Key Elements of Successful Leadership Essay -- servant leadership chri

Key Elements of Successful Leadership John Quincy Adams provided one of my favorite quotes on leadership; â€Å"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.† In its most basic form leadership refers to influence. Though leaders often help us to accomplish more, poor leadership can also be the source of extreme frustration. The importance of good leadership is apparent on a college campus. Many organizations run smoothly and efficiently while others are mired in chaos and confusion; the difference is leadership. The college setting provides many opportunities for the development of leadership expertise. I believe three common factors exist in all successful leadership; a focus on people, clear communication, and character. A good leader understands that he or she cannot accomplish anything without the support of followers. The best way to develop this support is by showing love, dignity, and respect to the people being led. The secular manager can apply the principles of this model, but only a Christian can understand the reasoning behind it. A proper perspective recognizes that â€Å"all people have inherent value by virtue of being created in the image of God, and thus [have] an inherent right to develop to their fullest potential.† (Hind, 20) Instead of using people in order to accomplish goals, Christian leaders should accomplish goals in order to develop people. I often get involved in leadership roles for self-promotion and increased status. However, the Scriptural model of leadership is much different. Jesus is the ultimate example of what is oft labeled servant leadership. Servant leadership is the submission of the leader’s ego and will in order to meet... ...rinciples in the pursuit of Christlike leadership. Above all I must realize that leadership is not about personal glory, but it is about the mission that God has given me, and the people that I am responsible to lead. Works Cited: Brown, Bill â€Å"Three Perspectives on Leadership† 4/16/2004 Speech given to Organizational Leadership class Dubrin, Andrew J. Leadership: Research Findings, Practice and Skills 2nd Edition Houghton Mifflin Company, Princton, NJ, 1998 Hind, James F. The Heart & Soul of Effective Management (1989) Victor Books, Wheaton, Ill. Lewis, Jone Johnson â€Å"Leadership Quotes†  © 1995-2003 http://www.wisdomquotes.com/cat_leadership.html Maxwell, John C. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader (1999) Thomas Nelson Publishers, New York, NY Swindoll, Charles R. Hand Me Another Brick (1978) Thomas Nelson Publishers, New York, NY