Lesson 3: The Importance of Leadership

John Maxwell talked with a businessman whose company bought failing hotels and reorganized them so that they would start making profit. Maxwell asked if there was one action that the company always did when they bought a failing hotel. The businessman said, “We always fire the manager. We don’t wait to see if he is a good manager. We already know he is not a good manager because the hotel is failing.”

If a professional sports team is failing, the owners do not look only for new players; they look for a new coach. An organization does not succeed with a bad leader.

A genuine leader does not make excuses for his organization’s failure. If it fails, he fails.

► Why is leadership important?

Eli was a high priest of Israel. Because there was no king, the tribes were not united under a central government. The high priest was potentially the most influential leader in the nation.

Unfortunately, Eli was a weak leader. He had good personal character but was not able to lead even his own sons to do right. His sons were sexually immoral, careless in the forms of worship, and greedy for profit. Because of them, many people despised the Temple worship (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22, 29).

Eli should have removed his sons from their positions, but their desires were more important to him than his ordained responsibility.

Eli should have led the nation in spiritual worship and holy living; but his influence stopped at his sons, rather than being extended to the nation through his sons.

(1) They don’t know what to do.

This is a lack of information. The leader should provide information. If he does not have all the needed knowledge, he should find someone to help.

(2) They don’t know how to do it.

This is a lack of training. The leader may not have all of the skills needed in the organization, but he should arrange training.

(3) They don’t know why they should do it.

This is a lack of motivation. Sometimes the people in an organization do not understand the goals of the organization. Or maybe they understand, but do not care. The leader should help the people share the goals.

(4) There are problems preventing them from doing it.

This is a lack of equipment and organization. The leader should help people solve the problems that keep them from succeeding.

This list gives four common reasons that people in an organization do not do what they should do. All four of these reasons show a failure of leadership.

When a leader complains that his people do not do what they should, he is announcing that he is failing to lead. For example, a pastor who complains that his church does not evangelize should consider these questions:

• Did I explain that they should evangelize?

• Did I teach them how to evangelize (ideally by showing them)?

• Did I motivate them to evangelize?

• Did I help them face the problems that keep them from evangelizing?

If two armies are the same size and have the same equipment, which will win? The army with the best general will win.

Two sports teams have equally talented players. Which team will win? The team with the best coach will win.

The Challenge of Motivation

► An old proverb says, “The pen is more powerful than the sword.” What do you think that means?

It means that there is power in an idea, in persuasion, and in communication. An idea has more influence than a weapon. The “pen” refers to communication by writing, but persuasive communication in any form is more powerful than forcing people against their will.

People who are forced by someone’s authority do not do their best. They do not devote their energy and ideas to the work. You can accomplish more by motivating people than by forcing them. An idea—a concept—can spread and influence millions of people.

World War II is an example of the power of words. World War II was a war of words, a war of ideas.

Why was it a war of words? Adolf Hitler was a powerful speaker. He communicated his vision for Germany, and the Germans made him their leader. He convinced them they were the master race that should rule the world. Even some churches began to speak of him as a messiah and to say that Germany was the kingdom of God. Hitler led Germany in some of the most terrible actions of history. He did it with the power of words. Sometimes people think that words can do no harm, but Hitler’s words killed millions of people.

While Hitler was increasing his power in Germany, some people in England thought there would be no danger for them. When it came time for England to elect a new prime minister, some candidates promised the people that they would have peace. But Winston Churchill told the people the truth. He said, “I offer you blood, sweat, and tears.” He was elected because he faced the problems.

Churchill’s speeches united England to defend itself against Germany. He said, “We will fight on the sea and in the air. We will fight on the beaches if they land on our shores. We will fight them in every street in every city. We will never give up. We will never surrender.”

Through the speeches of Hitler and Churchill, we see the power of words. In a sense, every war is a war of words.

► Explain the statement that every war is a war of words. What does this tell us about leadership?

Sometimes a leader thinks that he can get help only by paying for it. He thinks that his people will do more if he pays them more. That usually is not true. People help an organization because they believe in it. They work hard because they share goals.

You can’t have worthwhile work unless everyone is working toward a well-understood and shared goal. But that’s not enough. It matters how you reach the goal. You must be guided by values. You have to be proud of both the goal and how you get there.[1]

► What does it mean to be proud of the goal and proud of how you got there?

[2]A businessman will not build a great company only by paying his employees. He must lead them with goals and values. If only money matters, people do not work for the business’s goals. They do not care about quality and are not proud of their work.

The most important things are not done for money. Think of the things people do for their families and children. They don’t do those things because of money, but because of more important values. People are motivated by their values.

In ministry, leadership skill is even more important than in the business world, because the workers in the church are mostly volunteers. The leader cannot offer the incentive of paid employment for most of them. The people who help the church do it because they believe in the church. If a church is not locally supported with money and energy, the leader has failed.

► Who are the people who help at your church? Why do they do it?

