Leadership

 Proverbs 28:16 – The prince that lacks understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hates covetousness shall prolong his days.

   Leadership is so much more than merely occupying a position; in fact, positional leadership is the lowest, and least effective type. Occupying a position of authority might give you some power, but it does not make you a leader. One who aspires to be a good leader needs many different tools in her tool kit, and, in order to be effective, she must also know how to use them. Shiny new tools may look pretty, but they will be of no benefit to anyone, unless they are put to proper use.

    The highest type of leadership is interpersonal leadership, and one of the primary qualities of that kind of leader is an intelligent and wise understanding of people and things, and how everything relates and is connected. If one lacks the skill and ability to understand, then it matters not what university diploma hangs on the wall, what title is written on the door, or how many years of experience one has under the belt. Understanding is a primary and vital key to the success and effectiveness of any enterprise or relationship. Sadly, however, there are many people in positions of authority, that not only lack these things, but are not even aware of what they lack. They simply do not know that there is a vital need to learn these skills and do better.

    The English word understanding can be traced back to another way of spelling it, and that is; inter-standing, and doesn’t that speak volumes to us? To be an understanding person, then, is to have keen perception and wise intelligence that sees how all persons interact. Truly, we do not stand alone; we inter-stand. John Donne made reference to this truth, when he wrote, centuries ago, ‘No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.’

    There is an old saying that tells us that nature abhors a vacuum, which means that a bare piece of land will not stay bare for long; something will blow in and take root. Likewise, there is no vacuum in leadership, so if a leader does not possess this quality of understanding, he will not simply be ineffective, unfortunately, other forces will come in and take root and he will, instead, whether knowingly or unknowingly, be a strong force of oppression. Understanding motivates us to lift people up and empower them, but the lack of it pushes people down and oppresses them.

    Another necessary trait of a good leader is an abhorrence and strong distaste for covetousness. To covet is to have a consuming desire to possess for one’s self only. It cares not who owns something, or who has a right to it. It is an extremely self-centred greed, bordering on narcissism, which dictates that the only thing that matters is unending variations of the word, me. Understanding is all about the wide world of others and covetousness is all about the narrow world of self-absorption, which latter world, of course, was fathered by the original, self-focused narcissist; the devil.

    If we are proactive and intentional about realizing what it will take to be a compassionate and decisive leader, there will never be a vacuum. Indeed, the door to all those selfish and harmful elements will stay closed, and our families, organizations and churches will enjoy the blessing of fulfilment and productivity, leaving a legacy that will be enjoyed for a long time.