HOW TO BUILD LEADERSHIP
Why
do so few know the real secrets to leadership? Why do so many lack a
deep sense of fulfillment in their jobs and in day-to-day life?
There
are two kinds of "leaders." One is the kind who uses "authority" and
compels grudging obedience by his followers. The other kind inspires,
persuades, and sets an example.
The authoritarian-type leader
generally considers only himself and the grandeur he hopes to produce
in his empire, nation or business. He does not give proper
consideration to the legitimate needs, wishes and aspirations of his
followers. But the right kind of leader leads in order to SERVE.
Which kind will you be?
Jesus
Christ, who brought a message about world government, showed that the
greatest leader will be the servant of those whom he heads. He
described how the leaders of the Gentiles—the strutting dictators and
czars—"exercise dominion" over their followers and strut about to
"exercise authority" over them. "But," He said, "It shall not be so
among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your
minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your
servant" (Matthew 20:26-27).
The Desire to SERVE Comes First.
All too often, men desire positions of leadership and responsibility
primarily for the sake of exalting self— not for service. This is a
great mistake, and often leads to grievous harm and unhappiness not
only for the individuals involved, but for many others. Jesus said:
"For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that hum-blcth
himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:11).
If one humbles himself
to serve his fellowman, he may find that, in due time, he has become a
leader because of his desire and.ability to help.
This spirit of
humility—this desire to serve—and the spirit of selfless dedication to
a cause is the foundational approach to all true leadership. The man
who is willing to sacrifice himself to the task at hand is the one
whose followers will be most inspired and who will most quickly tend to
emulate their leader. For he is leading by sacrifice and service. He is
leading by example.
Importance of Vision, Imagination, and a
Goal. Every great leader must possess at least a certain degree of
imagination and vision. He must be able to think ahead—to visualize and
plan on beyond the immediate present.
He must also have a goal.
If his goal is practical and right, if he has the foresight to
realistically create plans and programs leading to that goal—he will
certainly command the respect of others and be a true leader.
A
Leader Must LEAD and DECIDE. A certain amount of speed and decisiveness
is found in the makeup of every great leader. For a leader has got to
be ahead of those who are following him: He must be alert, charting the
course ahead— and able to decide quickly the right course of action
when problems come up. This requires a degree of mental toughness and
courage which many just do not have.
But these are qualities of
Christ Himself, and they may be acquired—to a degree at least—by any
Christian who asks Almighty God for them in prayer and seeks to build,
use and exercise these qualities.
When Jesus found God's Temple
being turned into a house of merchandise at the Passover season. He did
not go off to meditate, call a committee meeting, or ponder what to do.
He took decisive action. As the Son of God, He had the right to clean
out that temple—and He did! He courageously and vigorously strode
through the temple courts, overturned the tables of the money changers
and ordered the money changers out. He then made a whip of cords and
drove the cattle out.
A leader with this type of decisiveness
and courage will bounce back from defeat or adversity. He will not be a
"quitter." Even though his course of action may sometimes be unpopular,
a true leader will have the spiritual and mental resources to see it
through and not be deterred by criticism or adversity.
Comradeship
and Delegation. A leader must know how to work with other people. He
must command their admiration and respect—their trust, loyalty and
responsiveness. Also, he must be able to so prod and organize them that
they achieve their maximum potential under his guidance.
Genuine
friendliness and outgoing concern for others are two hallmarks of a
great leader. He has time for a smile, a friendly chat, and shows
sincere interest in the lives, hopes and dreams of those under his
charge. He builds a sense of comradeship with those under him, so that
they feel free to share their ideas and suggestions with him.
A
leader does not live in a remote ivory tower. He doesn't hesitate to
call conferences and meetings at which his assistants and subordinates
can have an opportunity to share their views regarding problems that
face their nation or organization.
A leader must be willing to
delegate authority to others or he will find himself running a one-man
army, a one-man store or a one-man enterprise. He must have the
discernment and insight to select as his administrators men and women
of ability, honesty and balance.
Indeed, an executive's ability
to do this very thing and to train the newcomers, organize those
functioning under him and inspire them to accomplishment is one of the
greatest tests he must face.
Character and Integrity. If a
leader's motives are continually being called in question by his
followers, he is through as a leader. He must consistently set an
example of fairness, integrity and high moral character if his group or
enterprise is worth "leading" in the first place.
Self-discipline
is an absolute must for a man of leadership. The minute he allows his
morals to begin to erode, the minute he begins letting down, hitting
the bottle, engaging in unethical conduct—that minute may well be the
point at which his leadership begins to erode and thus be the turning
point in his entire future. Very few men indeed can have a feeling of
faithfulness and loyalty to an example of instability, dishonesty,
weakness, or debauchery.
A true Christian leader—the kind that
will last—is one who adheres scrupulously to the principles of the Ten
Commandments. He will be thinking far more about what is "right" than
what is expedient. His personal integrity will be above question to
everyone who really knows him, and his sense of faithfulness and
loyalty will permeate his institution. It is here that in a very real
and immediate sense righteousness pays off. There can be no substitute
for Christian character.
WHERE and HOW to Lead. In exercising
these principles of service and leadership, you will find many
opportunities to use them. First of all, you can begin right in your
own family; for, as explained previously, your family is "a miniature
kingdom."
Apply the principles of this article on your job, in
your business or on your farm. Learn to think ahead and employ right
imagination and vision, decisiveness and courage. Learn to get those
under you organized—and develop a proper method of delegating
responsibility to others, yet being faithful and fair to them as you
want them to be to you.
Born to Rule. Perhaps you never realized that man was created with powers far transcending the animal realm.
Read
it, in your own Bible: "Let us [God is speaking] make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all
the earth ..." (Gen. 1:26).
Why have so few understood what the
Bible says? Notice what Jesus told His disciples: "I appoint unto you a
kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink
at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging [or ruling] the
twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29-30).
Again, "And he that
overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power
over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ..." (Rev.
2:26-27).
We human beings are put on this earth to learn lessons
in preparation for ruling this earth—and ultimately the entire
universe—with and under God! That's one big reason why there are trials
and tests, heartaches and headaches, and lessons which are learned
through human suffering. Even Jesus learned "... by the things which he
suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). That's how He became a leader.
But,
even here, many elderly people and women often ask: "But why should I
want to domineer over others or give people orders? Why should I be
interested in this idea of being a ruler in God's Government?"
Why, indeed?
Have
you ever wanted to give real and lasting help to the starving people of
India and Africa? Have you ever wanted to really and permanently help
the lonely, pitiful, lost-looking orphan children around the world?
Have you ever genuinely wanted to quickly help the blind, deaf and
crippled?
As a servant and a leader in God's Kingdom, you will have that very kind of opportunity!
Prepare
for that day. It is coming sooner than you think! Try to help and serve
others with the knowledge that you have. Develop and use these
qualities of leadership in your everyday life.
Christian
leadership based on service is the best possible preparation for your
job as a king under Jesus Christ in the World Tomorrow!
Article Reprint from the Booklet - Prepare to be a King
Brought to you as a Study
Resource by the