Effective Leadership

The greatest crisis we face in American business today is a lack of leadership. The vacancy of leadership is largely due to a lack of character in leaders. This crisis of character in leadership originates from the dysfunctional core values of otherwise skilled leaders. The bottom line for American business leaders is this: the level to which you either rise or fall is determined by how well you relate to your followers. The relationship you have with your followers is dictated solely on your character.

Proverbs 29:2 focuses the point of leadership with upright character this way: “When the upright have power, the people are glad; when an evil man is ruler, grief comes on the people.” In other words, if you have ever worked under someone who shows favoritism, is critical, skeptical, pessimistic and opportunistic, you have experienced the groans of a failing leader. The leader we all desire is the one who walks upright in both integrity and action.

The ability to influence your followers is solely based on your integrity and action; your character. Think of it this way. We all want to follow a person whose word is consistent, decisions are fair and who is willing to lead by action, and not by mere intimidation. The image of a cattle driver whipping the herd into action from behind, yelling out orders and firing of shots of intimidation can be contrasted with the Sheppard who walks in front of the herd with nothing more than a walking staff. The leader we want to follow not only understands what tasks need to be accomplished, but also fights passivity by being the first to act upon them.

Many leaders fail to reach their full potential because they focus on skills, knowledge and action while overlooking their heart. It is the heart of the leader that is revealed in the way they treat their followers and those followers are more interested in how much you care, then they care how much you know. Consider the notion that while important, skills and knowledge are only on leg of a three legged stool. The passivity of a leader who knows much and encourages infrequently will cripple an organization faster than any other action. It is not what a leader does that affects the success of an organization; it is what a leader doesn’t do that matters.

So, we see that effective leadership of a team involves more than simply knowledge and skills. Effective leadership requires influencing others by encouraging their hearts and minds, showing love in kindness and uniting the masses by creating an atmosphere of truly caring for the people, not merely faking it.

It is for this reason each of us needs to embrace our failures, short comings and brokenness. Using the pain of lack of success and the willingness to relate that to an organization allows the leader to reveal the heart. It shows the follower that the leader loves well and unites the team through encouragement. The leader’s past failures, short comings and brokenness create an atmosphere where the team knows that they are being prepared for future greatness in their own painful circumstances, just as the leader was. The effective leader seeks to transform a team by focusing on the heart, the inner nature, the core values and relationship of the team in order to compliment the talents, skills and knowledge that is learned and developed. So, if you have not failed in business or felt the pain of frustration in failing to reach your goals, buckle up. The ride is about to get rough for you if you want to be an effective leader.

The effective leader relates to the team not because the leader never fails, is always perfect or has pure character without trials. On the contrary, the effective leader has failed, is imperfect in many circumstances and has had his or her character tried. In the end, however, the effective leader relates to the team because the leader is willing to do whatever is required in order to affect the hearts and minds of the team. Leadership of self by demonstration, and not mere speech, reveals an upright leadership that makes followers rejoice and follow willingly. The outward actions and attitudes of encouragement displayed to the followers originate from deep within the leader’s heart. Until the core value of heart-felt love for the follower is addressed the vacancy of leadership will continue to be a crisis.

(Notes and thoughts originated from L. Hollis Jones, DMin and his book, “The Entrusted Leader.”)