Tag: Spiritual

The Substance of Leadership…

Substance involves a quality of being important, valid, or significant. Simply stated, substance is the stuff that makes up leadership.

What makes up the substance of our leadership? Integrity? Work ethic? Core values?

What stands out that gives credibility to the substance of our leadership?

Only you and I can answer these questions. The substance of spiritual leadership must not be self-centered, but others-centered. The quality that validates the importance of leadership is not built upon “I,” but “you.” The substance of good leadership uses “we.”

As important and needed as leadership is today, it is worth our time to focus on the substance.

Essential Questions…

Voltaire was noted for saying, “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.”

The Forbes website provides information about several areas concerning leadership. An article in June focused on “Four Questions Great Leaders Ask.” Leaders must first ask, “Is this urgent or essential?”

Every leader wrestles with determining the difference between urgent and essential matters. Often times the urgent matters distract leaders from what is essential and the stakes increase related to spiritual matters.

Spiritual leaders are needed who recognize what is essential and lead with an urgency to help others discover the way to what is essential for their lives.

Strategic Leadership…

Director of Strategic Leadership at the University of Tennessee, Dr. Kate Atchley, requires each student to answer the following questions.

Where are you as a leader?
What kind of leader do you want to be?
What is the gap between these two points?
What kind of plan needs to be developed to bridge the gap?

This type of self-evaluation is essential for advancing a strategic plan in leadership development. While the assessment is part of a business leadership model, the spiritual application has powerful implications.

We need to ask, “Are we bridging the gap between where we are and where we want (or perhaps need) to be?”

Thirsting for God…

A thought expressed throughout the Psalms is thirsting for God. One of the most common analogies is the song, “As the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for You, O God.”

The various qualities, principles, axioms, and requirements for good leadership all carry a significant weight in leadership development.

In the spiritual arena, the key to true leadership is based on thirsting for God.

The idea of thirsting involves a need, want, craving, an insatiable desire. Do we understand this thought when considering a spiritual application?

When a relationship with God is characterized by thirsting, leaders strengthen their leadership.

Taking Risks…

Risks involve the possibility of danger or harm. Directing the outcome of risks in leadership means learning how to overcome fear and manage the risk.

Information about risk management abounds, especially in application to leadership.

Spiritually, consider two questions.

1) What are the risks if we decide not to lead others to Christ? 
2) What are the risks of waiting, or procrastinating, to lead them?

When we look at how risks play out from a spiritual perspective, we find the possibility of danger or harm that occurs when we are unwilling to take the risk.

Leadership Opportunities…

Opportunities are circumstances providing possibility, either to be gained or lost.

It’s a matter of faith. If we cannot see the possibilities, we will never take advantage of the opportunities.

But, how will these opportunities reach their greatest potential?

1) We must open our eyes to the physical and spiritual needs of all people.
2) We must be ready to get involved, meaning we need to get our hands dirty.
3) We must rely completely on God to open the doors and use us to His glory.

Leaders must seize opportunities with faith in the incredible possibilities God provides.

Scars to Remember…

Most people have scars, maybe the result of surgery, an accident, or some foolish activity. At times we have emotional, mental, and spiritual scars left for the same reasons.

What do scars leave behind?

First, they remind us of what created the scar.
Second, scars remind us of physical, emotional or spiritual pain.
Third, scars show the incredible wisdom and power of God.
Fourth, scars remind us to be cautious about developing future scars.

However, the greatest reminder for leaders involves those left in the hands and feet of our Savior. These scars should always remind us of what our leadership is all about.

Leading by Love…

Leaders must exercise caution when it comes to their influence when leading others.

When our conversations focus on “me, myself, and I,” we need to evaluate who we promote.

Spiritual leadership turns its attention to the good of others, even at the expense of self.

Jesus taught about the powerful nature of love. The lesson is that all people will know we are His disciples when we have love for one another. If our words and actions promote self, then we teach a different lesson.

Leadership may be challenged by this battle, but love wins every time.

A Question for Leaders…

How did we get here? We tend to ask this when…

…compromise results in consequences greater than expected.
…plans result in failure.
…chaos emerges within an organization.
…we are unprepared for tragedy.

When we find ourselves at a place we did not intend, desire, or plan for, we wonder, “How did I get here?”

Perhaps we need to ask, “What will we do now?”

The journey that brought us here is important, but it is more important to know what we do from this point.

As spiritual leaders, we must guide those who find themselves in difficult circumstances to a better place of hope.

Involved = Learning…

One of the greatest lessons for learning comes from Ben Franklin, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

No matter what age group, this thought has application.

Leadership in the home means we must involve children so they learn.

Educational leaders must involve students if they are to learn.

As spiritual leaders within the church, we must know the value of this thought if we are to help the church move from complacency and apathy to learning.

When it comes to an application of biblical principles, involve people in ways that result in learning.