I Need Feedback
October 25, 2011
I am working on a revision of my book I wrote in 1999, So Many Leaders, So Little Leadership: Beyond the Power of Position Lies the Price of Leadership. I have matured in my view of leadership in the last eleven years and it's time I spelled that out in this book. I want to define three concepts in the revised version - leadership, purpose and team - and I want to run these definitions (with some simple notes and verses without much explanation) by you to get your feedback. Feel free to agree, disagree, recommend changes and additions or to tell me I am just off base, at the site where this entry is posted. Here goes:
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Leadership – discovering, perfecting and fulfilling your God-assigned life purpose, which causes you to joyfully influence others and to serve in your sphere of giftedness, insight and experience.
- The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil (Proverbs 16:4 NAS)
- He who tills his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty (Proverbs 28:19 NAS).
- A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:24-27 NIV).
Your sphere of leadership is determined by any or all of the following:
- Expertise/skill
- Burden/passion
- Geographic placement
- Occupational domain, such as:
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- Education
- Church
- Business
- Government
- Military
- Social
- Relationships
- Sports/recreation
- Food
- Fashion/beauty
- Entertainment
Purpose – whatever you consistently do, with whomever and wherever you do it, that gives you joy and serves some basic need in or for others
Effective team – comprised of members who know one another’s purpose and strengths and who agree to join together to achieve team goals and objectives based on synergies available as members express, pursue and perfect their gifts, passions and capabilities.
Re: Leadership: I would remove word discovering as that is implied if 'perfecting and fulfilling; perhaps leads rather than causes;
Re: Purpose: 'serves some basic need in or for others' feels awkward. perhaps ' serves basic needs in and for others?;
Re: Effective Team: wow that's a long winded sentence. Really defines team and teamwork.
Hope this is of some help.
Posted by: Judy Michael | October 26, 2011 at 07:28 PM
The most simple and biblical definition of leadership is to lead is to serve. It doesn't say it's good or bad, right or wrong, Godly or ungodly. History shows many leaders who were bad, wrong and ungodly BUT they did lead and many followed to their own detriment. The Bible has plenty of examples as well. Godly leadership will have Godly purposes and normally Godly outcomes. But it always starts with some "kind" of service. Much more could be said, but that's a short version. Thanx for asking for our feedback.
Posted by: George Hendley | October 31, 2011 at 11:42 AM
I like the definitions.
1. discovering; Most people discover that they are leaders after perfecting and fulfilling their purpose. You try something first as a proof that it can work before publicly declaring as fit (you say you have discover). I wont use the word discovering.
2. On the occupational domain, insert the abbreviation etc at the end to show there are so many other fields that one can be a leader.
3. Effective team: 'comprised of members who agrees to come together to achieve common goals and objectives based on one another’s purpose and strengths as they perfect their gifts, passions and capabilities.'
Hope this will be of benefit. Thank you for the opportunity.
Posted by: Paul Ruto | December 19, 2011 at 03:19 AM