“Leadership 101”
Psalm 78:72 – Integrity of heart and skill of hand.
This is consistent with leadership taught from a scriptural perspective – it always starts from the inside and then goes out. It begins with who you are and then progresses to what you do. You can never achieve enough skill to over come a bad heart. It begins within – and that determines our ultimate success. Smart leadership understand this.
I. Introduction
In life you see many types of leaders:
Angry leaders – Moses himself was an angry leadership – struck a rock. He was only to speak to the rock.
Incompetent leaders – Bible is full of people who just could not do the job. They had the title but that was all.
Short term leaders – leaders who start but don’t finish.
Frustrated leaders – I believe this was Judas’ problem.
II. Smart leaders don’t try to do it all by themselves.
Any time you feel – “I have to do everything” you are doing leadership wrong. It is not a contest about who does it the best – it is about engaging others and allowing them to lead and minister along side of you.
A. Just because you hold a leadership position doesn’t mean you are smart. Ex 18:17-18
Jethro observes Moses – and says to this God given, God called, God anointed leader – the thing you are doing is not good. This is not the right way to do this. God is interested in more than just getting the job done – but doing it correctly as it relates to me, to you and to others. To work in a smart manner.
In leadership – the biggest changes must start inside the leader.
Moses changed his way of thinking
Moses changed his way of leading
B. Moses made seven changes to become a leader.
Moses became a man of prayer. Exodus 18:19
Leaders need to bring people to God in prayer. Without prayer nothing lasting will result.
2. He committed to communicate – verse 20
Teach them the law. Communicating not just to individuals – but to groups.
3. He laid out a vision – verse 20
Show direction. That is the art of leadership
4. He develops a plan – verse 20
Vision always proceeds plan. Vision speaks to the heart – plan speak to the head. Show them the work that they must do. Show them what they must accomplish.
5. He selected and developed leaders – verse 21
Picked out able men.
6. He released them to do ministry – verse 22
Let them judge. That is the art of leadership. Training people to do what you are now doing. Old Testament of example of Eph 4.
7. He did what they could not do – verse 26
He was to judge the great matters. Moses became a smart leader. It started with understanding that he could not do everything. Moses had to stop being a perfectionist – and in control of every aspect. He had to allow internal change to occur – so that external change could occur – then and only then did he become more effective.
C. Smart leaders get results. verse 23
God gave strength to Moses
God gave peace to the people
These two things always appear in successful leadership. Strength increases and peace multiplies when leaders understand that they can’t do it all – and that they are willing to change themselves to become increasingly effective.
Click here to watch Pastor Bret’s message on Leadership 101