Leadership is Influence.
It is uplifting when someone with credibility validates what you’ve been studying, reading, and trying to teach.
This was the case at church today.
The subject of Pastor Katz sermon was, “The Foundations of Leadership: Leading Like Jesus”.
I was very excited when I saw that title on the sermon notes. Earlier in the morning I was finishing up “Becoming a Leader” by Myles Monroe. So Leadership concepts and ideas were fresh in my mind. Several times Pastor Katz would say something it was almost like I could finish his sentence.
Pastor Katz spoke familiar phrases like, “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” and “Leadership is influence”. He even referenced a verse in the bible that I referenced in one of my blog posts recently; “Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matt 10:16
Where Jesus instructs his disciples to be wise but innocent. ‘To understand and listen’. Which are a few principles on leadership.
Myles Monroe states, “Every dire condition of humanity is the result of poor leadership.” And that, “Our global conditions demands good leadership”
These issues are what Pastor Katz was addressing. His lecture notes states: “Without wise leadership, a nation is in trouble.” Which is straight from the bible.
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Pr. 1:14 (NKJV)
Pastor Katz focused on 7 leadership characteristics that Jesus Modeled. They are:
1. Identification: I know who I am.
2. Clarification: I know what I want to accomplish.
3. Motivation: I know who I am trying to please.
4. Collaboration: I know someone is following.
5. Concentration: I know what is important
6. Meditation: I know how to listen to God.
7. Relaxation: I know how to recharge.
Secrets of Lasting Leaders: Divert Daily, Withdraw Weekly, Abandon Annually.
His sermon supports Monroe’s Ten Essentials in the Development of a Leader:
1. Discover yourself
2. Capture your vision
3. Share your inspiration
4. Commit to your principles and values
5. Express your passion
6. Empower Others
7. Discipline Yourself for your purpose
8. Coordinate your resources
9. Manage your priorities
10. Mentor your successors
What was great was these Ten Essentials were fresh in my mind during Pastor Katz’s sermon. They were keys on developing a leader which then transition to 7 principles that developed leaders should model.
These ideas, concepts and keys on leadership are exactly what I’ve been studying the past couple of months. I have been trying to put myself in the path of strong leaders. It was a very refreshing morning at church when I realized that my continued search for ‘The Truth’, my reestablished ‘Faith’, and my new found love of the church has actually put me in the direct path of a strong leader: Pastor Katz.
Pastor Katz also stated something I’ve been saying all along. He pointed to all of us and told us that EVERYONE can be a leader. Everyone has the potential to be a leader and everyone needs to find their gifts as a leader. Myles Monroe said the same thing at a Dallas Leadership Conference I attended.
Pastor Katz asked us to turn to our neighbors and say, “You are a leader.”
I want everyone to understand this. We are all leaders.
“God wants us all to be leaders!”
I wrote a note with suggested books by John C. Maxwell and Myles Monroe and handed it to Pastor Katz after church. He also thanked me for the book “The Pep Talk” I loaned him a few weeks ago. He said he was slowly getting through it, but was really enjoying it.
How appropriate that this book is about an underdog team that wins the biggest game of their life because of the influence of a stranger.
Why is this appropriate? Because Leadership is influence.
