It’s important that we give healthy and vibrant leadership to people and organizations. Yet, leaders often find themselves in a battle for character, influence, and growth. Avoiding the mud puddles of leadership is to essentially lead well. In this podcast, Lance introduces us to 3 questions to help us be the kind of leaders who make a difference.

Notes:

There is a vacancy sign illuminated by pain, loneliness and loss, that hangs over different sectors of people’s lives and society. Let’s be leaders who develop people and culture through relationships, with integrity, so that lives are transformed by love.

1. What do we mean by leadership?

   • Within the Gateway context, leadership is “developing culture and people through relationship, with integrity”.

   • John Maxwell calls leadership “influence”.

   • Jim Collins says, “leadership only exists if people follow when they would otherwise have the freedom to not follow”.

2. What is a leader?

   • A paradoxical blend of personal humility and unshakable will, service directed to a cause greater than one’s self.

   • Jesus as a leader:

     • Born in a stable.

     • Not a fancy family.

     • A man mocked for being from Nazareth.

     • A man not distinguished by good looks or personality.

     • Surrendered His own fill so that He would fulfill the will of God.

     • “Not my will, but thine be done” - The unshakable will was a surrendered will.

3. What hinders our leadership?

   • A failure to identify the mud puddles that will stain our character, erode our credibility, steal our confidence and question our competency.

   • Mud puddles:

     • Idolatry of Ministry and Leadership

     • Comparison is a Killer

     • Evil Pride

     • Paralysis of Busyness

     • False Connection

Resources:

1. Mistake Leaders Make by Dave Kraft

2. Mud And The Masterpiece by John Burke

3. Jim Collins

Credits: Music - Pumpkin Spice by Audiobinger -- freemusicarchive.org