The idea of leadership presumes direction to a destination. Without clarity regarding the way and the end, leadership is meaningless.
In a universe created by a sovereign, strategic, intentional, holy, personal, loving, and omnipotent Creator, leadership must seek to align with God. Profound meaning for everything must be derived from him. Therefore profound leadership must be grounded in him. Consequently, leadership must seek to guide people and organizations into alignment with God—according to his will, ways, and timing, and all for his glory.
Given this truth, the most effective leaders can only be mature Christians—those who know the Lord as validated by the fruit of increasing Christlikeness. They are walking in their divinely ordained life purpose and, therefore, are living a successful life, as Jesus did. They are the only leaders who can guide others to success because no one can lead another to success unless they are successful.
The popular assumption is that success is defined by naturalistic metrics, such as fame, fortune, influence, and power. These are worldly metrics that offer no answers to physical or eternal death. Worldly metrics of success will fail when humans stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Anyone leading based on worldly metrics will fail as a leader.
The Christian view is that success is divinely defined by obedience to God—his will done in his ways, in his timing, and for his glory. Some indicators that leaders are living accordingly are biblical wisdom, knowledge, godliness, and stewardship skills.
Also, godly leaders will seek to understand what God is doing—big picture and long-term. They will seek to align their leadership of individuals and organizations into what he is doing because they understand his sovereign, strategic, and intentional nature manifested in his metanarrative.
Christian leaders should search the Scripture for clarity about God’s plan and purpose and contextualize their lives and the lives of those they lead into this bigger picture. This means that their objective will never be defined by worldly metrics because they understand that when they align with God, he will fund his will and accomplish his purpose through them. This is the only way to live and to lead effectively.
Sadly, few people today seem to understand leadership profoundly. What passes for leadership is generally simplistic naturalistic metrics that relate to traits such as teamwork, maximizing potential, communication, strategy, and efficiency. While these have some value, they do not serve the greatest value of alignment with God in and through his metanarrative.
Finally, the seminal function of leadership is to deal with sin. Without the reality of sin in the universe, everyone would always perfectly align with God. But in a fallen universe, this doesn’t happen; therefore, leaders are required to deal with sin in individuals and organizations to facilitate obedience to God.
Non-Christian leaders are in bondage to sin; therefore, only true Christian leaders can lead well because they are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit to eradicate sin and align with righteousness. They are not perfect, but they are empowered. And empowered leaders grow and mature in their ability to lead well. In a fallen world, they are the best leaders.
Here is your business tip. In a world without sin, there would be little need for leadership because everyone would always make the right choices. But in a fallen world, leadership is required to respond to the reality of sin—rebellion against God. This means that profound leaders do God’s will, according to God’s ways, in God’s timing, and all for God’s glory. There is no other way to properly lead individuals and organizations. As a definition of success, worldly metrics are deceptive and, at best, are useful tactically, but these metrics can never be profound. Only alignment with God provides a basis for profound leadership that facilitates individual and organizational success in life.
