Fusion Leadership Minute: Develop Leaders Not Followers
“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” - John Maxwell
“A good leader gets people to go where they need to go. A great leader is one who convinces them its their idea so that they lead one another to it.” D. Eisenhower
Just the other day, I was talking with Janice about current events in our world and she mentioned that a Christian and media celebrity had a following of 2.6 million people. That’s a whole lot of followers! I recently heard that Kim Kardashian has over 300 million followers on Instagram. That would make my head swirl. I didn’t know that many fashion tips were needed in life. I thought, just look nice and make sure your lipstick hasn’t smeared. (For those of you wondering, I haven’t worn lipstick, nor do I intend to. However, there was the time one of my granddaughters painted my nails, but because there is photographic evidence, I don’t want to talk about it…)
By contrast, Jesus, when he was here on earth, did not concentrate on building following networks, but a leading network, built upon eleven individuals. Eleven.
Most leaders understand that there is a transactional aspect of leadership. Jesus, when His followers tried to force Him into transaction, Jesus simply made following Him more offensive. Go back and read the sixth chapter of John, Jesus chased away followers. Jesus wasn’t driven by gaining followers, but by building leaders.
Get that.
He didn’t try to build a following. He built leaders.
He spent three years living, demonstrating, teaching, telling and showing, correcting and shaping the culture of the kingdom, which was the framework which they would operate in.
Leaders, in our context, lead themselves and others into kingdom alignment, kingdom assignment, and kingdom destiny. While they are doing that, a kingdom community of family is created where at the place of acceptance, all are celebrated and at the place of mission, all contribute according to their callings and shared vision.
Kingdom Alignment
This is the place where we are engaged in transformation by the renewing of our minds (Roman 12:1-2). Our lives, thoughts, values, actions and reflections are to be a part oft he culture of the kingdom of God, including two critical areas: how we see ourselves and how we see others. Our kingdom identity, our understanding of Howe we are and whose we are, precedes our assignment. As Leif Hetland says, “Sonship is before all the other “ships”; leadership, apostleship, etc..
So, how do you get into alignment as a leader?
Ask the following questions:
Who am I in Jesus?
Whose am I?
Who has He called me to be?
Begin each day, affirming and delving deeper into these realities.
Kingdom Assignment
This answers the question, “Who has He called me to be in the kingdom?” As was stated in the previous section, you cannot allow your assignment to come before your alignment. Who you are is the foundation of who you were called to be. From that calling, you begin to understand what your passions and personality have to do with shaping your stewardship of ministry.
All of ministry is a stewardship, entrusted to us for a period of time, which will be handed back, when we are through our assignment. How are you stewarding your assignment?
Are you growing in leadership understanding and skill?
Do you solicit the feedback of others?
Are you checking in with the Father about your assignment?
Are you doing the things you are asking your followers to do?
Are you actively seeking clarification from Holy Spirit and your leadership as to your assignment?
Kingdom Destiny
Everyone is on a course with a destiny. The question is will it be one of your own making or in concert with the King of the universe? As we live faithfully in identity with the Lord and in His calling on us, we move towards our destiny.
Years ago, in a class with Wendy Backlund, she stated that she was having a hard time learning the discipline of writing. She knew she wanted to write a book and assumed the Lord had told her so, but was stymied in completing this challenge. One day, while she praying, she was saying to Him that she would never be an author because she hadn’t been able to finish the book. The Lord responded to her, “that is strange, you are already known as an author here in heaven.” She went onto finish that book and several others over the last few years. She discovered the secret, for God, He already knows your identity, your assignment based on that and His word, and therefore is responding to you in light of your destiny, even though you haven’t fulfilled it yet.
When did God start treating Moses as the leader of His people and the world changing Exodus? When he led them out of Egypt? When Moses began his turnaround after forty years? No, Moses was born into destiny. God already saw him as who he was and He treated him as such.
The lesson here is that we must begin to act as heaven already sees us in light of our alignment, our assignment and our destiny.
