Leaders Are Made, Not Born
In her book, Leader-Smithing, author Eve Poole uses quirky wit and humor to put a new spin on the idea of leadership as a craft to build muscle memory or templates [1] for how to handle things through real-time on-the-job training. While the topic of leadership is non-novel, Poole labels it a movement bearing responsibility to develop other leaders, preferably in less than 10,000 hours. [2] Her leader-smith craft has been globally tested across private industries, faith communities, and academia. In this blog, we will explore the difference between leadership as a craft and as a discipline. We will also see what Rev. Dr. Martyn Percy has to say about leadership, and finally, we will dive into what it means to be radically transparent.
“…He who wishes to be great among you will serve you. He who among you wishes to be first will be your slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come that they might serve him, but that he might serve and give himself as a ransom for many”. [3]
There is no finer leader than Jesus himself. The son of a carpenter, Jesus was a craftsman or “leader-smither” in his own right who demonstrated artistry and skill when teaching his disciples about the nuances of interacting with others, including those he disagreed with. Through apprenticeships, his disciples encountered real-time learning opportunities that Eve Poole calls critical incidents. [4] Together, they built a foundation of templates with tacit knowledge and were refined to adapt and shoulder the almost unbearable weight of carrying the good news to lost souls across the world. This approach of outward-serving leader-crafting was performed with the hands and heart of our beloved El Roi for kingdom growth.
In Leader-Smithing, Poole touches on the discipline of leadership, a more inward-serving leadership approach for personal growth and development. Here, she dips her toes into academic theories and principles of change, key definitions, adult learning styles, and evidence-based practices to understand leadership as a system. [5] But she stays fairly surface in her overall assessment, leaving that coverage to other field experts. While Poole’s heart is in the art and craft of leadership, the truth is, that a successful leader will combine science, too. Having templates that incorporate both the theory and practice of leadership is needed to manage various situations and relationships.
I enjoyed seeing Eve Poole’s personality reveal itself in her writing style. Another person who displays quirky wit and humor in his approach to leadership is the Rev. Dr. Martyn Percy. Like Poole, Percy cast his leadership gifts far and wide across faith and academic institutions. An ordained priest, theologian, educator, and social scientist, he endured constant pressure and critical incidents throughout his career. Most recently, he displayed extreme courage when he faced Goliath opposition from colleagues who hurled stones and called into question his integrity during his tenure as Dean at Christ Church, Oxford. After months of saber-rattling from antagonists, Percy loaded up his character and values into a suitcase and set off for the hills of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he currently resides. His reflections, however, are quite meaningful and revealing of his humility along with God’s nature, love, and grace. Percy says that “Even demanding difficulty and apparent loss can be transfigured”. [6] Still somewhat licking his wounds, he continues to love his neighbor by acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God [7] so the Father can be glorified through Percy’s pressure and pain.
As our culture becomes more destabilized on the global stage of social media, Poole warns leaders to buckle up and brace for the worst! Place your oxygen mask on first, then help ensure the safety of those around you. Lean forward. Prepare for turbulence. There is nowhere to hide. “Leaders will feel ever more exposed to scrutiny from all sides at once. And the only way to cope is to be wholly transparent.” [8] This radical transparency will, of course, carry tremendous risks. But there’s good news! “You don’t need to be smart, loving, and brave; you just need to feel as though you are. Feeling resourced to meet the challenge means that you will be able to do so in reality.” [9] Use your templates and be confident that you can get through this season. You are a master craftsman/woman and you can do all things through Christ.
[1] Poole, Eve. Leadersmithing: An Apprenticeship Approach to Making Great Leaders. London; New York, NY: Bloomsbury Business, 2017., p.3.
[2] Ibid., p.3.
[3]“Matthew 20 CEV.” Accessed February 15, 2024. https://biblehub.com/cev/matthew/20.htm.
[4] Ibid., p.11.
[5] Ibid., p.8-59.
[6] Percy, Martyn. “Meander | Essays & Reviews.” Humility, Humiliation and Hope: An Extended Homily on the Crucible for Authentic Character in Leadership, 2019. Accessed February 15, 2024. https://meander.network/.
