Leadership is fragile balance of equipping others to do great things and leading the people to fulfill a collective vision. I use to think leadership was all about charisma and personal investment. I had a clear cut vision and had made an investment in the lives of those around me, therefore I had earned the right to lead. Truthfully, I may have earned the right to hold the title but I had not given the people a reason to sacrifice for the vision. I had a great vision, a God honoring direction for the church but many could not see how the vision helped their personal relationships at home and others may have caught my vision but it was still MY vision. In my attempts to control the mob I had forgotten to equip individuals. My insecurities caused me to see every question as a challenge and every disagreement as a move towards dissension. I forgot that answers and involvement are essential ways to take my vision and make it their vision. Increased involvement creates increased leadership and increased leadership creates increased ownership! I have always been committed to see church as a safe place, a place to come as you are with no feelings of shame or fear. However, in my attempts to control the mob from turning God's house of prayer into Robert's rules of religious business I had forgotten how to equip individuals to buy into ownership.
Leadership has certain universal attributes school leaders, business leaders, home leaders, and spiritual leaders all have a responsibility to equip those around them. Leadership is not defined by a position or a title but by our ability to influence and equip others to catch a vision and to dream a dream.
