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Questions for Leaders “To this end was I born” (John 18:37). Our Lord Jesus often declared His mission. His work was to do the will of the Father; to seek and to save that which was lost; to give His life a ransom for many; that we might have life and have it more abundantly. In our little spheres of life we too ought to know why we were born. There ought to be a better reason than the mere fact that we are here. How few Christians—how few leaders—have a sense of mission and a corresponding vision! Some of us God will call into positions of Christian leadership. If so, we would do well to consider the qualifications for leadership beforehand. The following questions are taken from chapter 5 of J. Oswald Sanders’ book Spiritual Leadership. Before you assume leadership responsibilities, you’d best try them on for size. Have you ever broken a bad habit? To lead others, you
must master your appetites. Can you handle criticism? Can you profit from it? The
humble person can learn from petty criticism, even malicious criticism.
Do you readily gain the cooperation of others and win
their respect and confidence? Can you exert discipline without making a
power play? True leadership is an internal quality of the spirit and needs
no show of external force. Can you make and keep friends? Your circle of loyal
friends is an index of your leadership potential. Are you at ease in the presence of strangers? Do you get nervous in the presence of your superior? Are the people who report to you generally at ease? A leader should be sympathetic and friendly. Are you interested in people? All types? All races? No prejudice at all? Are you tactful? Can you anticipate how your words will affect a person? Is your will strong and steady? Leaders cannot vacillate or cannot drift with the wind. Can you forgive? Or do you nurse resentments and harbor ill feelings toward those who have injured you? Are you reasonably optimistic? Pessimism and leadership do not mix. Do you feel a master passion such as that of Paul, who said, “This one thing I do!”? Such a singleness of motive will focus your energies and powers on the desired objective. Leaders need a strong focus. Do you welcome responsibility? Do other people’s failures annoy or challenge you? Do you use people, or cultivate people? Do you direct people, or develop people? Do you criticize, or encourage? Do you shun or seek out the person with a special need or problem? Adding leadership potential to our lives usually requires that we shake off negative elements that hold us back. Are you a leader? June 22, 2003 David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. |