Friday, February 16, 2007

Courageous Leadership; Chapter 7, Discovering Your Own Leadership Style

Be prepared to discuss the question "What's your leadership style." I think it's an important question to ask. How do you act? How do you respond in various situations?
One concern I have about this question is the assumption that people tend to have one style. What made Lincoln an excellent leader in his time, wouldn't have worked under different circumstances according to Hybels. I doubt that's true. Instead, I think a spiritually gifted leader who is also personally reflective and self aware will alter their style to meet a circumstance. I know that I have to be autocratic about some decisions in church and democratic on others, visionary at times and detail oriented at times. At times I manage, at others I motivate.
So what kind of leader am I? I think it is more important recognize what my preferred style is. I think I do best in those circumstances. I prefer to be visionary. I'm a preacher at heart, I like to present a God's eye view of where we are and point toward God's preferred future. From there I like to lead through motivation. I like to encourage people, who have grasped the vision of where God is leading, to use their Spiritual gifts to run with a plan for effecting the vision.
In the end, though, I think this chapter is helpful in pointing out that there are differing leadership styles. We are called to discern what is appropriate for a moment and live it out.

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Dave is the Lead Pastor at...
New McKendree United Methodist Church
225 S. High St., Jackson, MO 63755
Saturday Worship 5:00 pm, Sunday 9:00 am at High St. Campus 11:00 am at South Campus (1775 S. Hope St.)