What are the most important qualities in a leader?

I confess that the subject of “leadership” is something of a mystery to me. I do not believe I am anything close to a natural born leader, but have found myself from time to time in positions of leadership. I lead my family. I have led, through my work, departments, churches, ministries, even movements. As such I tend, at least at first, to pay attention when people speak or write on leadership, looking not just for clues on how to do it, but clues to understand if, and how, I do “leadership.” I haven’t, however, read a book or attended a seminar on that theme and frankly can’t begin to understand what I might find there. What follows then are not the 5 Ironclad Laws of Leadership. That’s a little bold for my style, at least on this theme. Instead here are a few principles I believe might help.

First, a good leader has got to both be driven by the well-being of those whom he leads, and be able to persuade them that such is true. Leadership comes with authority and therefore temptation. A husband, or a father, for instance, could easily enough see his family as a means to his own glory, or comfort. God did not make the father the head of his house so that he would always have his slippers at the ready, his pipe well packed, and his drink well iced. Instead God gives him authority that he might serve the well being of his charges. Those following must know their leader knows this. Leadership thrives neither under weakness or fear, but under trust.

Second, a good leader must have the ability to focus on the end. Circumstances shift and change. Desires wax and wane. But the end is always the end. If I am fighting the last war, if I am committed to executing my current strategy rather than slaying the current dragon, I am leading poorly, and may be leading those under my care on Pickett’s Charge. Too often the good gets the better of the best and we are the worse for it.

Third, perhaps a corollary to the second, a good leader knows the difference between politics and principles. Both have their place. Consider that slippery word- compromise. Is that a good word, or a bad one? We don’t know, unless we know if what we are talking about is situations or ethics. Deciding between pepperoni or mushroom on our pizza is a great time for compromise. Deciding which unborn babies should be allowed to be sacrificed is a terrible time for compromise.

Finally, a good leader has to know that he is a follower. Every leader is under someone, save One. You cannot lead well if you cannot follow well. It is always best, if possible, for the authority above a given leader to be flesh and blood. Ultimately we will all answer to Jesus. But one thing we will answer for is how well we answered to those people He has placed in authority over us.

In the end there is no distinct body of knowledge or biblical law dealing with leadership discreetly. There is His instruction on what a man is to be, what an elder is to be, what an employer is to be. In the end we are all called to follow the example of Paul (I Cor. 11:1), as he followed the example of Christ. It’s not complicated, just difficult.