Leadership is character. This means that everyone is called to be a leader.
Leadership is decentralized from a select few to anyone.
It’s not about having a fancy education or being in the right place at the right time — it’s the call of every person — to lead themselves and others by pursuing excellence and virtue.
But...
Not everyone who calls themself a leader is a leader. And not everyone who wants to be a leader is a leader. And not everyone who is a candidate for an election is a leader.
What do I mean?
Being a leader isn't the same as being a boss, President, or having any kind of formal power, whether at work, in ministry, or in society at large. The world stage is full of "leaders" purely by power. Leadership is more than power.
And leadership is about more than simply leading people.
Real leaders are men and women rooted and guided by a moral compass. Real leaders lead others toward greatness in every sector of human life.
Why is this?
Because leadership is a moral activity.
The man or woman who lives in this way is a good leader.
Here are four rules for evaluating a leader of any kind and determining if they are a "Good Leader" or not.
Rule #1: A Good Leader is interested in human beings — real everyday people.
If you're reading this, you've probably experienced both types of leaders.
Nobody likes a selfish leader — it's a contradiction in terms. That's because we don't trust selfishness. A good leader is willing to forget about themselves for those under their charge. Their title isn't an opportunity to domineer or "lord it over them" as Our Lord speaks of in the Gospels.
The title of "leader" is the opportunity to love and sacrifice for others.
Rule #2: A Good Leader will always have a dream.
The perfect example to think about this is here in the United States. We have an election year coming up. When you think about our current and potential leadership, ask yourself,
"Which of these men or women has a dream?
And is the dream that (INSERT CANDIDATE) has wrapped up in personal interests or is it a dream for Americans as a people?"
Good leaders are motivated, above all else, by their people becoming great people.
Rule #3: Good Leadership begins with the heart.
Ask yourself,
"Is this person a person of the heart?
Do they have a big heart, filled with love for others? And are they magnanimous?
Or is this a small-minded person who doesn't care for anyone other than their own personal interest?"
This is the criteria for hiring, electing, selecting, and training people who are leaders and not opportunists or manipulators.
Rule #4: Good Leaders talk the talk AND walk the walk.
We trust people who don't only talk a big game, but back it up with action.
Anyone with the title "leader" can learn to speak beautifully, and enthusiastically, and influence the masses.
But the real work is in being a virtuous and moral person.
Ask yourself this simple question,
"What has this person done?"
This is the best way to parse out the true leader from the wannabe. This is the real, raw data that proves a man or woman's character — their track record.
We do so by empowering ministry leaders like you to build thriving groups and communities in 3 key ways: