July 29th, 2020: In Search for Great Leadership

 

 

Leadership is what many people are searching for during this time. Great leadership tends to provide some sense of security and direction in times of crisis. The opposite produces chaos and disparity. Many businesses, religious organizations, communities, and social groups depend on good leadership to navigate through this time. So what is good leadership?

It has to be a calling to public service. Many folks today get involved in the political scene for power and not for public service. To be in politics is a high calling. It demands personal sacrifices. That is not what we see these days. There is not that much depth and commitments to public service, only slogans and superficial understanding of the high calling.

Honesty is non-negotiable. It is hard to follow a leader if we cannot tell whether they tell the truth. We have seen in Canada recently how top federal politicians have shown disregard for the truth and disrespect for the office they hold. It is problematic during this pandemic to have leaders who are self- serving.

Integrity is foundational. Our life focus depends on our integrity. The lack of integrity in leadership will create uneasiness among the people. It breaks down the social contract between leaders and people they lead. It breeds anger and frustration.

It involves prayers and dependence on God. To love the people we lead is to commit to pray for them. We need to learn how to depend on God while learning to be leaders due to our lack of knowledge and understanding. Leadership requires freedom from the broken self, and that will not happen without God.

Take ownership when things go wrong is how we lead. When a leader starts blaming other people, he (she) provides absolutely no direction. It tends to bring about an internal fight and an unsettled situation. When a leader can acknowledge his (her) mistake with sincerity, it tends to calm people down and provides hope.

It is visionary. A leader should be able to be a few steps ahead of people he (she) leads. Leadership is about building a vision for the future. We are doing that by having a clear understanding of the presence and the past. Visionary leadership will not tolerate impossibility. It will provide solutions for the challenges it faces.

Celebration is essential. It needs to be part of the core focus of leadership. It acknowledges what we have overcome. It also gives us a chance to be thankful to God and one another. It builds a stronger community. A nation that cannot celebrate together is a nation in decline.

Please understand that I got all of these thoughts by studying the book of Nehemiah. Let me quote Chuck Swindoll in concluding this note:

"Nehemiah was a layman, not a priest like Ezra nor a prophet like Malachi. He served the Persian king in a secular position before leading a group of Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. “Nehemiah’s expertise in the king’s court equipped him adequately for the political and physical reconstruction necessary for the remnant to survive."

Under Nehemiah’s leadership, the Jews withstood opposition and came together to accomplish their goal. Nehemiah led by example, giving up a respected position in a palace for hard labor in a politically insignificant district. He partnered with Ezra, who also appears in this book, to solidify the political and spiritual foundations of the people. Nehemiah’s humility before God (see his moving intercessory prayers in chapters 1 and 9) provided an example for the people. He did not claim glory for himself but always gave God the credit for his successes."