[7] “Bible Gateway Passage: Micah 6:7-9 – New International Version.” Bible Gateway. Accessed February 15, 2024. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%206%3A7-9&version=NIV.
[8] Ibid., p.179.
[9] Ibid., p.179.
About the Author
Jennifer Eckert
Fundraising director, people connector, believer in second chances, fights poverty, supports justice reform, lives a life integrated with Matthew 25.11 responses to “Leaders Are Made, Not Born”
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Hey Jennifer. Thanks for your inspiring post. You have an encouraging voice and presence. I appreciate the reminder of how Jesus called people to apprentice around him and it reminded me to continue to sit at the feet of the Master and learn from Him, even as I seek to lead others. Thank you!
Thank you, Ryan.
Jennifer,
Nice job on the signposting at the beginning of the essay. I thought of Percy and his leadership as I read through this book as well. I wonder, if you could have Percy mentor you as an apprentice in one area of leadership discussed in this book, which card (of the deck) would you choose?
Thank you, Adam. If Martyn Percy could mentor me on a particular card, it would probably be the 9 of Hearts – storytelling, but learning how to tell my own story. Not in a way that is prideful, but rather in a way that speaks to the goodness of God. It is still difficult to even write “I” statements in blog posts. When I learned the phrase, “It’s not me, it’s we” that REALLY stuck.
Also, if there was a Joker card for quick wit, I’d welcome his coaching there, too. I see the moments but am too slow to pull out my funny card before the opportunity passes.
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for your post. I enjoyed reading it. Eve Poole’s focus on personal growth and development through inward-serving leadership aligns with the idea of combining both science and art in effective leadership. Your comparison of Eve Poole’s writing style to that of Rev. Dr. Martyn Percy, particularly noting Percy’s quirky wit and humor in approaching leadership, adds a layer of depth to understanding leadership personalities. I agree Percy’s resilience and courage in the face of adversity, as seen in his tenure at Christ Church, Oxford, are truly inspiring.
Thank you, Shela. Blessings to you.
Jennifer, Thank you for your post. I agree with your comment on Poole’s assessment of radical transparency and our need to rely on Jesus the greatest role model and teacher of leadership.
In the beginning of the book, Poole illustrates ways to read the book depending where someone is in their leadership role. Can you see yourself in any of the sections and if so, was there any specific critical incident or card that spoke to you?
Hi Diane, thanks for your question.
I recall my days as an emerging leader (connecting the dots). First of all, I didn’t see myself as a leader, but I began to recognize connections between people and things, common interests, interpersonal dynamics, etc. It came very naturally and in fact, I thought everyone saw what I saw.
About 10 years ago, after working closely with Clifton StrengthFinders, I learned this ability was called connectedness and it was aligned with my top gift of strategy. I cultivated both together and used them fluidly for work, but to be honest, I couldn’t turn these two strengths off in my head even if I wanted to.
Jennifer, I appreciated the way you weaved Dr. Martyn Percy’s words and his example of godly-leadership in your post on Poole’s “Leadersmithing.”
What are some “Critical Incidents” you face in your work in the prisons, and what templates do you “pull out” most to handle them?
Thank you, Elysse. I was recently tasked to share some sad news with a group of women in prison who I mentor (really, they mentor me). A beloved long-time volunteer died.
Prisons are full of grief, and there are usually very few healthy outlets to release that pain. Deeply rooted unresolved trauma can easily be triggered by critical incidents like someone dying, resulting in fights, depression, and coping through drug use. I knew this was going to be a difficult conversation.
With a lot of prayer and meditation, the Holy Spirit spoke through me that morning. Instead of leading our usual meeting, we turned it into 90 minutes of honoring Julie. Tears were shed, laughter was had, and sweet memories were revisited. It was a perfect way to honor and love her together.
Death and loss have completely different meanings to people in prison – especially to lifers. Templating in this instance (although I didn’t know that’s what I was doing) was God’s gift of amazing grace to all of us that day.
Thank you for sharing this, Jennifer. And thank you for loving and serving those who are forgotten by society. It sounds like the Holy Spirit really led you through a challenging situation, and you truly honored Julie and showed a lot of dignity to those mourning her death.