To be an effective leader a man doesn't need to know everything. In fact, "know-it-alls" tend to be obnoxious and are seldom good leaders.

I Corinthians 8:1-3 "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

But if any man love God, the same is known of him."

A good leader really needs to know three things. He must first know God. That doesn't mean just knowing about God. Of course, knowing about God is foundational. A leader knows God, first by salvation, and then by walking with Him. Bible reading, praying, walking by faith, all of these helps a man to know God. Second, a man must know himself. Not in the way the Greek philosophers meant it. A man must know his strengths and weaknesses, besetting sins, likes and dislikes. The reason this is important is that a leader needs to seek companions and followers that have strengths that the leader himself is lacking in. Many leaders make the mistake of attracting men that are just like them and discarding those that are different. They make the same mistake in training them to be like them. The third thing a leader needs to know is men. Many times, a leader has little choice in the men that he is given to lead. However, a good leader, like a good coach,  must evaluate the men under him, train them, and put them in the best position to be successful.

Genesis 14:14 "And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan."

Tools of Leadership

There are three tools that are essential for good leadership. These can be easily learned and mastered but can't be faked or imitated. Unfortunately, fakers and imitators get followings but seldom leave anything lasting except a messy situation resulting in ruined lives. Imitators, many times, end up imitating the bad as well as the good. These three tools are Communication, Cooperation, and Charity.   It would be well advised to learn these as far as leadership is concerned.

Communication

 

Communication is the process of passing from the leader to the follower the knowledge and desire of what needs to be done. From the follower's point of view, it is the understanding of what is expected of him and how to accomplish these goals. For the pastor, communication is the process by which God deals with him and how he communicates to the church what God wants done. It is important to notice that communication must go both from the leader to the follower and from the follower to the leader. For the follower, he must be able to ask questions, voice concerns, and give ideas of his own so that the leader knows his message has been received. He must be able to do this without fear of ridicule. Many preachers and leaders make the mistake of thinking all the communication they need to do is from the pulpit. No doubt effective preaching is a good way to communicate.

I Corinthians 1:17-21 "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

However, there is a great possibility of misunderstanding. While too little communication is not good, a good leader must also be wary of too much communication. Some leaders think that the more information they are able to put out, the more effective they are. Too much information leads to confusion. A preacher should work to keep his messages short and to the point. Some spend too much time studying facts when what is needed is simplifying the facts available. Keep it short and simple. The idea is to take the complicated and make it simple. The most effective preacher punctuates his sermons with appropriate illustrations. Preaching alone is only part of the equation. Personal work and one-on-one meetings are also needed (Acts 20:20, Ez. 34:4-6).

Acts 20:20 "And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,"

Ezekial 34:4-6 "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them."

A good leader must seek the follower. He is responsible for finding and training them. To wait for the follower to find the leader is not leading but following. A good leader must spend a lot of time with his followers to assure that they understand what is expected of them; and they have the resources needed to do the job; and to personally encourage them. He is also the example. A good leader also has the responsibility of disciplining the follower. Followers have a tough job. They must follow human leadership that is flawed. Probably the hardest job of the leader is to recognize if a follower has made a mistake or has willfully rebelled against God. The leader's responsibility is that of a parent. As a parent, the purpose of discipline is to restore fellowship and correct the problem, not banishment. One of the mistakes leaders make is to try to discipline the follower in public. As a parent, leader, or pastor, this leads to nothing but embarrassment on the part of the follower and the leader, and seldom corrects the problem (Prov. 29:17).

Proverbs 29:17 "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul."

Public rebuke should be reserved for serious sins.

I Timothy 5:20 "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."

Communication is simply the leader giving his vision (Prov. 29:18) of the purpose of what needs to be done and the encouragement to accomplish it.

Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

 

Cooperation

 

Cooperation is the idea that for the leader to be effective the follower must follow the clear instructions of the leader. Cooperation is necessary because without cooperation the leader will have no one follow him and the follower will never arrive at his full potential. Cooperation is based upon clear, concise communication. That is why communication comes first. That is why the leader spends his time simplifying the instructions. Without good communication it is impossible to have cooperation. Cooperation requires submission. Submission is based upon confidence that the leader knows what he is talking about. It is much easier to follow someone in which there is confidence. In the sports world they use the expression "buying in". They say that the players have "bought in" to the coach's way of doing things. There is no substitute for experience. Experience, good or bad, if the leader has learned the lessons, goes a long way in leadership. The good leader must be able to determine a person's strengths and weaknesses and then put that person in the best possible position to succeed. No one wants to be set up to fail. Cooperation, like communication, is also two way. The good leader provides the tools, information, and encouragement that a man needs to do the job. He then gives the man the opportunity to fail or succeed. He must, like Jonathan's armor bearer (see I Samuel 14:6-14), "have his back".  A good leader practices "servant leadership". The purpose of the boss is to work for the employee. The servant leader is there to assure the success of the followers. He must work for them (see Matthew 22:25-28 and Mark 10:42-45). Their success is the leader's success.

 

Charity

Charity properly defined, as far as leadership is concerned, is the ability to love someone in spite of their faults. It is the ability to love someone that is not perfect; and in fact, hard to love. It is the kind of love that has the person's best interest at heart. No leader will be effective as he might be, if he doesn't care about those he leads. No follower will ever reach his potential without growing to love the leader. Many leaders rely only on fear as a motivational tool. Fear is a great motivator and must be instilled in followers. But it must be the fear of failure, and disappointment. While both fear and love are needed for a balanced approach, fear has its drawbacks and will never be effective without love. If only fear is used, failure will result when a greater fear comes along. A proper understanding of the balance can be illustrated in the following: "We serve God because we love Him. We won't stop serving God because we fear Him." "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." But it is only the beginning. "Perfect love" is the end.

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

I John 4:17-19 "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us."

A proper love allows a leader or follower to make a mistake and not lose control. Good leaders and good followers make many mistakes and failures but are able to succeed because of love. Charity allows the leader and follower to get along in spite of their faults and differences. This is critical because the good follower will be different, sometimes opposite from the leader, in personality, intelligence, and ideas.

These are the three tools of leadership: Communication, Cooperation, and Charity. With these three tools, a leader has a better chance to be successful. However, just having, and using these tools will not make a man a good leader. In addition to using these tools a good leader will need to have the three character traits of Courage, Confidence (in God), and Consistency. These will be covered in the next lesson of this series on leadership.