The Genesis Principle of Leadership: 2008

Friday, December 19, 2008

Your Leadership Mandate

You are mandated to lead!

Your leadership enables each person to reclaim the characteristics of God given to him as bearer of God’s image. Leadership must help others fulfill their mandate to reflect and represent the image of God. Leadership must help every person do that which God put them on earth to do: fill the earth with His glory.

This is leadership in its ultimate, created, eternal, and fullest sense. Show me a person who is actively reclaiming and cultivating their created attributes (i.e. active and purposeful, rational, creative, exercise dominion, moral, relational, free and responsible, loving, merciful, faithful, interdependent, and generous), and I will show you a true leader.

Leaders are not born!

Leaders are not made!

Leaders are created!

You have been created with the full capacity for this one essential purpose of the human enterprise – to restore within yourself and within each other the long-forgotten image of God so that we can fill the earth with the glory of God. You were created for this purpose. This is your leadership mandate.

You were created to lead!

You have the created capacity for leadership!

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership!

Now go out and lead!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

Organizations collapse for the lack of leaders.

Every organization needs all the good managers it can find. However, finding and developing managers (that is - people who know how to do things right) is not all that difficult.

Organizations do not collapse because there are not enough good managers. Organizations collapse because there are not enough leaders. Evidence? Look at the big three automakers. Need I say more?

In spite of the glut of leadership literature and seminars, organizations continue to collapse because there are simply not enough people who lead. Most professional development seminars and books are ineffective because they continue to miss the mark regarding this essential purpose of leadership.

The key to developing effective leaders is helping people restore the long-forgotten image of God within them. Leaders are to help others reclaim and steward the created attributes of God within those they lead. Leaders must become more conscious of men and women as being made in the image of God. Therefore they possess the God-created, God-given attributes. Leaders must see that people are not driven by the evolutionary forces of genetics or the developmental press of the environment. People are not in the process of perceiving, behaving, or becoming a fully functioning self, nor are they in a lifelong pursuit of self-actualization.

Rather, leadership and the development of leaders must be specifically directed at enabling each person to reclaim (structurally) the long-forgotten attributes of God and to cultivate (functionally) each created leadership attribute.

Now go out and develop leaders … in His image.

Monday, November 24, 2008

LEADERSHIP HAS A PURPOSE

Leadership has a purpose. I don’t hear much about this today. Do you?

The redemption of all men and women and boys and girls is for one central purpose: to fill the earth again with the glory of God through the restored attributes of God within each and every person. The central purpose of the church, the family, education, and, particularly leadership is to take mankind back to its first and original condition – the “good creation.”

Convinced of the importance of this task, pastors must focus their preaching, teaching, and shepherding toward enabling every member of their congregations to reclaim and cultivate the long-lost attributes of God.

Parents must reorder their priorities toward the cultivation of the created attributes in their children.

Teachers must recapture a high, traditional, biblical view of their students and radically alter their pedagogical approaches to training and developing children.

Employers must change their low, mechanistic views of the worker enabling their employees to recapture a high and holy view of work and personhood.

As this occurs, everyone will delight in God’s image and become His garden of delight – people will delight in God – God will delight in His image bearers – and the earth will be filled with God’s glory. It will fulfill Comenius’ dream who prayed:

Do thou, everlasting wisdom, who dost play in this world and whose delight is in the sons of men, ensure that we in turn may now find delight in thee. Discover more fully unto us ways and means to better understanding of thy play and to more eager pursuance of it with one another until we ourselves finally play in thy company more effectively to give increasing pleasure unto thee, who art our everlasting delight! Amen!

More later ….

Now go out and lead – in His image.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Finding Your Leadership Voice

Pastor John was deeply concerned about the illiteracy of the children in his parish. His church served a rural, agricultural area. Life in this farming country was demanding. The days were long. Everyone worked hard from sunup to sundown. Work on the family farms required the help of everyone – particularly the children. As soon as they were able to walk, the children worked alongside their parents. Children were essential to the success of the family farm. Consequently, there was no time for learning reading, writing, and arithmetic. Going to school was a luxury only the noble and wealthy people in the surrounding villages could enjoy.

Nevertheless, Pastor John convinced the parishioners in his church to allow their children to stay for a few hours following the Sunday worship service so that he could teach them reading, writing, arithmetic, and Latin. Pastor John called this innovative program, “Sunday School.” As far as I can discern, this may be the first record of “Sunday School” in church history. Curiously, though, his “Sunday School” was for the purpose of providing a well-rounded education to the boys and girls in the parish.

Known today as the “Father of Pedagogy,” Pastor John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) pioneered several modern educational methodologies at his “Sunday School” in Moravia (now known as the Czech Republic). He was the first to use pictures in his textbooks; the first to include women in his school; and, the first to believe that learning was a cradle-to-the-grave process. He wrote over 150 books (some of his Latin textbooks are still in use today); documented the distinctive learning styles of children of varying ages; and, formulated an educational model based upon the developmental growth of children (which he named “pedagogy” – the art and science of teaching children). There is evidence that he turned down an offer to become the first president of Harvard University.

John Amos Comenius was also the first to believe that learning, spiritual growth, and mental/emotional development was intricately woven together. He held a classical, traditional, biblical view of the person believing that the essential purpose of education was to enable every child to be fully conformed to the image of God. “The restoration within us of the long-forgotten image of God” was the driving vision for his “Sunday School.” Comenius believed that the essential purpose of the human enterprise – in every sphere of life – was rooted in man’s call to fill the earth with the glory of God through the restored created attributes of God. Once restored, we would be able to fully participate in God’s divine redemptive purpose, which ultimately leads to the restoration and liberation of the entire fallen creation.

Comenius was convinced that authentic human living begins with the imitation of God. He approached all of life guided by a biblical view of personhood. Life was to be a “garden of delight” where we, as “gardeners,” are to “water God’s plants,” enabling each person to “find his voice.” In this way, each and every person becomes “a garden of delight for his God.” Toward this end, Comenius emphasized bringing faith and reason together into what he called “harmonic interrelation.” By this, he meant that faith and reason are to compliment each other in such a way as to teach all things to all men from all points of view. Such an approach ultimately promotes the rediscovery and restoration of the long-lost attributes (image) of God.

Think about it: This is the foundational organizing principle of leadership.

Comenius had it right!

More later …

[i] Comenius, John Amos Comenius, The Great Didactic, vol. xvi: 2.

Monday, October 27, 2008

The "Krypton" of Leadership

As a leader you possess the created capacity and responsibility to be generous as God is generous, dispensing the sacrificial generosity of God to those around you by being supremely and wastefully generous with your time, talent, and treasure.

Supreme generosity is at the very core of your nature! Generous is an attribute that God gave to you. You were created to be gloriously – even wastefully – generous. It is part of your created nature and divine responsibility, as a bearer of God’s image, to be supremely generous with your time, talent, and treasure.

Yes, the story of the greedy king who learned to excel in the grace of giving is a wonderful example. But what better example can be found than in the supreme, inexpressible generosity of God, the King of Kings? Supreme generosity is at the very core of God’s nature.

God the Father generously created and sustains the universe.

God the Son generously gave His life that you might live an eternally abundant life.

God the Holy Spirit generously equips you with divinely originated abilities that enable you to play a unique and strategic role in transforming every corner of culture for God and for good.

