A Lifestyle Of Leadership

Any organization, whether for profit or non-profit, depends on successful leadership to provide direction. Everything rises and falls on leadership. Every issue in every organization, every decision that is made or postponed, is ultimately a product of leadership. Find an organization achieving excellence and you'll find leadership effectiveness. Find failure, and you'll find leadership failure as well. When a leader emerges confidence is restored and hope is renewed. Leaders seize the moment and meet the challenges of today with the courage of their convictions.

1. Leadership Is Not Found In a Position, But In a Person.
We often mistake leadership for a title, position or station in life. But true leadership comes from personal influence, not a job title.

2. Leadership Comes From Servanthood, Not Appointment.
Leadership isn't granted from an organization, but earned out of service and commitment to others. There is no better commentary on this than the life of Christ, the master leader, who "...set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave!" (Philippians 2.7, The Message).

3. Leadership Is Character.
"The main ingredient of good leadership is good character. This is because leadership involves conduct and conduct is determined by values." (Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, retired). Leadership can never be divorced from the individual. And as a leader, you cannot impart what you do not possess.

4. Leaders Model Leadership Principles.
Leaders act out of principles and convictions and teach others by their own example. Courageous and consistent leaders model what it means to live by God's commands. This is character on display.

5. Leadership Is Ultimately a Relationship.
Genuine leadership begins and ends at the same place - a passionate walk with the Savior. Only to the degree that we are followers of Him will we influence others. If that part of our leadership is not developed, it is just manipulation or the latest personnel management techniques.

By Greg Morris

Courtesy of http://www.leadershipdynamics.org

C.S Lewis calls this quality, "Leaders with chest". It likened the properly ordered soul to the human body: the head (reason) must rule the belly (the sensual appetites) through the chest (character and spirit). Without a strong chest, men would succumb to excuses, relativism, and compromise, hence people with no character or integrity are men without chests.

Job posses such integrity as a leader because:
1. strong security: he felt emotionally secure enough to take criticism
2. clear conscience: he kept a clear and sensitive conscience regarding sin
3. pure motives: he refused to entertain self-indulgent motives.
4. solid character: he was committed to doing the right thing at any cost.

(the maxwell leadership bible: john c maxwell)