The Art of Leadership

THE ART OF LEADERSHIP COURSE 101 The concept ‘leadership’ has long existed before now but in its ‘primitive nature’. It was the brain behind the conception God had before He created humankind in His own image and after His likeness (Genesis 1:26-28). The verses reveal that God made man in His image and after His likeness, and that man (you and I) should possess power (complete authority) to have dominion- to be in charge, to be in control. “ God said, “ let us (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make mankind in our image, after our likeness, and let them have complete authority over fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1: 26-27 Amp.). Man in the image of God here means that man share some communicable attributes such as life, personality, truth, wisdom, love, holiness, justice and fellowship though not perfect and it is finite. Man lost this authority to the devil because of sin but Christ Jesus has come and restored this authority back unto man in His name, Amen. God’s intention for creating man culminates into the concept of leadership. He desired that man would manage His creation. He gave authority, to make man the custodian of the earth (here I mean everything in creation). You would agree with me that God knew the end even from the very beginning. Hence, He declared the created things to be under the subjection of the authority He has given man. From the parlance of the study of demonology, today, devil is seen manifesting himself through this very medium to oppress and harass mankind (in the likeness of fish (marine), birds and beasts). The thought of God in committing such high authority unto men is that men would bring organization to the created things. God told Adam to till (work) the garden and dress it. That man would manage, till and work the same, to make it more beautiful. It is for the reason of orderliness in the planet earth. So, leadership calls for high expectation. That is the expectation from every person, every potential leader and as well the practicing leaders. Reason God made you so powerful by that declaration of His original intention to guide, organize, manage His creation is that creation must be in subjection to the creator through your presence here on earth and not go wild and out of control. Forces of nature, enemies, creatures and objects that became pagan deities, that none of these would pose a threat to the servants of the Living God. On the contrary, the world today is characterized by people and leaders who love to lord it over others rather than serving as taught by Jesus Christ. The world seeks for recognition and position of authority over others. The request of the mother of Zebedee’s sons is not different from what any supposed caring mother would request if given the privilege. Jesus Christ gave an appropriate answer when He asked if her sons could partake of the discipline that qualified one for leadership. Their response was positive. However, Jesus Christ taught them that whoever desired to be important among others must learn to serve as exemplified by Him-self when He gave His life as a ransom for all. If the person of the world act contrary to God’s standard, we are expected to be light in the world by the reason of our words and actions. Our leadership quest must be proven since it is produced and tested by the eternal word of God. Under this course you would be learning the following subjects in this course; Becoming a Leader, The Task of a Leader, Relationship in Leadership, Discipleship/Mentoring in Leadership, and Delegation in Leadership. This course is carefully packaged for proper delivery and impartation from the coordinator. It is born out of my many years leadership experience and study about other leaders who have lived and are some still living. In case used anywhere else the words in this course must not be altered. It is my most prayer for you, that as you undergo this leadership training course; God will give light to your understanding, wisdom to profit, and grace unto excellence in the name of Christ Jesus. BECOMING A LEADER A leader is defined to mean (1); a person who directs a military force or unit (2): a person who has commanding authority or influence (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2009). Many in the generation of men aspire to become leaders wherever they find themselves. I used to think there are handfuls of people who are destined to be leaders and others are made to be followers in life. But then, the chain of event of life has made me know that God created us all with the potential to be a leader within the context of our purpose. Therefore, everybody possesses leadership potentials. Like early defined above, to lead, is to have influence, to possess commanding authority. The interesting thing about leadership is leaders are on rear cases born but regularly made regardless of their innate leadership traits. A leader is a man or woman of any age or status, who leads, directs, controls, and oversees or supervises the affair of a particular organization, group or home. A leader is a person who commands authority and influence: one who guides, and a conductor. There are two major schools of thought concerning this topic. The first school of thought believes that leaders are born and not made. On the other hand, the second school of thought argues that leaders are made and not born. These parties are right with their opinion but for better understanding, a leader is both born and made, therefore a leader should of a matter of responsibility undergo making whether born with the skills or otherwise. Consider Moses in the Holy Bible, he was no doubt born a leader of the Israelites, one who God would later use to deliver His people from the land of oppression. He rose one day to prove to his fellow men that God was going to use his hands to set them free but such potential was misdirected and he slew a man in the course of defending his fellow man. “When he was 40yearse old, he decided to visit his own people, Israelites. When he saw an Israelite man being treated unfairly by an Egyptian, he defended the Israelite. He took revenge by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought his own people would understand that God was going to use him to give them freedom. But they did not understand.” (Acts 7:23-25 LBV). Here Moses was unmade reason he was prone to mistake: know today that your being unmade can bring about mistake that can cost lives. Some individuals attain leadership position because of their experience in a place or their knowledge about something. But few are really born to be leaders. This is not because of anything they have acquired inform of knowledge, power, money or even experience or achievement. Therefore, leadership position may be by merit or divine calling. Leadership position is the office of a leader, capacity to lead, the act or instance of leading. Regardless of which sort of leadership, training is most essential. Hence to become a leader there are specific things the potential leader should take note of and as well inculcate same in other to enhance your leadership responsibility. Intelligence: The ability to learn or understand or to deal with new situation. It is also defined to mean the skilled use of reason (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2009). It is that one thing a person needs to actually possess to become a leader in life. The potential leader should be smart enough to handle his responsibilities without seeking one to help him carry it out. Although leaders who are effective are necessarily not the smartest people in any given organization. Since administration is involved in leadership capacity the intelligent quotient should be accurate, be prepared for the challenges of leadership experience. The potential leader should therefore be such who is ready to learn and must be one who has no mental defect whatsoever. Intelligence can be interchangeably used to mean reasoning. This means that part of your human body is responsible in this aspect and not the Holy Spirit (here, the Holy Spirit will enable you with life in Christ Jesus but He will not think (reason) you). The Cerebrum is claimed to be responsible for intelligence and reasoning. Thence, the careful care of one’s brain is needed and should be taken very serious. Intelligence enables a leader to be able to manipulate (utilize) his environment to achieve maximum goal. By adequate reasoning a leader can achieve great objectives set before him and his team in a given organization. Character: This is an important (quality) of a leader. By character, I am suggesting predictability of behaviour over a given period of time and situation. According to the Encarta 2008, character is referred to, “personality, deeply ingrained and relatively enduring patterns of thought, feeling, and behaviour.” This could also include integrity, loyalness, firmness, faithfulness and sincereness. If definition from the Encarta is accepted then character is what you are when you are alone, when nobody is watching. This important quality is to be developed in every potential leader. Training inspires character. A life not trained would certainly become a loose life. Circumstances do not determine character instead it reveals it. Scientists have agreed that development of character can be caused by “Drive” which is referred to as motivation and can be divided into two; primary drive and secondary drive. Every action and reaction from individual reveals only the tendency of such person to manifest hence, no group of people can totally claim that they reacted per circumstances. Always keep this in memory; character remains the ingredient for quality life. It helps to keep you up the ladder of success. Administration: In leadership capacity administration is needed and should be involved. By administration I mean the ability to make proper decisions, plans, and the ability to organize people and events towards achieving a goal in any given organization. The lack of a sound and proper administration is tantamount to failure on the part of any leader. An administrator is one, who can be called “vision chaser”. This is because administrators are necessarily not visioners but can be employed to bring a vision to be. Administrator makes goals (visions) happen. As a potential leader you need to learn or inculcate this skill as part of the skill you would be required to possess to succeed in your leadership quest. Leadership brings you to the point where you make decisions for others in places like home, organizations, society. You make plans for events to be executed. Therefore, as a leader and administrator you should be prepared to assume the responsibility and risk for a smooth operation with the expectation of recording success or making profit. Risk Taking: This is another thing a potential leader needs to know about before opting for leadership position. In entrepreneurship, it is one quality that marks off a good entrepreneur. As a leader there would be many instances when you may be expected to take risks for the sake of the people, especially for your office generally. In leadership, risk taking cannot be ruled out. It is like going to save a lamb in the mouth of a lion and bear. “But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth; and if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God” (Samuel 17: 34-36 RSV). As a leader you need to know that selflessness is required on your part. There cannot be any success without sacrifice. So as to help others become who they really are; your subordinates, you would do things that are sacrificial. Remember, Jesus should be first always, others should be considered next and then you which interprets the word Joy. David’s life showed an example that in leadership one may be required to put his/her life on line for others. He threw himself cheap before such ferocious animals like lions and bears in ransom for ‘mere’ lamb. Imagine if he never made it from their dangerous claws. Notice, he did this on so many occasions. Would you give your life in ransom for your subordinates? Would you use your finance to fulfill your official duty even when you are sure no one will repay you? Would you deny yourself the pleasures of satisfaction and comfort- ability for the sake of others? Would your share your utmost treasured time with the needy? These questions revolve around risk. They encourage selflessness in leadership capacity. After these questions are supplied the right answers. It saddles the potential leader with readiness for a sacrificial life. Learning: Leadership is equally learned. Anyone who aspires to become a leader needs to learn leadership principles. Leadership is purely a trade of apprenticeship. Knowledge is the benefit of learning but knowledge recedes from such individual who refuse to seek it, him who despises learning is not wise. It requires you to bring yourself under someone’s leadership guide (though you may be leading in a given community or organization). Such is applicable in Christianity where Christ Jesus is the Supreme head over other leader in the work of the Kingdom. You choose role models and look out for mentors. As a leader you should be in charge of your own development. This can be done as you seek out training opportunities. By attending training you improve on your performance as a potential leader. “Training makes the difference but the kind training shapes the difference” (Rev’d S.O. Asaju). Training is important, and you as a potential leader should seek it so as to develop and improve some specific skills in you which will in return promote your performance. “…making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his saints.” (Proverbs 2:2-8). Leadership learning is a life time event. It continues. You can never be done because there is more to learn, there are skills you need to improve upon; as the days unfolds so knowledge increases, get wisdom, get trained. Reading: This is commonly said, “If you want to hide anything important from Africans put it in writing, they will never find it.” But the story is changing today because good quantities of Africans are undertaking the adventure of reading. Youths are encouraged to inculcate and imbibe reading culture. As a leader it is a law that you must read. The improvement, that answer, you seek is in the books you have not read! As a frontier (leader) you need to develop the reading culture. Many have been leaders (and pastors), you need to share from their experiences and from their knowledge. Do not forget, “readers are leaders”, this is because reading puts you in the forefront. Read your bible, Christian materials and some valuable books especially those of your specialty. Stretch yourself in reading. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy2:15 NIV). According to the Scripture, the best and most infallible way to prove your ministry (leadership quest) before God and before men is by conscious programmed studying. A careful and well scheduled reading programme will no doubt put you in favour before God. Knowledge does not stay in the air rather God has given mankind the ability to tie down knowledge through writing hence the availability of the Holy Scripture. This actually helps to know more about God and black and white print of His good purposes for mankind. He also has given power to mankind to be able to put down experiences which largely has formed a good percentage of the thriving knowledge around the world today. “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the LORD, and to teaching its decree and laws in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10 NIV). Men of old explored reading and became indispensable in their generation. Reading enhance your understanding capacity (Daniel 9:2 NIV). “I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!” (Ecclesiastes 1:13 NIV). According to this verse, it is revealed that it is God who mandated it upon King Solomon, the wisest king that has ever lived to study inspite of his wisdom. You can achieve less or nothing in your given ministry or leadership office without reading because the ANSWER YOU SEEK IS IN THE BOOK YOU HAVE NOT READ! Making reading a habit and inculcate the reading culture for by it renowned leaders developed.