The job of the leader has been summarized this way:

Let people know why the work is worthwhile. Decide where you’re going. Make sure the team shares the goal. Help set values. Get the resources in place… Ensure you’ve got the support you need both inside and outside the organization. Keep your eye on the future to ward off trouble and be ready to change direction.[3]

If a person has skill in some kind of work but has no leadership skill, he will work alone or under someone’s direction. But a person who has both a high level of skill and also has leadership ability will be able to lead others and accomplish more.

The Apostle Paul started networks of churches in major cities. He appointed leaders in every place, because he knew that many leaders were needed for the church to grow everywhere.

Paul gave special training to some men by taking them with him in his missionary travels (Acts 16:3, Acts 19:22). Paul emphasized the need to continually develop leaders. He told Timothy to look for faithful men who would be able to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2).

An auto mechanic who has leadership ability may be able to have a business with other mechanics who work for him. If he is not a leader, he will work alone or for someone else.

Andrew knows how to do every kind of construction work on houses. He does excellent work and is honest. His customers recommend him to others, and he always has more work waiting for him. Andrew has no employees because he knows how to do everything and does not want an employee who might not do it as well. Because Andrew is not a leader, his business will never be larger than the work he can do alone.

Leadership skill multiplies the value of a person’s other abilities. A person who has high competence in any area can increase his effectiveness by increasing his leadership ability.

A reliable leader provides people what they need to succeed. The leader creates the setting for their success. They need to know that he will fulfill his responsibilities so they can fulfill theirs.

If the leader is not reliable, the people cannot achieve the goals of the organization, so they adjust by discarding the goals. A leader who is not reliable is frequently explaining to people why he did not do what they expected.

A leader should be prepared for problems. He needs to plan for interruptions and hindrances and be ready for them. A leader knows that things are always changing. He realizes that changes can bring new problems, so he prepares. Other people may take situations as they come, but a leader must be prepared to lead.

Daniel was the foreman of a construction crew. His supervisor told him that certain walls needed to be built by the end of the day, so Daniel told his crew. However, the materials did not come because the supervisor forgot to send them. Daniel explained to the crew that the goal could not be achieved. After this happened several times, it became difficult for Daniel to tell his crew that they should do a task quickly.

Joanna was a schoolteacher. One day she arrived at school and the principal told her that her classroom would be used by another group that day. She was not prepared to teach in another place and did not have time to move the things she needed from the classroom.

The Bible tells us that God has called apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12). God also gives the abilities needed.

The call of God gives a person the opportunity to lead but does not guarantee success. If a person’s behavior decreases his influence instead of increasing it, he cannot succeed.

Look at the roles of ministry listed in Ephesians 4:11. How would an evangelist succeed if people thought that they could not believe him? How could a teacher succeed if people found that he taught things that were mistakes? How could a pastor succeed if people realized he only wanted to profit from them?

Without influence, a person cannot succeed in ministry. These ministry roles are leadership roles, because they depend on influence.

► After reading each point and before reading the explanation, answer the question, “What is wrong with this idea?”

(1) A leader is one who is served by others.

A leader is a person who finds a way to meet needs for the group. That is why they accept him as a leader. Jesus said that in his kingdom a leader is one who serves. He said the greatest person is everyone’s servant (Matthew 23:11). The leader sacrifices his own interests for others.

(2) A ministry leader is more spiritual and godly than his followers.

The fact is that many churches have members who are more godly than the pastor. Leadership ability does not prove spirituality.

(3) Promotion in ministry leadership depends on personal effort.

Human attempts to gain promotion usually do not work out well. We should do our best in our responsibilities and trust God to put us in the right place. Never do something that does not honor God in your attempt to get into a position of leadership. If you cannot get there by honoring God, you are not supposed to be there.

God’s chosen leaders are often people who were not seeking positions. John Chrysostom was chosen to be Archbishop of Constantinople in A.D. 397. At first, he refused the position because he thought he was not qualified. Later, he wrote about a proper attitude toward ministry positions. He said if a person refused to herd oxen, it would not be surprising because the position is low. If a person refused to be king, he probably thinks the position is too high for him. If a person refuses a ministry position, it could be for either reason, depending on whether he thinks ministry is a high position or a low one.[1]

► How do you expect to change your goals or actions because of this lesson?

1. If an organization is failing, the leader is failing.

2. Training and motivation are tasks of leadership.

3. People want to be proud of the goals and the way they achieve them.

4. Leadership skill multiplies the value of a person’s other abilities.

5. The leader’s reliability determines the reliability of the organization.

1. Write a paragraph summarizing a life-changing concept from this lesson. Explain why it is important. What good can it do? What harm could result from not knowing it?

2. Explain how you will apply the principles of this lesson to your own life. How does this lesson change your goals? How do you plan to change your actions?

3. Memorize the Five Summary Statements for Lesson 3. Be prepared to write them from memory at the beginning of the next class session.

4. Before the next session, read 1 Kings 19:19-21 and 2 Kings 2:1-15. Write about the transition of leadership recorded in this account.