Everyone is called to be a leader. Unlike authority, leadership is something that every person can exercise and is not attached to any particular rank or job title. Rather, leadership is a behavior that is common among the greatest military officers, enlisted persons, CEO’s, students, parents, religious, and persons of every profession.
What does it mean to be a leader? Here are Thirsting for Truth’s 5 points of Leadership
1) Great Leaders are first great followers
– Think about it for a second. How can you ask others to follow you if you are not willing to follow someone else’s lead?
– There is a common phrase that people say that goes, “Be a leader – not a follower”. I disagree with that philosophy. Sure, we must resist the temptation to just follow the herd out of fear of extra responsibility, sacrifice, or fear of being put on the spot to defend what is right. However, we must also resist the temptation to seek our individualism in order to avoid “being a follower”. Great leaders learn from other great leaders. Therefore, every great leader must first be a great follower.
2) Leaders Must Be Willing to Serve
– Leadership is not about barking orders, it is about bringing out the best in others. If you’re only concerned about how to get yourself ahead you will be inclined to step on others to get there. Have you ever had a manager make you feel like they were more interested in their own promotion or their own agenda ahead of your well being? Those who look out for themselves have to fend for themselves. Those who look out for others will have dozens of others looking out for them.
– Great leaders know that they are only successful if the people they lead are successful. This is the model that Jesus Christ left for us and this is the model the Church still follows today. The Pope, who is our most cherished and primary leader, is often referred to as “The Servant of the Servants of God”. If Priests are servants of the people then Bishops are the servants of the Priests and the Pope is the servant of the Bishops. In reverse, we know that the Pope is the primary leader of the Bishops who are the leaders of the Priesthood and Priests are leaders of the Church communities.
3) Leaders Build Trust
– It’s important for leaders to build and maintain relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust is very difficult to regain once it’s lost. Therefore, leaders must be diligent in their efforts to build and maintain trust. When people have a deep trust for a leader they are usually willing to follow them to great lengths. Trust is the one thing a leader can never afford to lose.
4) Always Do the Right Thing
– This is probably the most important aspect of leadership. You don’t have to be a great speaker or even a great conversationalist to be a leader. You don’t have to be a manager, an officer, or in any position of authority to be a leader. Leadership and authority are not the same thing. Leaders are leaders because they are willing to stand out when they have to. They lose the trust of others when they forget the golden rule of leadership: “Always Do The Right Thing. No Matter The Situation”. This is where it’s okay to not be a follower. When everyone else is doing something wrong be courageous and do what you know to be right.
5) Dream Big and Share Your Dreamspace
– Leaders are often visionaries. They are not afraid to set their sights on what may seem impossible or improbable. They often fascinate us with their unjustified confidence in some belief or idea and we might even be willing to follow them out of sheer curiosity. However, the greatest leaders learn how to make their dreams a reality by teaming up with other dreamers. When you start to ask about the dreams of the people around you you’ll start to find places where your dreams converge. Take an interest in others’ dreams and they will take an interest yours.
Remember, leadership is not authority. Everyone is called to be a leader. One day someone, maybe your future child, will look to you for guidance. What kind of leader will you be for them?
Questions for Discussion:
1) In your opinion, what makes a great leader?
2) What makes a bad leader?
3) In what areas do you feel you need to grow in order to be a greater leader?