I am always on the lookout for characteristics of good leaders. Here is a list of seven of them by Chuck Lawless. Take a look and ask yourself how you are doing with these.
Originally posted by Chuck Lawless
7 Characteristics of the greatest leaders I have known.
I’ve had the privilege of working with some phenomenal leaders. In fact, I could write several posts on the different characteristics that have made these leaders so strong. Here, though, are the characteristics I’ve most often seen in the greatest contemporary leaders I’ve known.
- Godliness. These men have strong leadership skills, but what first marks them is their walk with God. They pray. They evangelize. They know the Word. Their conversations are continually godly. If for no other reason, you want to follow them because they so clearly know God. To imitate them is to imitate Christ.
- Vision. These leaders can speak clearly and passionately about what they believe God wants them to accomplish wherever they serve. They do not hesitate in casting that vision because they’re convinced they are leading in God’s intended direction. Because they walk with God first, it’s easier for their followers to get on board with the vision.
- Great Commission passion. Whatever their roles may be, these leaders focus on reaching non-believers and discipling believers. They continually ask as they strategize, “How will our doing this help us to fulfill the Great Commission?” In fact, they also model that commitment by regularly doing personal evangelism.
- Team commitment. These men know they cannot do God’s work alone, so they intentionally build an effective team around them. They enlist the best team players they can find, even if they know that others will seek to hire those team members, too. Once they’ve built the team, they treat the team so well that few members ever want to leave.
- Teachability and flexibility. These leaders listen to their team, trusting that they, too, bring much to the conversation. If the team’s recommendations differ from these leaders, the leaders are at least willing to continue the conversation. Accomplishing the vision is supreme, even if getting there requires the leaders to reconsider their own strategy.
- Family commitment. This characteristic may seem to be disconnected from the topic of leadership, but it’s not at all. Without exception, the greatest leaders I know have prioritized their family and have raised children who walk with the Lord. Somehow, they’ve learned how to cast a big vision while keeping their feet on the ground in their homes.
- Sense of humor. These men laugh. A lot. They carry heavy burdens, but they laugh along the way. They have a knack for challenging people to adopt a grand vision and have fun in the process. Others actually enjoy working with them.
What are the characteristics of the greatest leaders you know?
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