“Leadership is influence. Leaders who mentor potential leaders multiply their effectiveness.
There is no success without a successor.”
-Dr. John Maxwell, Developing The Leaders Around You
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Yesterday’s bible study on “Succeeding without a successor” has sort of moved and shook me quite a bit. It never dawn upon me about how important it is to pass on the batons to next generation and that there can be no success without a successor to ensure continuity in the ministry. The quote from Dr. John Maxwell,along with the sharings by my cell leader, has inspired me to share this important message with the rest of the world wo has yet to know about this amazing truth.
You fail as a leader if the people around you are not successful. As a leader, if you are remove from the throne, will your team still be as successful as before? Take for example, Steve Jobs. He is a great successor and leader who spearheaded the team to venture new boundaries in technology. Minus him away from Apple, do you think the company will still survive? Did it cross your mind that he could have training and mentoring qualified leaders to continuity in his company? Whether Steve Jobs did intentionally mentor his successors or not, one thing for sure we all know that Apple is continuing to brave through new frontiers in this new techinica age, churning the next revolutionary iPad 3.
This thread of thought on its own sounds logical and wise. It’s one of those, you know, common sense-sort-of-mentality. Bear in mind, it is also not a quote or a statement that is recently coined. In fact, it has been embedded in an ancient text for the longest time ever.
The bible says,
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” – 2 Timothy 2:2
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So, what is success in the ministry? The success in the ministry depends on the type of leadership.
1. Positional Authority
It is where you are placed at in the organisational hierachy. It’s merely a title. Remember, authority bestowed upon you is a privilege.
2. Exemplary leadership
As Lisa L. Catlin puts it, an exemplary leader is someone who we glady and willingly follow. More importantly, he or she is a leader who can also serve with a servant attitude.
3. Influential leadership
A leader who could influence the followers to be a better person.
4. Transformational leadership
An effective leader who multiplies its work through its followers. A leader who influence the team to be better persons who would in turn be equipped with the wisdom,motivation and a servant heart to help others. Transformational leaders are passionate and energetic. They are focus on helping everyone in the team to succeed.In the christian context, the leaders serving the church and Christ Jesus should have the zeal in the glory of God and an insatiable spiritual hunger for God.
But who do we choose to mentor and teach? How do we know if this person is reliable or not? How do we find out? The faithful or reliable person, whom you might want to pass the baton to, would possess the following key qualities:
1. Firm and convicted : Does not vacillates but is firm and stable.
2. Passionate : Having the zeal to learn and to strive.
3. Faithfulness : Committed, stable and dependable
4. Trustworthiness: Reliable, honest and consistent
5. Teachability: Grows in wisdom and is inspired to teach others.
Look around you, who is the next person whom you’re going to pass your baton to?
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” Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” – John C.Maxwell
