THE LEADERSHIP OF LIFE

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” – 1 Corinthians 9:27

The Divine Order of Leadership begins with the LEADERSHIP of LIFE: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor.9: 27). For the Christian, Leadership of Life translates to the dominion of the human spirit (indwelt by the Holy Spirit) over the soul and body. Paul strived at leading himself so that he could effectively lead others. Leadership development begins with personal development: “He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Pro.25:28). Many leadership failures are traceable to personality leadership mismanagement. The foolish wants to conquer the world; the wise wants to conquer self.

We seldom see ourselves realistically; we are able to size up every one else except ourselves. Wisdom demands that we learn to look in the mirror and always examine ourselves first (2Cor.13:5). If we don’t look at ourselves realistically, we may never understand where some of our personal challenges come from. We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions, such that even if we err, we let ourselves off the hook, believing that our intentions are good.

One of my major challenges as a leader is: “Leading me”! Here are four keys to the effective leadership of life:

Learn to be a Follower: Only a leader who has followed well leads others well. Someone who has never learned to obey will misuse the right to command. Good leadership requires an understanding of the world of followers. The ‘Discipled Leader’ has walked in the shoes of followers, knows what it means to be under authority, and has a better sense of the exercise of authority. In contrast, leaders who have never followed well or submitted to authority tend to be autocratic, arrogant, rigid, and unrealistic. Jesus warned against those who lord their position and power over others (Matt 20:24). 

Develop Self-Discipline: Under God, each of us is a “monarch” over our lives. I (my spirit-man) am a king over my self – my soul and body. I am responsible for my actions, behaviour, choices, and decisions. To make consistently good decisions, to take the right action at the right time, and refrain from wrong actions requires character and self-discipline. The contrary is to lose control – to do or say things of regret, miss lifetime opportunities or be wrecked in addiction, debt or self-destruction.

Seek Accountability: be willing to seek and accept advice, and to explain your actions to others. Leading yourself well infers holding yourself to a higher standard of accountability than others do, because God holds you responsible not only for your own actions, but also for those you lead. Leadership is a trust, not a right. People who lead themselves well know that they cannot trust themselves. Power can be seductive, and no one is infallible. To deny this is to toy with danger. Many leaders who have failed ethically once thought it could never happen to them. They had a false sense of security.

Practice Patience: There is a tendency in leaders to be impatient. We look ahead, think ahead and want to move ahead. It’s good for the leader to be one step ahead. However, impatience can lead to trouble.  Shortcuts can cut lives short! It pays to respect process. Beware on instant greatness or instant maturity! Becoming a leader doesn’t happen overnight. Microwave leaders lack staying power. Leadership process takes time, but the end product is worth the wait. The essence of leading is not to cross the finish line first, but to take others across the finish line with you.

People are rarely aware of the disciplines their leaders practice or the sacrifices they make outside of the limelight, not for recognition, but for results. Success or failure isn’t an event, but a process. The smallest crowd you will ever lead is you – but it’s the most important one. If you do that well, you will earn the right to lead larger groups (Lk.19:17).