SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP

I had the priviledge of teaching a top leadership class in church yesterday. It was a life transforming session and I feel it will be a blessing to you.

TEXT: Eph. 5:1, Ex 20:1-21, John1:1-14, Matthew 5:1-48, John 13:1-17, 1Cor.5:1-13, 2Cor 1:4-11
INTRODUCTION:
God designed us with success in mind. He equipped us with all the necessary requirements for success. Also, when He selected us, He empowered us to succeed. It is therefore God’s will for us to succeed. This is because our success brings joy to His heart and blessings to humanity. He wants us to succeed in whatever endeavour we find ourselves in (Psalm 1:1-3). The essence of this training is to show us God’s strategy for lasting success. As we imitate God we will replicate His kind of success in our leadership endeavours.

DEFINITIONS
Successful: Having the intended result; turning out well; fruitful, positive, effective and thriving.
Leadership: Ability to lead i.e. the ability to guide, direct or influence people.
Successful leadership therefore is the ability to lead people to the actualization of the intended result.

TWO PATTERNS OF LEADERSHIP
1. Formal Pattern: this is leadership carried out in accordance with established or prescribed rules. It connotes proper organization and adequate structure. It incorporates policies, and procedures derived from established principles. A successful leadership must have formal structure. The leader must be grounded in the organization’s fundamentals and functional procedures. He or she cannot afford to be a novice. There must be proper descriptions, duties and expectations to and from the organization. This will enhance his or her chances of success.

2. Informal Pattern: this means leadership that is free of ceremony. It connotes relaxed and casual rather than ceremonious and stiff. This brings life to the organization and enhances the probability of success for the leader. The leader has a serious duty to merge the two dimensions of leadership patterns if he or she wants to be successful.

ILLUSTRATIONS
1. GOD. The Old Testament deals basically with the formal leadership pattern. God took time to lay down laws, judgments, precepts and statutes while in the New Testament, He stripped Himself of the formal robe and identified with us in the person of Jesus. Because He effectively merged the two patterns, we can deal with Him personally and more effectively. The informal galvanizes and clarifies the formal. Ex 20:1-21, John1:1-14

2. JESUS. Jesus took time to further teach His disciples formally and also spent time with them informally. He knew them personally, identified with them in difficulty and ensured freedom of expression among them. He ensured there was no class distinction among them. Matthew 5:1-48, John 13:1-17

3. PAUL. Paul also dealt with both the formal and informal. 1Cor.5:1-13,2Cor.1:4-11

CONCLUSION
Max de Pree said, “The best management (leadership) process for today’s environment is participative management based on covenant relationships”. There is no better place to implement this than in the Church. If we want to be truly successful as leaders, we must be both formal and informal. May God enable us to make this a reality in our lives and leadership endeavours. Amen.