Being connected with people is vital to good leadership. Several elements will help establish that connection.
1) Be transparent.
2) Provide hope.
3) Consistency is essential.
4) Relate to people individually.
5) Find ways to genuinely compliment others.
Leaders who connect lead with passion and integrity. They know and are known by others. Love for others drives a leader’s heart. Reaching the goal motivates a leader’s actions. Staying connected keeps a leader balanced.
What is the essence of your leadership?
When others consider that indispensable quality that determines your character, how would they describe your leadership?
Is there any substance to the fundamental qualities of your leadership?
The essence of leadership needs to be built upon the ideas expressed by David when asking the questions connected to dwelling with God in Psalm 15: the one “who walks with integrity, works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart.”
We often focus on the ideas of integrity, righteousness, and truth.
However, the idea behind walks, works, and speaks is significant to who a leader is, not just what they do.
As leaders, several questions are important to consider regarding principles.
1) Why should we have principles to govern behavior?
2) What rule or belief governs our personal behavior?
3) Do we have a rule or belief in place for this purpose?
4) Are these rules or beliefs based on humanistic or biblical foundations?
5) Will others see consistency between our principles and behavior?
A life lived by biblical principles will always influence others. Consistently living by our principles directly connects to the integrity needed for powerful leadership.
When leaders answer these questions in relationship to principles and behavior, the steps to harmonize them develops a leader worth following.
Douglas MacArthur was known for his leadership, especially during the time of World War II.
He once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”
Leaders need confidence in God and His power that works within us.
Leaders must choose courage when needed most.
Leaders must demonstrate the Christlike quality of compassion.
Leaders must be characterized by consistency.
Leaders must learn to walk with integrity.
Substance involves a quality of being important, valid, or significant. Simply stated, substance is the stuff that makes up leadership.
What is the substance that makes up the character of our leadership? Integrity? Work ethic? Honesty?
Is there something significant that stands out giving credibility to our leadership substance?
Can others see the substance of our leadership?
The substance of spiritual leadership must not be ego-centric, but people-centric. The quality that validates the importance of leadership is not built upon I, but you. The substance of great leadership uses we.
As important and needed as leadership is today, it is worth our time to focus on the substance.
Confidence is connected to both the words and actions of an individual. Thus, there must also be a strong consistency in one’s character.
The lesson for leaders is nothing new.
For leaders to build the type of relationship with followers where trust exists, their character must be defined by consistency, which lays the foundation for their confidence.
This may be one of the truest approaches to defining integrity for spiritual leaders.
Leaders need to position their words and actions in such a way that their leadership portrays the confidence of someone whose life is consistent.
The opposite of truthfulness leads in one direction: deception.
Leaders need to not only be truthful in relationship to followers, they need to be truthful with themselves.
Leaders are challenged to be honest enough with themselves to make the kind of decisions that demonstrate integrity.
Being truthful with the direction we should take may not always align with our initial choice.
Being truthful with those invested in following will not allow us to be self-centered.
Being truthful with God will always lead in paths of righteousness.
Be careful not to allow good intentions to validate pretentious actions. Be truthful with yourself, others, and God in all areas.
Do leaders think from a primal perspective? Before we drift into the early stages of evolutionary development, primal carries the impetus of something that is essential or foundational.
Nothing could more essential and foundational to eternity than spiritual leadership.
How does the idea of primal apply to the surroundings of leadership?
The idea relates to the beginnings, first things, primary, essential, and foundational elements of all that is connected to life intellectually, physically, emotionally, and physically.
These elements are the building blocks of all leaders and include integrity, honesty, strong work ethic, passion, confidence in God, discipline, and balance.
At times, leaders are asked to leave and sometimes they choose to leave. How a leader walks away determines the nature of how they are remembered.
Shattered farewells leave everyone hurting.
Divisive farewells leave followers turned against one another.
Venomous farewells leave a feeling of animosity, anger, distrust, and a lack of direction.
Gracious farewells leave followers united with a greater dedication to achieve the established vision, goals, and will of God that strengthen the overall good of everyone.
At some point, we say goodbye and when the time comes we must decide the level of integrity and Christlike character we will demonstrate.
When leadership exists without the suspicion of motives and actions on the part of followers, a environment exists described as unsuspecting leadership.
When a leader’s character exemplifies the kind of integrity that is built on values of godliness, then the motives and actions of the leader are not questioned by followers.
The beauty of biblical leadership is found when both ideas are present in the relationship. The result displays trust, not a trust that is superficial, but one that provides transparency and strengthens the core of the church.
Developing this relationship takes time. Quality and durability are rarely the reward of implementing something quickly.