Supreme generosity is as the very core of your nature! Excelling in the grace giving is not an abstract, dusty, theological notion. God is exuberantly, cheerfully, and lavishly generous. God’s acts of generosity are transformative. God’s generosity is real. God’s generosity changes things. God loves to give.

In his masterful collection of daily devotional poems, The Diary of an Old Soul, the Victorian poet, novelist, and Christian fantasy writer, George MacDonald (1824 – 1905), described God’s generosity as “gloriously wasteful.” In his poem for March 2, MacDonald wrote, “Gloriously wasteful, O my Lord, art Thou.” [i]

God created you to be gloriously and wastefully generous. The generosity of your time, talent, and treasure also changes things. In fact, in the final analysis, it may be the only thing that ever changes things. And like the greedy king, you too will learn that you are the true benefactor of your own generosity. Like the greedy king, you, too, will experience great joy and fulfillment as you learn to excel in the grace of giving.

Furthermore, God takes great joy and delight in watching His people cheerfully and lavishly – even wastefully – bestow gifts of their time, talent, and treasure in changing people and the world about them. God gives cheerfully and loves those who cheerfully give. When you are generous, you fill the earth with the glory of God.

Generosity is the “krypton” of leadership. The element krypton, appearing on the periodic chart of elements is, basically, an inert chemical. But, when used in fluorescent bulbs, krypton makes the light whiter and brighter. When used in laser lights, krypton makes them more powerful and precise. Like the element krypton, rich generosity lights up leadership – leadership that separates and distinguishes great leaders from good leaders. Great leaders excel in the transformative, wasteful generosity of their time, talent, and treasure.

You are generous.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership.

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and brighten the world with your generosity!

[i] MacDonald, George, The Diary of an Old Man: 366 Writings for Devotional Reflection, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Minneapolis, 1994.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

LEADERS ARE GLORIOUSLY AND WASTEFULLY GENEROUS

What makes you deeply joyful - giving or taking?

And how is it that this person has never given me one of her quilts?

In their beautiful, award-winning, picture book, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, [i] Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken tell the enchanting story of a very powerful and greedy king who, with the help of a little old quiltmaker, learned how to excel in the grace of giving.

In fact, this king was good, very good, at being greedy. Every Christmas and every birthday (which he celebrated twice each year) the king demanded that his subjects lavish astonishingly beautiful and magical gifts upon him.

Oh how the king loved his possessions!

He kept an accurate and detailed inventory of each one. From top to bottom, every nook and cranny of his castle was filled with the magnificent gifts he had received.

But the king was not happy.

He never smiled.

He was never satisfied.

He kept looking for that one perfect gift that would finally make him happy.

One day the king learned about a quiltmaker who lived in her little cottage in the mountains – high above the clouds. Throughout the world, people said that this quiltmaker made the brightest and prettiest quilts that anyone had ever seen.

Curiously, though, she never sold her quilts. People came from all over the world with pockets full of money to buy her magnificent quilts. Yet, no matter how hard they tried. She would not sell even one. No amount of gold or silver could change her mind. Instead, she always took her quilts to the town and gave them to the downtrodden and homeless. Then she would start another, and then another, only to give each one away.

The king demanded one of these magnificent quilts.

And how is it that this person has never given me one of her quilts? he bellowed.

But the quiltmaker refused. Several times the king threatened her. But again and again the quiltmaker refused. On one occasion the king threw the quiltmaker into the cave of a hungry bear. On another occasion the king placed her on a tiny, deserted island. Still, the quiltmaker refused to give the king one of her extraordinary quilts.

Eventually, in desperation, the king shouted, I give up! What must I do for you to give me a quilt?

In response, the quiltmaker finally promised to make the king a quilt, on one condition. He had to give away everything he owned to the poor. The king was stunned. Give away everything? Every one of his treasured gifts? What an absurd idea! The king dearly loved each and every one of his gifts. How could he possibly give them away? How could he even give one?

But finally, he gave in. He began ever so slowly at first. Starting with his smaller treasures, the king gave them away one by one. To his astonishment, he began to experience pleasure – not in receiving gifts – but in giving them away. Little by little he began to smile – and even laugh as he emptied his castle.

Soon his happiness turned into a deep, satisfying joy.

Even so, he could not understand how it was possible that he could experience such happiness by giving away his treasured possessions. But soon, the king was giving away his gifts by the wagonload.

He excelled in the grace of giving, becoming overwhelmed with inexpressible joy.

It took years for the king to give away everything. He went everywhere. He gave everyone he saw a gift. Soon there was not a person in his kingdom who had not received a gift from him. What joy filled his soul as he traded his treasures for smiles!

Finally, tired, tattered, and torn, the weary king returned home – poor – with holes in the toes of his boots. He had traveled all over the world giving away his treasures. Nevertheless, his eyes glittered with joy and his laugh had grown wonderful and thunderous. At last, he was happy.

Though poor, he felt like he was the richest person in the world.

The king kept his promise to the quiltmaker. He gave every one of his beautiful gifts away. And the quiltmaker kept her promise to the king and gave him one of the most beautiful quilts she had ever made. You see, the quiltmaker also kept her promise to herself – giving her quilts only to the poor. She stayed true to her calling; she excelled in the grace of giving.

Curiously, the king returned to the town only to give away his beautiful quilt to one he found shivering in the cold of night. The quiltmaker continued to make her magnificent quilts. From time to time the king would go to the quiltmaker’s little cottage high above the clouds and at night, take them down to the town, and give them to the poor and downtrodden.

As this wonderful parable ends, it is said that the king was ...never happier than when he was giving something away.

So - I ask you again - what makes you deeply and satisfyingly joyful? Giving? Taking?

You see, glorious and wasteful generosity is a mark of the effective leader!

You are generous.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership.

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

[i] Brumbeau, Jeff and De Marcken, Gail, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, Scholastic Press, 2001.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

PART IV: A HIGHER LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP

Contrary to popular belief, effective leaders are not hard-nosed, cigar-chomping, commandeering, uncaring, individualistic, take-charge, lone wolves.

Rather – effective leaders are interdependent.

As a leader you are totally and dynamically reliant upon God and your fellow human beings for your well-being and continued existence. Nonetheless, you remain irreducibly distinctive, independent, and irreplaceable with even greater individual capacity, influence, and significance, finding the center of your existence and significance in God and others.

Occasionally, there have been leadership models that recognize that people are something more than programmable machines – that acknowledge that people, in fact, can think, reason, and are capable of judging for themselves – that it is not necessary for them to check their thoughts, ideas, and feeling at the door when they arrive for work – and that they don’t have to leave at the end of the day feeling like they have been treated like a number, or worse yet, a machine.

James Clawson's book, Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface,[i] is an encouraging step forward. Clawson argues that effective leadership must recognize that people are much more than programmable machines. People have an intricately developed, personal set of values, assumptions, beliefs, and expectations (VABEs). Workers do not check their VABEs at the door when they arrive at the workplace. People, just like you and me, use their world and life views – their conceptual frameworks – to observe, describe, interpret, and make decisions about the world around them – and then act accordingly. Clawson argues that there must be a moral foundation to leadership that consists of four cornerstones: truth-telling, promise-keeping, fairness, and respect for each individual.

What a remarkable leap from the mechanical and dehumanizing approaches to leadership still prevalent in the 21st century!

But there's more. In the words popularized by the cooking icon, Emeril Lagasse, “Let’s kick it up a notch!” Let’s take Clawson’s “Level Three” notion to a "Level Four."

According to Clawson, "respect for the individual means believing that all individuals have some intrinsic worth and should be treated accordingly with courtesy and kindness.” Clawson illustrates this with the common Buddhist greeting, “Namaste,” interpreted as, “I respect the part of God that is within you.”

Clawson had it right – ALMOST. People do have something “divine” within. Effective leaders show respect for that “divinity.” But I suggest that the traditional Christian view of “imago Dei” kicks the Buddhist notion of namaste "up a notch – to a higher biblical view of leadership – The Genesis Principle of Leadership.

You were carefully and purposefully created in God’s image.You possess most of God’s attributes.You are responsible to be a bearer of these attributes in every arena of your life.And you have been given the Genesis Charge to lead.

Though distorted by sin, every one of your co-workers and subordinates possesses, in equal portion and capacity, the created attributes of God. It is your moral responsibility, as a leader, to recognize, cultivate, and help each other steward these created leadership attributes.

This is interdependence at its best - the beginning of effective leadership.

You are interdependent.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership.

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead!

[i] Clawson, James, Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface, Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2006, 2003, 1999.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Part III: Independent Interdependence without Codependency

As a leader you are totally and dynamically reliant upon God and your fellow human beings for your well-being and continued existence. Nonetheless, you remain irreducibly distinctive, independent, and irreplaceable with even greater individual capacity, influence, and significance, finding the center of your existence and significance in God and others.

Should you really be surprised that the quality of products and services decline when people are undervalued and treated like machines?

Contrary to popular belief, effective leaders are not hard-nosed, cigar-chomping, commandeering, uncaring, individualistic, take-charge, lone wolves. Effective leaders are interdependent.

This is a difficult concept for us rugged, individualistic Americans to accept, much less to put into practice. Leaders, true leaders, learned a long time ago that they can not be successful doing it their way. Even so, there is more to effective leadership than simply learning how to get along with others by attending team-building seminars, implementing participative management teams, or keeping up with the latest Japanese leadership fad.

Leaders truly understand that there is a complete, mutual, and dynamic reciprocity between all members of the team. It is this reciprocity that simultaneously increases organizational effectiveness while offering individuality and synergistic togetherness. Leadership is a perichoretic dance – a circle of shared life. It’s not all about me. It is independent interdependence without codependency.

The antiquated, individualized, independent, lone-wolf approach to leadership of the 1960s is reflected in too many of the current top-selling books and articles on leadership.

Far too many leadership books and articles being written today completely miss the vital interdependent dimension to effective leadership. There is so much more to leadership than identifying individual traits and characteristics, learning how one can exercise power, or building participative management teams. These kinds of approaches, though popular, fall far short because they do not tap into the ultimate depth and reality of interdependence. You become a truly effective leader when you become interdependent upon the people you are leading. Effective leaders are interdependent.

Pathetic Views of Leadership

Too many notions about leadership are based upon pathetically undignified (i.e. mechanistic) views of personhood. There is little to no willingness to recognize that people have rational minds and that they observe, think, value, and make judgments. Rather, the human mind is viewed as nothing more than a machine. Therefore, these machines are to be managed in much the same way one would manage any machine. “Machines” can be programmed to work in particular ways –in accordance with prescribed, engineered specifications.

Thankfully, these mechanistic approaches to leadership have been shown to be outdated and ineffective. Nevertheless, the scientific approach to management continues to be the driving force behind many leadership strategies promoted by today’s leadership gurus. Such depersonalizing approaches irresponsibly lead to the development of such things as policy manuals that attempt to force employees to perform tasks in narrowly prescribed, repeatable, machine-like fashion – all in the name of efficiency. As one employee told me, “We are not paid to think around here.”

Leadership by policymaking is the lowest form of human behavior.

Don’t misunderstand me, policies can be important. But, in my judgment, leadership by policy-making is dehumanizing and dangerous. Leading by policy-making is driven by the behavioristic philosophies discussed earlier on this blog. Such philosophies tend toward the devaluing of the individual and the undervaluing of the dignity and worth of each person as an image bearer of God. There is little to no regard for how people think, perceive, value, or process the world around them. Though this approach to leadership is antiquated and unproductive, the pressures of volatile economic, political, and global competition perpetuate its use by the illusion of repeatable production, consistent output, or increased productivity. We are beginning to witness the negative consequences of its use. Even as production has increased, the quality of goods and services has suffered.

So I ask you again – should you really be surprised that the quality of products and services decline when people are undervalued and treated like machines? Leading by policy making is the lowest form of human behavior.

You are interdependent.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership.

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

LEADERS ARE INTERDEPENDENT: PART II

O elegant and gentle Leader of the dance,

we do not know the meaning of each step

nor how to rightly turn this way or hold this pose.

Each spinning step or angled movement's twist

does sometimes give us vertigo here where we stand;

this mystery of how the rhythm's pulse

and how the music's lilt are tuned to only You

has caught us up, and we are overwhelmed.

O grace-filled, grace-bestowing Leader of the dance,

please teach me how to twirl and how to move;

please teach me how the song pervades each dancer's form,

these dancers who have learned to dance with You

throughout the ages of the song, the holy song

You sang in ages past to Abraham,

to Isaac and to Jacob and his Hebrew seed:

Now sing to me and give me, too, this life.

O Leader of the dance, this perfect partnership

of Leader and of led, of God and man,

this Incarnation's holy dance we see in You,

You now invite us to accompany.

This awesome dance, a truly cosmic synergy,

the interpenetration of us men

with Deity -- with Trinity! -- the universe

beholds and stands amazed and bows its head.

O holy Leader of this cosmic circling dance,

the union of both man and God is here

and imaged in the holy mystery of life

conjoined, a woman and a man conjoined.

He takes Your role as gentle leader, she as Church,

she follows him, and he must die for her;

their dance together joins the dance eternal now,

and in that human dance we see our God.

O Holy Trinity, Your dance eternal now

descends on us and consecrates our own,

the revelation here as Body and as Blood;

herein we taste the God become a man,

and men become as gods as David prophesied.

The Trinitarian rhythm has become

our own, to guide our dance, to grasp our hands and lead

us in the dance of stillness perfectly. [i]

What a magnificent picture of how you are to relate to others!

Did you catch the last line? The Trinitarian rhythm has become our own, to guide our dance, to grasp our hands and lead us in the dance of stillness perfectly. God created you in His image. As a bearer of His image, you, like each member of the Godhead, are interdependent. You were created with the capacity for a deep, mutual, interpenetrating, interdependent relationship with God and with others. You have been invited to the dance – even though you may not know how to dance. In this dance, you become even more distinctive in your responsibility to be a bearer of God’s image.

You are interdependent.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership.

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and dance … lead!

[i] Damick, Andrew Stephen, Perichoresis, 2004.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

LEADERS ARE INTERDEPENDENT: PART I

I Won’t Dance

Some people collect stamps; some collect rare coins; others collect antiques or baseball cards.

I collect experiences. My life’s album is a treasure chest of incredible, thrilling, “once-in-a-lifetime” adventures. Many of these experiences have been life-changing quests. I continue to have a zeal for adding even more pages to my collection of life-altering adventures.

However, there is one experience I have no desire whatsoever to add to my collection. I won’t dance! My wife, Sarah, is one of those tormented women described by Groucho Marx, who once quipped, “Wives are people who feel they don’t dance enough.” Sarah suffers great anguish because I won’t dance with her. Every fiber of her being yearns, desires, even aches, to waltz, polka, salsa, square dance, clog, even bunny hop at wedding receptions. But I won’t even slow dance. Privately, it grieves me to see the hurt in her eyes – but I just won’t dance.

I don’t have any moral or religious convictions against dancing. I’m sure that by now you are thinking that I am the perfect prude. But don’t misunderstand me – so let me shine more light on the matter.

The fact of the matter is – I simply can’t dance.

Every self-conscious fiber of my being rises to the surface. I feel exposed and naked. I just “know” that every single eye in the universe is riveted on me – pointing and snickering at me as I trip and stumble and jerk around the dance floor. My joints and muscles lock up. I end up standing, rigidly, in the middle of the dance floor – completely embarrassed and humiliated. It is at this moment that the words of the rock group, Genesis, play over and over and over again in my head:

I can’t dance, I can’t talk.
The only thing about me is the way I walk.
I can’t dance, I can’t sing
I’m just standing here selling everything.

But I Love the Dance!

Ironically, though, I enjoy watching others dance. I enjoy attending the ballet. I’ve even purchased front row seats to Michael Flately’s Lord of the Dance three times, so that I could fully experience, albeit vicariously, the classic tale of good versus evil, played out by perfect precision dancing, dramatic original music, colorful costumes, and state-of-the-art production techniques. I am amazed by the virtuosity of the dancers, who, it is estimated, complete 151,200 taps per show. I wonder how they can never seem to miss a beat. By the way, who had the time, energy, and keenness of eyesight to count 151,200 taps?

Indeed, there is indescribable beauty and elegance in watching a dancer reveal her soul through the movements of her body – dancing, as choreographer George Balanchine said, “…not because she wants to – but because she has to.” Nothing is more inspiring than watching people dance with energy, grace, and technical precision.

Yet, something more moving, more stirring occurs when dancers discover that they are not just good dancers because of their individual ability and technique, rather they become incredible dancers because of their passionate, soulish, interconnectedness with the other dancer(s). A dancer may be technically perfect individually, but when a dancer is partnered with someone else, when the dancers rely on each other to express a shared message, something more powerful, more graceful, more expressive, and more magnificent is created.

It is Magical!

Fred Astaire was a wonderful dancer, but when he danced with Ginger Rogers, it was magical! Such dancers are totally and dynamically reliant upon each other for their continued being and existence. The result is an artistic expression far surpassing anything they could create and perform individually. Such dancers have greater individual capacity, effect, and significance because they are mutually and dynamically interdependent upon one another. Simply stated, they are better together! As author Catherine Mowry LaCugna put it:

There is a mutual interanimation, dynamic reciprocity, and unsurpassable beauty between the dancers that can only be understood as an irreducible relational dynamic that simultaneously affirms both individuality and mutuality. [i]

Want to know the truth? (Please don’t tell Sarah) Deep down inside, I long to dance like this. I would dance, if only I could dance like this

Herein lays a profound secret to effective leadership. As the French dramatist, Moliere’ (1622) put it:

All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack at dancing.

To be continued next week …

[i] LaCugna, Catherine Mowry, God for Us, The Trinity and Christian Life, New York, NY, Harper Collins Publishing, 1992, p. 271.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

LEADERS ARE FAITHFUL - PART IV

I apologize. I’ve been away for a few weeks – adapting to my new hip – for which I’m intensely grateful. Let me continue …

Thus far I’ve established that faithfulness is a core characteristic of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, faithfulness is a core, created characteristic of God’s servants, His leaders. God created you to be faithful and to live faithfully. Leaders entrust their life, well-being, and soul to the faithful and true Creator. Consequently, others acknowledge leaders as trustworthy and reliable as they faithfully do their work and good deeds. In the same way, leaders unreservedly view others as worthy of trust and steadfastly rely upon them for the completion of the work.

Faithful leaders lead with their heart, head, hands, honor, hospitality, humbleness, and happiness.

1. Leaders possess confident, compassionate, and courageous hearts. Typically, this is a quiet, yet compelling, confidence in the One who not only created the universe, but fulfills the eternal decrees of the Lord of that universe. Leaders have compassion for the people who were also created in the image of God and possess divinely appointed niches in fulfilling God’s plan. Leaders are courageous – fully engaging every arena of life, personal and professional, with no fear. Like John Wesley, effective leaders possess the confidence that “Until my work is complete I am immortal.” In other words, until the work that you came to earth to do is completed – every tiny detail of that work – God will allow no harm to befall you. Not one thing will interfere with the completion of your divinely appointed work. You know and admire people like this – confident, compassionate, and courageous. Names and faces come to mind, don’t they? What about Mother Teresa?

2. Faithful leaders lead with their heads in rational, reliable, and responsible ways. Because leaders are image bearers of the Creator, they are rational. They have the created capacity to make wise, fair, and sensible decisions. Leaders are reliable. They can be counted upon to be consistent, fair, and reasonable in their decisions and judgments. And leaders not only take and own full responsibility for their work, but are also willing to share this work with others.

3. Faithful leaders lead with their hands. In other words, leaders are action-minded. They are connecting, challenging, and changing the circumstances around them. They do not view themselves as a “victim” of their circumstances, nor do they stand passively on the sidelines wondering, “What just happened?” Life is a contact sport for faithful leaders. Leaders apply their created attributes by entering and engaging every arena of their personal and professional lives. Leaders challenge and confront, boldly at times, every corner of culture for God and for good.

4. Faithful leaders lead with honor. Contrary to the conventional wisdom of today’s culture, leaders do have a moral center. That is, effective leaders have developed a set of principled and ethical core values that direct their personal and professional lives. Therefore, faithful leaders are trustworthy. Leaders are honest; leaders tell the whole truth – all of the time; and leaders are reliable – they do what they said they would do when they said they would do it. Faithful leaders trust others as image bearers of God and, therefore, consider them to be reliable and trustworthy. Or to put it more simply, they have “high” expectations of others.

5. Faithful leaders are hospitable. They are approachable. Their demeanor invites and welcomes the thoughts, ideas, and concerns of others. Simply stated, faithful leaders are easy to talk to. Leaders are attentive, alert, and responsive; they give their undivided attention to others. They actively and attentively listen to what is being said and connect with the communicator. Leaders are amiable, interacting with others in warm, friendly, and light-hearted ways.

6. Faithful leaders are humble. This is not a false humility so often used by some to manipulate others (I actually attended a workshop once where we were coached on how to make others believe we were humble). Rather, there is a genuine inner calmness in leaders. They are “calm, cool, and collected.” Humble leaders have a distinguishing unruffled, serene, tranquil, and composed demeanor. Seldom do they become ruffled and disquieted – not even in their inner-most being. Leaders reveal an inner calmness that calms others in the midst of unsettling situations – often by simply walking into the situation – without having to say or do anything other than just being present.

7. Faithful leaders are happy. Deep inside they are content, satisfied, and at peace regardless of their circumstances. They are not defeated, depressed, nor distraught. Happy leaders are, in fact, comfortable and at peace. They are, truthful, cheerful, joyful, and in good spirits. Consequently, faithful leaders are encouraging. That is, their cheerfulness is contagious. They have the ability to encourage others and lead them out of their defeated mindset into a more positive frame – energizing them to greater work and impact.

You are faithful.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead in His image!

Monday, June 16, 2008

LEADERS ARE FAITHFUL - PART III

Let me continue from the last two weeks … Leaders are Faithful …

Effective leaders believe that others are trustworthy and can be counted upon.

Faithful leadership acknowledges that every person we encounter is made in the image of God. Therefore, leaders view others as worthy of trust. Effective leaders rely upon others for the completion of the work of filling the earth with God’s glory. Effective leaders assign and delegate duties and responsibilities with a steadfast confidence in the willingness, ability, and trustworthiness of others to complete what they have agreed to do.

But – what is the basis for this trust? What better role model do we have than God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Each member of the Godhead is a perfect model of faithful:

Faithfulness is a key characteristic of God the Father. Throughout history, God made promises to His people. Over and over again God kept those promises. He did what He said He would do:

*God the Father promised Noah’s family safety from the great flood, and they were delivered
*God the Father promised an old man with a barren wife that his descendants would outnumber the stars in the heaven, and then gave Abraham and Sarah a son
*God the Father promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendents would inherit a promised land, and then delivered His people out of bondage in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land
*God the Father told a shepherd boy that he would become a king, and then carried David onto the throne of Israel
*God the Father promised to bless David’s descendents, and then gave wisdom to Solomon
*God the Father promised to send the seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head, and then sent Jesus
*God the Father promised to solve the problem of a world broken by man’s rebellion, and sacrificed the Lamb that took away the sins of the world
*God the Father promised to grant eternal life to His people, and He sent a Savior whose resurrection secures eternal life and His Spirit to lead us on this sanctifying journey

With each and every promise, God the Father was completely true to His word. God kept his promises. He was faithful. Consequently the ancients of old staked their lives and reputations on these promises. As Luther put it, these leaders believed and followed “the naked voice of God.”

Faithfulness is a key characteristic of God the Son:

*In the Garden of Gethsemane God the Son showed his faithfulness to the ghastly task that was ahead of Him, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Matthew 26:42, ESV).
*God the Son faithfully promised that He would not lose any of his sheep. (John, chapter 10)
*God the Son reminded His disciples of His faithfulness and trustworthiness, “If it were not so, would I have told you?” (John 14:2, ESV).
*God the Son promised that whatever we ask in His name He would be faithful to give it to us. (John, chapter 15)
*God the Son proved His trustworthiness by saying He would be raised from the dead and then actually arose. (John 2:19)

Just as God the Father is faithful, so, too, God the Son, Jesus, is faithful to everything that He promised. What He has promised is certain. It has and will come to pass. You can count on His promises. You can count on Him to deliver. God the Son is faithful. You can count on Him to be faithful.

Faithfulness is a key characteristic of God the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit, who is the same in substance and equal in power and glory with God the Father and God the Son, is also completely faithful and trustworthy:

*God the Holy Spirit is faithful in uniting you, lastingly, to Christ
*God the Holy Spirit faithfully equips you, God’s child, with gifts that enable you to grow the church into unity, maturity, and strength
*God the Holy Spirit faithfully intercedes for you “with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8: 26-27, ESV)
*God the Holy Spirit is faithful, trustworthy, and reliable
*God the Holy Spirit is the guarantor of your salvation, granting hope in eternal life
*God the Holy Spirit gives you the ability to serve the living God
*God the Holy Spirit enables you to resist the author of evil, Satan himself (Hebrew 9:14)
*The Holy Spirit is your faithful companion on the journey of life.

Truly effective leaders understand that every person they encounter in their personal and professional arenas was created and charged to be faithful – just as God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is faithful.

What better role model do we have than God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as we claim and cultivate this core leadership attribute, faithful?

You are a leader!

Now go out and lead in His image!

This is The Genesis Principle of Leadership!

Monday, June 9, 2008

LEADERS ARE FAITHFUL - PART II

Let me continue from the last posting...

LEADERS ARE FAITHFUL!

You were created to be faithful. You were created in the image of God. As a bearer of God’s image, you are to entrust your life, well-being, and soul to the faithful and true Creator. Similarly, others should acknowledge you as
trustworthy and reliable as you faithfully do your work and good deeds. And in the same way, you are to view others as worthy of your trust and steadfastly rely upon them for the completion of the work.

As you saw in this definition, there are three distinctive features to this crucial leadership attribute, faithful:

First, as a leader, you must entrust your life, soul, well-being, and future to the true and faithful Creator. This must be done simply, completely, and with confidence - boldly. Why not? The Scriptures tell us, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23, ESV).

In other words, God is constant, reliable, and trustworthy. He can be counted on – so much so that among His names are the titles “Faithful” and “True” (Revelation 19:11, ESV). For this reason alone, God deserves your full acceptance and confidence – nothing more; nothing less. Yes, there is a sense in which this is a passive trust. In other words, there is nothing in and of yourself that merits this attribute in God. There is nothing you can do but to simply rely upon the Creator who promised and is as good as His word. He has given you glorious and hope-filled promises, and has always shown Himself to be true to His promises – each and every time.

But there is also an active dimension to your complete and unwavering (though passive) trust in God. Because you place your trust and hope in the One who makes and keeps His promises, you can act. You must toil and strive to do what He expects of a faithful person. If you are faith-filled (that is, if you are active in your belief in, and trust of, God), you will joyously and passionately pursue deeds and works consistent with that faith. If you believe God is real, then you have to believe that His opinion of your character and conduct matters. And if He is truly God, His bidding and His wishes for your conduct should be your highest concern.

Indeed, such an active, faith-filled trust appears to be what underlies the Apostle John’s words when he encouraged his friend, Gaius, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers”

(III John: 5, ESV). In other words, John is excited, overjoyed, to find Gaius and others doing something with the truth that was revealed to them.

True faith is a thing you do. Faithing is more than intellectual assent. Others should find you, a bearer of God’s image, to be constant, reliable, trustful, and one who can be counted on. Like Westley in The Princess Bride, you should do what you said you would do – you should do what you have been asked to do. As a leader, you reflect the faithfulness of God by showing yourself to be faithful.

You are faithful.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead!

To be continued...

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

LEADERS ARE FAITHFUL

As a leader you entrust your life, well-being, and soul to the faithful and true Creator. Similarly, others acknowledge you as trustworthy and reliable as you faithfully do your work and good deeds. In this same way, you unreservedly view others as worthy of your trust, steadfastly relying upon them for the completion of the work.

“Hear this now! I will come for you!” Westley smiles at her, Buttercup smiles too, throws her arms tightly around him. They kiss.

It’s at this point in the movie, The Princess Bride, where the exasperated grandson (played by the youth actor, Fred Savage) interrupts his grandfather (played by Peter Falk) who is reading him a storybook and asks, “Is this a kissing book?”

You remember this wonderful fairytale don’t you – the classic movie, The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner? Swordplay – Torture – Revenge – Sea monsters – Mammoth rodents – Breathtaking chases – Narrow escapes – Miracles – A beautiful princess – An evil prince – True love – and, oh yes, some kissing! I’m certain that my grandchildren have seen this movie a hundred times. They can flawlessly recite every single line. Yet, like our children and grandchildren, we never tire of seeing this enchanting tale of adventure and true love.

In this enchanting story, Buttercup, the young farm maiden, and Westley (or “farm boy” as Buttercup affectionately called him) discover they are helplessly in love. But Westley has no money for a wedding. So, he decides to leave the farm in search of his fortune far across the sea. In a touching scene, Westley and Buttercup are standing at the gate to the farm embracing each other:

BUTTERCUP: “I fear I’ll never see you again, Westley.”
WESTLEY: “Of course you will.”
BUTTERCUP: “But what if something happens to you?”
WESTLEY: “Hear this now! I will come for you!” [i]

He smiles at her, she smiles too, throws her arms so tightly around him. They kiss. Then as Westley walks away, Buttercup watches him go in search of his fortune.

But Westley never reached his destination. Time passed: scaling the Cliffs of Insanity – battling rodents of gargantuan size – facing torture in the Pit of Despair – and more. Buttercup feared that Westley had died.

But Westley did not die. He did return for Buttercup – just as he promised.

WESTLEY: I told you, "I would always come for you." Why didn't you wait for me?
BUTTERCUP: Well ... you were dead.
WESTLEY: Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.
BUTTERCUP: I will never doubt again.
WESTLEY: There will never be a need.

And now, they kiss; it's a tender kiss, loving and gentle.

Westley did what he said he would do. He was faithful.

You were created to be faithful. As a bearer of God’s image, you are to entrust your life, well-being, and soul to the faithful and true Creator. Similarly, others should acknowledge you as trustworthy and reliable as you faithfully do your work and good deeds. And in the same way, you are to view others as worthy of your trust and steadfastly rely upon them for the completion of the work.

There are three distinctive features to this crucial leadership attribute, faithful. We’ll take a look at the first one next week.

Until then – let me ask you - Have you purchased your copy of The Genesis Principle of Leadership? They are available from the publisher:

PRINT BOOK: http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60462-483-0

AUDIO BOOK: http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60604-106-2

…or you can find your copy of The Genesis Principle of Leadership on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Principle-Leadership-Claiming-Cultivating/dp/1604624833/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212414215&sr=1-1

See you next week.

[i] Goldman, William, The Princess Bride, Movie, 1987.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

LEADERS ARE MERCIFUL

As a leader you are called upon to be actively gracious and compassionate toward the well-being and peace of others through acts of favor and mercy – even to those who do not desire or deserve it.

“How Can I Possibly Treat This Person?”

Unaware that she was Jewish, Dr. Renate Justin’s new patient, at one point of her medical examination, began to spew her venomous and hideously evil views about the “Minderwertigen” (“scum” – “low downs”) – that is, Jewish people who, as far as she was concerned, “…got what they deserved.” According to Dr. Justin’s patient, they deserved to be eliminated from the “Vaterland;” they deserved hard labor, starvation, and even the gas chamber.

As Dr. Justin gathered the medical history on her new patient she discovered that this new patient was German. Her husband had died fighting for Hitler; her son was a zealous member of the Hitler Youth; and, her role during the war was to supervise Jewish slave laborers.

How was Dr. Justin to explain to her venomous patient that she was Jewish? How could she tell her that she was, as her patient described it, “low-down scum,” that her father had been in a concentration camp, and that many of her relatives died in the gas chambers?

Dr. Justin rightfully felt as if she had been viciously assaulted, which led to a major dilemma. How could she possibly treat this person? How could she be a good physician to her? More than that, how could she be a compassionate, merciful physician? Her patient was suffering from chronic emphysema. She was losing the ability to breathe in and out.

And yet, in that moment, she was reminded of the words of the Torah, “Let compassion breathe in and out of you, filling you with singing.” These words reminded her that, even though her patient’s behavior was worthy of judgment, she could not stifle her own nature – her obligation – to show compassion. Amazingly, Dr. Justin offered to treat the new patient.

You see, Dr. Justin chose to her created capacity, as a bearer of God’s image, to be compassionate to others, extending undeserved favor and mercy toward their well-being and peace. Though Dr. Justin reserved the right to refuse treatment to any patient, she became an “angel of undeserved mercy,” even to this venomous patient who did not deserve it – even to those who hated and despised her.

“It Is an Attribute of God Himself”

This capacity to be merciful is an attribute of God given to you in the creation. William Shakespeare captured the essence of this created attribute in his comedy, The Merchant of Venice (1597?) The villain is the moneylender, Skylark. Antonio, the protagonist, has defaulted on a loan. Skylark, who is offended and wounded, is not only seeking repayment, he is also out for vengeance. So, in payment for his loan, he demands a literal pound of Antonio’s flesh. Skylark’s heart is hard and becomes incapable of extending any mercy toward Antonio.

In Act 4, Scene 1, Portia, the heroine disguised as a lawyer, speaks these famous words to Skylark as the court gathers to render judgment:

The quality of mercy is not strain’d,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:’

Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes

The thronèd monarch better than his crown;

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly pow’r doth then show likest God’s

When mercy seasons justice.

Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,

That, in the course of justice, none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to renderdeeds of mercy. [i]

Portia tried to persuade Skylark that mercy is as much of a benefit to the one who grants it as it is to the one who receives it, pleading, “It blesseth him that gives and him that takes,” emphasizing, “It is an attribute of God himself.”
Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV)

Practicing Merciful Leadership

Let’s go one step further. You are to be merciful just as God is merciful: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36, ESV). Just as God acted in response to the plight of His children, you also are to act mercifully toward those who are in need – especially to those who, in your mind, do not deserve it. After all, God loved you even while you were his enemy.

Responding to the needs of others is your opportunity to cultivate this created attribute. It is your opportunity to actively bear God’s image – to be like your Creator and Father. Jesus affirmed this truth so simply – yet so powerfully to His disciples on a mountainside, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7, ESV).

Leaders are Merciful

Mercy is a created leadership attribute. Effective leaders are often called upon to graciously and actively extend undeserved favor and mercy toward the well-being and peace of others. As such it becomes a core leadership trait. As a leader in your home, church, workplace, and community, how will you exercise this key leadership attribute this week – today?

Claiming and cultivating this attribute begins by remembering that it is because of God’s rich mercy that you are able to enjoy extending mercy to others. You fill the earth with the glory of God by reflecting this God-given attribute, mercy, to God and to your neighbors in everything you do and every place you go – your home, your work, your church, and your community. You are to extend mercy, as created leaders, to every one you encounter.

The practice of mercy – identifies you with God.

The practice of mercy – marks you as an effective leader.

The practice of mercy – fills the earth with God’s glory.

You are merciful. You are a leader. This is the truth about leadership! This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead!

[i] Shakespeare, William, The Merchant of Venice, 1597?

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

LEADERS ARE LOVING

As a leader you possess the ability to love and be loved. By divine nature, calling, and duty, you are to love God and others at all times by doing what is best for them and practicing forgiveness.

Leaders are loving!

I know what you’re thinking: “Love my employees in the 21st century? What are you thinking? Tough times call for tough leaders – emotionless, cold, calculating, commandeering, aggressive, cigar-chomping, fire-breathing dragons! This is a new day – a new age – there’s no room for this touchy-feely-loving stuff in the 21st century! There’s no place for loving leadership today! Why, we’ll go under! You don’t realize what it takes to be a leader these days!”

Browse through the business section of your favorite bookstore and you’ll find similar sentiments reflected in many of the books on leadership. Such books claim to house the one irreplaceable factor or formula for leading successfully. But, astonishingly, many end up promoting this sort of take-charge, aggressive, emotionless style of leadership.

Yes – I agree – courageous, focused, determined, and hard-working leaders are needed in the 21st century organization. Dozens of organizations collapse every day for the lack of effective leaders. But as Christopher Loving, Founder and President of LIFT (Loving Institute for Tomorrow), observed in his on-line audio book,

We can no longer afford to graduate bright, talented, and competent lawyers, architects, and marketing executives. Today, the world needs leaders who not only have great minds, but great hearts as well.[i]

The notion of loving leadership is an ancient paradigm – a very old – but time-tested prescription for effective leadership. It may surprise you to learn that loving leadership is actually a biblical model. It is God’s model. The principle of loving leadership is just as effective in the 21st century as when God first came up with the idea. God created you to love and to be loved. It is your divine calling and duty to love God and others at all times. You are to regard others more highly than you regard yourself, to do what is best for them, and, when necessary, practice forgiveness.

Loving leadership requires recognizing God as the supreme model of love. During an interview, a reporter asked Karl Barth, the famous theologian, what was his most remarkable theological discovery. After a few moments of reflection Barth responded, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Karl Barth, unlike few other people, had explored the depths and riches of the knowledge of God. After all was said and done, Barth understood a simple truth, God is love. Children of all ages have proclaimed in song and in good works this simple, but profound, reality, God is the emphasis and perfection of love. Indeed, it is a truth revealed to mankind throughout the Bible. God is the fountain of love. God created you to love and be loved.

Truly effective leaders love God. You are to be obedient to God’s first and great command: “And he said to them, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment’” (Matthew 22:37-38, ESV). Every beat of your heart, the inner-most depths of your soul, and every microscopic neuron of your mind is to focus, pursue, and engage this loving God. Love God with every fiber of your being. Why? Because God always treats you better than you deserve. As the famous Puritan preacher Thomas Watson observed, “If ice melts, it is because the sun has shone upon it; so if the frozen heart melts in love, it is because the Sun of Righteousness has shone upon it.”[ii]

Leaders are commanded to love others with the same degree of passion and potency that God has loved them. Jesus Christ, after stating that your obligation to respond to God’s love is with love for God, added, “And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39, ESV). Knowing and experiencing God’s love carries with it certain obligations – obligations that are summarized by Jesus himself. Imagine – the whole of the Bible boils down to just to two profound points – 1) love God 2) love others.

Because love is part and parcel of your created nature, love is a permanent component of your leadership arsenal and is to be employed at all times. Love is at the epicenter of everything you do in every arena of your leadership life – no matter what you endeavor to accomplish. Whether you are fetching a cup of coffee, moving mountains, resurrecting a dead company, or offering yourself up to be burned at the stake, love is the central, driving force for effective leadership. In the final analysis, you can accomplish nothing; you are nothing; and, you gain nothing outside the context of love.

Leaders regard others more highly than they regard themselves. I call this the “Philippian Principle of Leadership.” “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself.” (Philippians 2:3, ESV). A lot is said these days about the concept of “servant-leadership.” Sometimes the discussion of servant-leadership can grow complex and confusing. Nevertheless, there is one principle that must emerge in any biblical definition of servant-leadership: effective leaders must love in the same way Christ loves those He leads. Loving leaders do not expect their subordinates to make them look good; loving leaders always regard their subordinates more highly, more significantly, than they regard themselves. Following the example of Jesus, loving leaders humble themselves, make themselves nothing, and take on the form of a servant – elevating those around them – looking to the interests of others. Loving leaders are determined to do what it takes to make their subordinates look good.

Loving leadership is a difficult challenge – especially when a leader is forced to make a choice between what others “want” and what is “best.” Too often, because of a desperate need to be liked, you might be tempted to acquiesce to another person’s wants, in the vain hope that they will “love” you. Or, perhaps, you actually fear that they will not love you in return. Later, unfortunately, you will discover, the hard way, that caving in did not produce the kind of results you were hoping for. Perhaps, the best guideline – or rule of thumb – is Jesus’ words: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, ESV).

You are loving.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead – in His image!

[i] Loving, Christopher J., Loving Leadership: Rekindling the Human Spirit to Business, Relationships, and Life, Listen and Live Audio, Inc. http://www.audible.com/, 1996.

[ii] Watson, Thomas, Body of Divinity Contained in Sermons Upon the Assembly’s Catechism, Westminster Shorter Catechism Project, http://www.bpc.org/resources/watson/wsc_wa_049-052_b.html.

Monday, May 5, 2008

LEADERS ARE FREE AND RESPONSIBLE

As a leader you possess the ability to independently make meaningful choices, the freedom to act upon your choices, and the personal responsibility for the consequences of your decisions and actions.

What are you to do when you are in a tight spot?

Every day, in every arena of your life, you are faced with making choices. Fortunately, most choices are small and seemly unimportant: What color of socks shall I wear today? What shall I order for lunch? What movie shall I watch?

From time to time you face much larger, more challenging decisions: Who shall I marry? Should I treat my cancer with chemo or radiation? Or shall I treat it at all? Do I really want to abide by my dying spouse’s living will?

Life is filled with making choices and managing the consequences of those choices. Indeed, every decision entails assuming the responsibility for how that choice impacts your own life and the lives of those around you.

Your ability to make decisions comes from God. The Creator equipped you with the freedom to make choices (both small and large) and has granted you full responsibility for those choices. In fact, God expects you to make decisions – and to be fully responsible for the consequences of your decisions.

Regrettably, the conventional wisdom of the day would have you believe that you are a helpless victim – incapable of making decisions for yourself. The modern view of personhood would have you believe that you are the product of and are helplessly bound to the fatalistic environmental chains of familial circumstances, the random roll of the genetic dice, the press of the culture, and uncontrollable socioeconomic factors. Or, if there is a God, you are crippled by the pre-determination of a merciless, uncaring deity. In other words, you are but a victim of your genetics and/or your environment. Consequently you either expect someone else (parents, teachers, governmental agencies, physicians, health insurance companies, or others) to make your decisions or you expect someone else to take responsibility for your decisions. After all, it was someone else’s fault for your choice anyway!

The biblical view about decision-making is quite different. You were created in the image of God. You possess most of God’s attributes. God not only gave you the ability to make your own choices, He also gave you the freedom and responsibility to make choices. You have the capacity to act – or not to act – to do this or that and to perform deliberate actions on your own responsibility. Or as Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf expressed it, you are …shapers, creators, and captains of great ships of potential … with the capacity to express in one’s life those values and ideals which stem from the essence of the human soul.[i]

Far too many people are crippled by indecision, irrationality, and unwarranted emotionally-laden judgments. Too many people experience unnecessary paralysis in their decision-making. You are not a mindless robot. You are not destined to live reflexively, mindlessly reacting to relentless genetic and environmental stimuli bombarding you. God has given you the capacity to make choices. You are a free moral agent. You possess the freedom to choose. You possess the independent freedom to act upon, or not to act upon, your impulses. Although every fiber of your being conspires to force a particular decision upon you, God has given you the capacity and the freedom to choose otherwise. Faced with a choice between good and evil, you are free to choose either. But you are responsible for the proper use of your God-given capacity to choose and take responsibility for your decisions.

Effective leaders exercise their freedom to choose to act or not to act. Effective leaders take full responsibility for the consequences of their choices, good or bad, on their life and the lives of others. Effective leaders are accountable for how this created attribute, free and responsible, has been carried out. Yes, there is a price, both immediate and future, for the exercise of this great gift of free and responsible leadership. As free moral agents, leaders know they are responsible, that is accountable, for every one of their actions – small and large. In other words, leaders choose wisely and act responsibly.

You are free and responsible.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead!

[i] Apisdorf, Rabbi Shimon, “Freedom and Responsibility,” AISH.com, retrieved from the internet on August 10, 2006.

Monday, April 28, 2008

LEADERS ARE RELATIONAL

As a leader you are capable of developing intentional and interpersonal relationships, emphasizing high regard for the well-being and personhood of others.

In his groundbreaking, best-selling book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert Putnam[i] warned of the collapse of this vital relational characteristic of our culture. He argued that we Americans have become relationally disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and our societal structures such as school, work, church, and community organizations. Putnam noted that we sign fewer petitions, belong to fewer clubs and organizations, volunteer less, know our neighbors less, and spend less time with our families and friends. He added that more Americans are bowling than ever before, but they are “bowling alone.” Social trust is being destroyed in our culture.

Consequently our personal and professional lives are relationally impoverished. Putnam observed that children today are unhappy, teachers are afraid of their students, crime is increasing, and employers and employees distrust each other. All this, according to Putnam, is because of the recent and rapid decline of the social capital that Alexis de Tocqueville claimed was the distinguishing feature that made America great.

Regrettably leaders seem to have lost sight of this important leadership principle. The relational model of leadership is sorely missing in most popular notions about leadership. Many leadership models warn against building relationships – arguing that productivity will always suffer when relationships are established with co-workers and subordinates. Consequently, 21st century organizations are marked by loneliness and isolation. Technology is replacing social intimacy. More and more people are living alone, working alone, studying alone, and “bowling alone.” There is a significant loss of social capital causing fear, distrust, and insecurity, which leads to loss of effectiveness and productivity.

It doesn’t have to be like this!

Leaders embrace the indispensability of relationships. Effective leadership is built upon and depends upon building intentional relationships with people. Effective leaders seek to influence the ideas, beliefs, conduct, and activities of others moving them together toward a common vision and mission Increased productivity cannot occur unless leaders work at building positive and effective relationships with the people they are leading. Leadership does not take place in isolation. People were not created to be a solo sapiens.

There is an Ethiopian proverb that puts it this way: “Many spiders can hold down a lion.” Members of a team share a common understanding and commitment to the preferred future of the organization. Team members desire to make a difference, to leave an indelible mark in the tapestry of life and the chronicles of mankind. People are better together.

There are a variety of simple and inexpensive ways by which you can intentionally claim and develop your relational leadership capacity. Here are just twenty simple but effective ideas to get you started. I know you will add others to this list:

Mentor a new employee
Organize a company sports team
Attend home parties when invited
Ask co-workers and employees for their help and advice – and reciprocate
Attend a seminar on team building
Say “hello” to your employees and co-workers
Host a cookout at your home for your employees
Get to know something about all your employees
Encourage your employees to host community group meetings on your site
Eat lunch in the break room
Eat breakfast with your employees
Roll up your sleeves and work alongside your employees from time to time.
Attend sporting events with your employees
Share produce from your garden
Host and attend monthly potluck lunches
Attend in-house seminars with your employees
Acknowledge and recognize special accomplishments and achievements
Organize and participate in a fitness program with co-workers and employees
Ask to see family photos of your co-workers
Attend weddings, baptisms, and funerals

You are inherently relational. You were created by God for intentional and deeply interpersonal relationships. Your personhood and calling as a bearer of God’s image is to be expressed and fleshed out in community – in relationship. Such communal living and working requires the unconditional commitment of your time, talent, and treasure, together with a high regard for the well-being and personhood of others.

Restoring this relational model of leadership to your organization is a strategic response to the isolation and bitter loneliness of those who find themselves “lost” in the midst of urban society. It is your key to effective leadership in the 21st century.

You are a leader.

You are relational.

This is the truth about leadership.

This is The Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead – together.

Did you purchased a copy of The Genesis Principle of Leadership yet? Your copy of this"edgy" approach to leadership is available at:

PRINT BOOK: http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60462-483-0

AUDIO BOOK: http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60604-106-2

[i] Putnam, Robert, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Simon and Schuster, 2000, New York).

Monday, April 21, 2008

LEADERS ARE MORAL

As a leader you are capable of thoughts and actions that have principled qualities. Hence your interactions and dealings with others can be properly designated as “right” or “wrong.”

A fruitful and fulfilling life is a life lived morally.

But where does moral character come from? Does moral character result from one’s genetic code? Is it acquired from the environment? Is it a product of evolution? Or is moral character the consequence of some sort of social contract?

Morality is none of these things. Moral character finds its origin in God. By nature, God is a moral agent. He always does what is right. When we say, “God is moral,” we are saying that God does what He does because it is, in reality, moral – it is, in reality, the right thing to do.

God created you to be a moral agent. Therefore, you were created to conform to God’s perfect moral character in thought, word, and deed. Moral character is folded into the very fabric of who you are as a human. You were created to be moral. In your heart you have a moral compass inscribed by God. Deep within your conscience is a law which you do not lay upon yourself – which you must obey – ever calling you to do what is good – to avoid evil – to do this – to shun that. Your dignity as a person – as a leader – is in observing this law for by it you will be judged.[i] It is your moral duty to follow and obey your God-given moral conscience—to do, always, what you know, deep down inside, is the absolute right thing to do.

So, what is right? What standard serves as the reliable basis for informing your conscience? Is there a standard independent of personal beliefs and individual convictions? The conventional wisdom of today’s culture demands that there is no independent, absolute standard by which you can discern what is “right” or “wrong” in every situation. You are to do what you deem is the most appropriate action demanded in each unique situation. It is a matter of “personal choice.” What is “right” or “wrong” for one person may not be “right” or “wrong” for another. Moral standards, then, are relative. What’s more, there is no autonomous basis by which to judge another’s conscience, moral standards, or actions. Each person must choose for himself the “rightness” or “wrongness” of a particular action.

However, in a fallen condition, man’s conscience is inadequate and untrustworthy. Therefore, God was pleased to provide a clear revelation of His moral law in the Holy Scriptures – His inspired, infallible, reliable, and written word. This Word reveals God’s moral standard and will for all of faith and life. Through this word, you can know, utterly and completely, independently of your sin-distorted conscience, what is, in fact, the right thing to do in every circumstance of life. God’s Word, the Bible, is the moral standard given to guide and govern your character. The Holy Scripture is the completely sufficient rule for your faith and daily living. It is the external, absolute, and trustworthy standard created by the perfectly moral God. By it you may know what is right.

The point is this: morality, your moral character, is not formed in a relativistic vacuum. God not only created you as a moral agent, He provided the moral standard by which you can judge the nature of every one of your thoughts and actions. You either trust in God and His moral standards or you are left to trust in your own unbelief. To attempt to make moral choices outside of God’s moral standards is fool hearty and utterly irresponsible.

Effective leaders are moral agents. In other words, leaders do the right things. Leaders cultivate this key leadership attribute by identifying and developing a set of biblically-principled core standards by which they conduct their actions in every leadership role. Truly effective leaders recognize there are standards of conduct that are completely independent of mere human choice.

As a leader, you are a moral agent. Your thoughts and actions are not the reflexive and habitual consequences of the surrounding environment. Your thoughts and actions are not instinctive reactions driven by the genetic code. As a moral agent, you have biblically-principled moral reasons for each and every one of your actions.

A fruitful and fulfilling life is a life lived morally.

You are moral.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead!

[i] Pope Paul VI, Gaudium et Spes, n.16, 1965.