Leadership Core Assignment
Write out in your phone or on paper your alignment with heaven. How are you seen in heaven? Are you functioning as a son or daughter or as an orphan? Why or why not? Ask the following questions and begin each day, affirming and delving deeper into these realities. :
Who am I in Jesus?
Whose am I?
Who has He called me to be?
Define your ministry assignment. If you are not clear, ask to have cup of coffee with the ones who are overseeing you to get clarification. Answer the following questions:
How are you stewarding your assignment?
Are you growing in leadership understanding and skill?
Do you solicit the feedback of others?
Are you checking in with the Father about your assignment?
Are you doing the things you are asking your followers to do?
Are you clearly asking yourself and your followers to grow in Jesus, their alignment and assignment?
How does heaven see you? What is the destiny God is calling you into? Share this with your overseer and a friend/spouse? How are you moving towards your destiny in Jesus?
Are you actively seeking clarification from Holy Spirit and your leadership as to your assignment?
Dig Deeper
Leif Hetland on Alignment and Assignment
Books and Teachings to Go Deeper From Doug's Library - go to smile.amazon.com
And David Perceived He Was King by Dale Mast
God took David from the fields where he followed the sheep to become the ruler of Israel. He was overlooked by his father, yet chosen by God. He carried the dream to be king from the day Samuel anointed him, but he did not feel worthy to marry the king's daughter after defeating Goliath. David experienced many amazing moments in his life, yet he also endured many traumas. He was the hero of Israel and then became the hunted villain. He went from leading the armies of Israel to being pursued by the same. When David was anointed king in Judah, civil war erupted. Each step that God was establishing David's identity, the enemy was trying to steal it. Defeating Goliath required faith, but taking the throne required identity. It takes a Goliath to reveal a David, and his journey to produce a king. Faith believes what God can do. Identity believes what God can do through you. Let David's journey touch yours.
The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People & Teams That Win Consistently by Tony Dungy
“Your only job is to help your players be better.” That single idea had a huge impact on Tony Dungy when he heard it from one of his earliest mentors, and it led him to develop the successful leadership style so admired by players and coaches throughout the NFL. Now, a storied career and a Super Bowl victory later, Tony Dungy is sharing his unique leadership philosophy with you. In The Mentor Leader, Tony reveals what propelled him to the top of his profession and shows how you can apply the same approach to virtually any area of your life. In the process, you’ll learn the seven keys of mentoring leadership—and why they’re so effective; why mentor leadership brings out the best in people; how a mentor leader recovers from mistakes and handles team discipline; and the secret to getting people to follow you and do their best for you without intimidation tactics. As a son, a football player, and a winning coach, Tony has always learned from others on his path to success. Now you can learn to succeed for your team, family, or organization while living out your values—by becoming a mentor leader.
Servant Leadership: A Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power & Greatness
The Revolution Has Only Just Begun Twenty-five years ago Robert Greenleaf published these prophetic essays on what he coined servant leadership, a practical philosophy that replaces traditional autocratic leadership with a holistic, ethical approach. This highly influential book has been embraced by cutting edge management everywhere. Yet in these days of Enron and what VISA CEO Dee Hock calls our "era of massive institutional failure," Greenleaf's seminal work must reach the mainstream now more than ever. Servant Leadership― · helps leaders find their true power and moral authority to lead. · helps those served become healthier, wiser, freer, and more autonomous. · encourages collaboration, trust, listening, and empowerment. · offers long-lasting change, not a temporary fix. · extends beyond business for leaders of all types of groups.
The Culture of Empowerment by Steve Backlund and Phil Backlund
Have you ever been championed by someone? You have likely had times when people believed in you more than you believed in yourself and told you, “YOU CAN DO IT!” Their belief in you became a rock to stand on against the waves of insecurity, doubt, and fear in your mind. They were willing to allow you to try something challenging and new under their mentorship, and it caused you to find out there was more in you than you thought.
You may not realize it, but you have been empowered by these people. This book reveals a solid biblical foundation for living a lifestyle of empowerment. Through empowering people, Jesus set an example for us and revealed the Father's heart in doing so. The Culture of Empowerment gives insight and practical tools for championing people as well as developing empowering beliefs about yourself and others.
