasonable goal simply for the challenge. You may even create a conflict for the thrill of overcoming the opposition. You are so strongly goal-oriented that you might make everything conform to your goal.
Control
(Self-centeredness makes you want to be in control, and you struggle for control in a way that is unique to your character.)
You see your goal as having supreme importance, so you may seize control of people and resources that are not yours to help you achieve your goal. You equate being in charge with decision-making, and once you make a decision you may use whatever means necessary to enforce it. You may even take control where you have no authority or resort to force to seize power. You easily could become a tyrant, exercising absolute power and even abusing people to accomplish your goal.
Sometimes, your goal may be as simple as being in control. Your perception of the goal and preconceived ideas of how to reach it often make you inflexible.
Redemption
Putting on Important Traits
Certain godly character traits are especially important to you as a leader. Consciously developing the following traits will help you instill vision in people, motivate, and direct them.
● Humility (Considers self relatively unimportant compared to others; prevents using abilities for one’s own satisfaction.) This is essential for countering the natural arrogance resulting from being so visible and powerful.
● Agape (Considers others’ welfare, needs, interests, and desires more important than your own; motivates you to act for others’ benefit regardless of personal impact.) Agape causes you to focus on serving others’ needs, which includes helping them see the value of the goal and their potential for achieving it. It also motivates you to serve rather than control those who follow you.
● Patience (Self-restraint in the face of provocation, offense, or difficulty caused by other people; tolerance of the intolerable.) You will need patience to tolerate people’s rejection of your leadership or complaints about your methods.
● Faith or faithfulness (Firm conviction regarding something for which there is no proof; action based on such conviction.) Faith can give you great confidence in the validity and value of the goal. Your faith will transfer to others, motivating them to act by giving them confidence in your methods and objectives.
● Zeal (Intense eagerness to experience a desired result; intense emotion that compels action.) Zeal generates high energy levels that produce results and motivate others.
Repentance, Renewing Your Mind
(The changes you need to make in the way you think, including your attitudes, standards, priorities, and perspective.)
Your role is to serve people by instilling vision, motivating and challenging them to get them moving, then providing support. You honor people by leading and not dominating them, by serving those who follow you. This includes such actions as providing them direction and encouragement, eliminating interference, and helping them overcome obstacles and achieve their potential.
Denying and Humbling Yourself
(Rejecting your own desires and self-interests. Refusing to be motivated by desire for recognition or credit for the results.)
The goal does not belong to you and you are accountable for how you treat it and your followers. You must reject your tendency to control; instead, develop an attitude of servant leadership and serve the needs of your followers.
Taking up Your Cross
(Accepting that which has potential for great harm, threatens to break you down, or reveals your inadequacies.)
Having a worthwhile goal is no guarantee people will continue following you. If people choose not to follow, your inability to impart vision and motivate become obvious.
Following Jesus
(How you uniquely imitate Jesus by doing what He would in your situation.)
Jesus presented His vision–the gospel, the good news of the kingdom–and invited people to respond; then He honored their free will. He invested Himself in His disciples, His closest followers, and prepared them for the work ahead. He trained, challenged, and motivated them, but did not drive them forcefully. He even knew in advance that one of them would betray Him and others would deny any involvement with Him and abandon Him in His crisis, yet He lovingly poured Himself into them.
Becoming Like a Child
(Accepting what God gives you, believing what He tells you, trusting Him to take care of you, and simply doing what He says.)
An attitude of submission to God is essential. You must trust Him to provide vision, followers, and the means to fulfill the vision. Accept the goals He gives you and simply do what He says.