Leadership is a word that is overused and misunderstood. The challenge is not how to develop more and better management. Society has looked for some leaders at the top and expected everyone else to be managers or worker bees when, in fact, what we need is more honest and courageous leaders at all levels of society and organization. “Leadership is engaging others in a company with a sense of strong strategic focus, where they can experience a sense of ownership, of making a difference, of being valued and adding value.” 1
The changing structure of organizations, the growth of alliances between organizations, and the changing nature of work itself call for new approaches to leadership. Paul suggests a new approach in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith…” By faith, Paul means something more than earthly knowledge . life of Jesus. It means an individual’s commitment to the lifestyle that Jesus exemplified. This approach is less about formal authority and power of control, and more about using situational, strategic, and ethical leadership skills to keep groups of people who may not report to you aligned with an overall purpose. “The first thing a leader must declare is not authority for rights, but authority for relationships.” two
1 Robert E. Staub, The Heart of Leadership: 12 Practices of Courageous Leaders, Provo: Publishers Press, 1997, xxii.
2 John c. Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You, Nashville: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1993, 118.