Leadership Development

To be or Not to be a Leader

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Those who don’t feel they are leaders will sometimes pay hundreds of dollars to attend a seminar to become one. Some have attained leadership with a great amount of action and verbal acclaim. Other leaders have quietly shown their strength by facial expressions, gestures or tone of voice.

I’m reminded of the story of a little boy who saw a turtle while walking along a country road. He thought it would be a great joke to put the turtle on a fencepost. The turtle didn’t ask to be put up there, but he realized he could see a lot more from that vantage point. Observations are sometimes clearer from a fencepost. Later, another person walking by saw the turtle and out of the kindness of his heart, took the turtle down. Leaders sometimes feel they have been put on a fencepost. Some of us get there through great personal effort; others are placed there unwillingly.

Here are some observations I’ve learned about leadership while being on the fencepost.

Be an influencer, not a follower.

You can get more done by influencing others.
You can be a great influencer by making wise leadership choices.
Moses, having been called of God at the burning bush, went before Pharaoh and with God’s intervention was able to do great miracles before him and his wise men (Exodus 4:1-12). The result of his act of obedience before God was the respect of the people when they looked toward him as a leader.

Be sincere and simple, not stuffy and egocentric.

Abraham Lincoln said, “A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall. So it is with men. If you want to win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey which catches his heart.”

My experience has led me to believe that being true and honest in my dealings with people has led to personable relationships with them. Once during a birthday party the church gave me, one of the women in my church read portions of the book, The Velveteen Rabbit. She compared me to the main character of the book who was always himself, always honest and always friendly. I took that as a great compliment.

Be sensitive to circumstances and place.

In the words of Solomon, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

Don’t use the excuse, “Well, it’s the truth!” People don’t need to hear a condemning word just because it’s the truth. People need the redeeming factor of love expressed to them in spite of their imperfections. God’s love inspires confidence, (see 1 John 4:17-21).

Get a compass! If you’re leading, then lead!

Know the general direction you want to go. Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” If you make a good choice or decision about today, then you’ve made a good start.

Planning is the key to good decision-making. If your plans are bathed in prayer, meditation, and good reminder lists, you will have the courage to lead with authority. Lack of preparation for the task is the reason for many failures.

Act (be) the part.

A wimpy leader is like a wimpy garbage bag—no good! Good leaders have learned to sound and act like winners. Though they may have doubts about themselves, they act as though they know what they are doing. Such leaders soon do know what they are doing.

I was twenty years old when I found myself in a leadership position. I had become a pastor’s wife. By virtue of the appointment, my role was established in the minds of others. How to act or react toward the congregation was my choice. I had to choose whether to be proactive or reactive. A proactive person knows her intentions ahead of time. She doesn’t wait until an experienced member comes to her with a well-meaning suggestion, then react negatively to it.

Be competent.

Read the book! Knowledge is power, and the best leaders know that their savvy and proficiency are part of their charisma. Even in our lowest moments of leadership, we have the powerful verse given to us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”