Christian Leadership Training: Strong Leadership Lesson 1.008
Channel: Theophilus Lambo
Date: 2021-02-13

CHRISTIAN  LEADERSHIP TRAINING COURSE Lesson 1.008
Mt Zion Fellowship Ministerial Bible Institute on Christian Leadership Training on Strong Leadership Traits.
How do you know if you are a strong leader?

”A good leader can't get too far ahead of his followers.” Franklin D. Roosevelt  US President 1933-1945

Just look over your shoulder at the tens or hundreds or thousands of people who are following some of your ideas or values, goals or life-targets – not primarily because of some organizational role, or job title, but simply because of the nature of who you are, the values you have, the vision you hold, the friendships you have and what you mean to those people’s lives.

Most leadership is by example, and the effect of example can be very enduring.  Depending on your stage in life, your greatest leadership influence may now be through the lives of all those you influenced, mentored, encouraged and taught some years ago.  That is why leadership influence can span several generations, commonly seen in families, but also in all long-term organisations.

What do you see?

“When I hear corporate leaders refer to values as “soft” issues, I wonder what they regard as “hard”.  In my experience, cultural beliefs are the heart and soul of all business matters.  More than heroic working hours, more than pay incentives, certainly more than strategy alone, shared beliefs, values, can be the key to unleashing the talents of all the people in an organisation.” The former CEO of Eli Lilly, Randall Tobias
10 steps to powerful leadership
Want to lead more powerfully?
 Let your passion show
 Be the person you know you were made to be
 Have the courage of your convictions
 Focus on things that are important to you and others
 Decide to make a significant difference
 Dump trivial and unimportant things
 Go for it with all your heart and mind
 Live just as you want others to live
 Show people how you are going to build a better world, with or without their help, and get on with making it a reality
 Have fun!
Why should people follow you?
People will only follow you if they see you’re ahead, are convinced you know the route, trust you and want to get there too. Leaders have to prove they are worth following.  

There is a crisis of leadership today because many no longer trust those in authority – their integrity, vision and wisdom.  That’s why character is fundamental to all successful leadership.  Consistency, honesty, willingness to admit the truth even when embarrassing or humiliating.
It is not enough to be liked, or attractive, or a powerful speaker who can touch mind and emotion.  Leaders need to be more than that, if they are to survive close scrutiny and criticism.
Within every strong leader there is an unshakeable inner conviction of the rightness of their cause, matched by bold commitment to the way ahead, tempered by sound judgment.  Strong leadership defies those around to challenge the vision.  Strong leadership is like a magnetic force, drawing people and resources into action.

“The leader is always more effective with he gets the relevant people to “buy into” his proposals.  The leader uses his interpersonal skills to excite his people, and helps them to see how they may themselves benefit from both the journey and the arrival. He helps them to see “the word made flesh….For a vision to guide a team or organisation, it must be a compelling story – one that portrays real events:  real people achieving a better tomorrow”. Max Landsberg - The Tools of Leadership.  He describes the essence of leadership as Vision x Inspiration x Momentum.  

STRONG LEADERS ARE ALWAYS
S  elf-aware
T  arget-driven
R  elationship-hungry
O  rganisation-influenced
N  eighbourhood-linked
G  lobally-concerned