Men's Leadership

There is a glaring disconnect between men’s interest in leading grand enterprises like multi-million dollar corporations, non-profits, and political campaigns, and their interest in leading their families. We gravitate toward the one, and think these pursuits worthy of our utmost attention as if lives depended on us–and to be sure, they do–yet we run from the other with unholy fear.

How many politicians have you seen in the news who have built great followings with soaring speeches and pleasant words, but who set low bars for moral and spiritual leadership at home? Broken marriages and ruined family relationships are the result, because there is no one who sees the disconnect better than those who know him best. The disconnect invariably affects the worldly empire he has built, and like a wrecking ball, destroys the tower of good will that was once enjoyed.

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When you add up your influence on those around you, would you say you’re in the asset column or liability column? Are you a credit or a debit? Do you contribute to the “bottom line” of those you lead (and we all lead someone, whether we want to or not), or do you drain “cash flow” from that bottom line by squandering the opportunities you’ve been given?

Put leadership into financial terms and it seems so much more meaningful, doesn’t it? If your life is a budget, where are your cash resources going each month? Are there holes in your budget that need to be tightened up so you don’t waste precious cash in a tough economy?

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The guy who abuses the loyalty of his wife, kids, or employees out of a sense of superiority or privilege is a fool, squandering his ability to have any positive influence over them. That’s because authority in theory does not guarantee influence in reality. A police office may have a badge that gives him authority, but if he’s dealing with a drug dealer who doesn’t respect that authority, his influence is nil.

Jesus knew that moral authority was a more effective tool of leadership than authority granted from on high. Moral authority is real influence, and can’t be bought, sold, or granted. It can only be earned.

God granted Jesus dominion over mankind, but Jesus earned the influence he had over his disciples over the course of thirty years on earth. He lived, loved, taught, and served. He earned the trust of his followers through a consistent example of sacrificial leadership that placed his followers needs over his own. All of the authority of God Almighty couldn’t accomplish what Jesus’ years of sacrificial ministry accomplished: loyalty and lasting personal influence.

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The leader who never asserts his authority has none. That’s not to say that leaders should exercise authority arbitrarily, just for the purpose of maintaining power or control. That is a manipulative strategy of Machiavellian tyrants, not Christlike servant-leaders.

Nevertheless, a leader can’t be a wallflower, never speaking up when it’s his turn to set the pace or direction for those who look up to him. Who is he pretending to lead if he has no influence when the chips are down?

Take the lead...help the cause...spread the word!

The topic of men’s leadership has been near and dear to my heart for years. I was not a born leader, and the older I get, the more I learn that few people are. Yet in so many roles in life, men will be put into leadership positions. It is not a question of if but when.

All men (and women, although that’s not the subject of this blog) are called to lead in some way, whether as the heads of our families, as employees responsible for getting a task done, or as guys who stuck their hands up at the wrong time at church and thus “volunteered” to head up the next big outreach project.

Take the lead...help the cause...spread the word!