What Authentic Leadership Sounds Like
The book, The Sound of Leadership: Kingdom Notes to Fine Tune Your Life and Influence, was written by Jules Glanzer. According to his Linked-In profile, he is a senior consultant for the Timothy Group, which does leadership training for young men. [1] He served as President of Tabor College, a private Mennonite college in Kansas, for over thirteen years. [2] Most interestingly to those of us who write these blogs, he was Dean of Portland Seminary at George Fox University for over six years. [3] He is well qualified to write a book on leadership. In it, he encourages his readers to live an authentic lifestyle of leadership. [4] The book is written according to the lines of a theme of music. [5] Instead of the musical notes do-re-me-fa-so-la that we learn as children, he says the notes of leadership are to listen, see, learn, do, and love. [6] The entire book was written around this theme. At the end of each chapter, there are Kingdom takeaways. [7] These are terrific little summaries of the chapters. In a video promotion for the book where Dr. Glanzer was interviewed, he said that in his classes, he would always ask his students, “What’s your one takeaway today?” [8] He wanted to add takeaways to make the book more like his classes. His students loved that! [9] Len Wilson, who was interviewing him in this video, suggested these takeaways would get people discussing the book and evaluating their own leadership. [10] They make the book more accessible for group settings as well. [11]
In his book, Dr. Glanzer talks about the notes of leadership. I mentioned them before. I’d like to talk briefly about them again in this post now.
Listen
We listen to a lot of voices from day to day. However, the one true voice we need to listen to consistently is the voice of the Lord. [12] This comes through communion with Him – through prayer and the Word of God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” [13]
See
Sometimes we need to pray for God to give us His eyes to see with so that we can see the world around us, and the people around us, as He sees them. Seeing the world as God sees it takes prayerful determination. [14] Sometimes, we miss God’s hand in the things He’s doing in our lives because our focus is wrong. Mine is, anyway.
Learn
We have to learn and actually apply what we have heard and seen. [15] Psalm 25:4-5 says, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” [16]
Do
Once we have heard from the Lord, seen the world as He sees it, and applied the lessons to our own lives, it’s time to do the work He has for us to do. [17] Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” [18]
Love
The final one is my favorite – love others. [19] Overall, practice love. [20] Galatians 5:13 ends with, “…through love serve one another.” [21] This is really the key to leadership of any kind, in my opinion.
Summary
Dr. Glanzer summed up by saying, God speaks – we listen. God does – we see. God teaches – we learn. God inspires – we do. God loves – we love. [22] There couldn’t be a better summary. Thank you Dr. Glanzer!
______________________________________________________________________________
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jules-glanzer-b9b2b9a
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Glanzer, Jules, and Len Wilson. “Do You Desire to Be a Kingdom-Seeking Leader?” Invite Resources. May 16, 2023. Link.
[5] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Glanzer, Jules, and Len Wilson. “Do You Desire to Be a Kingdom-Seeking Leader?” Invite Resources. May 16, 2023. Link.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023, p.84.
[13] Crossway Bibles, ed. 2007. ESV: Study Bible: English Standard Version. ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, p.758.
[14] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023, p.84.
[15] Ibid, p.84.
[16] Crossway Bibles, ed. 2007. ESV: Study Bible: English Standard Version. ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, p.679.
[17] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023, p.85.
[18] Crossway Bibles, ed. 2007. ESV: Study Bible: English Standard Version. ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, p.1487.
[19] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023, p.85.
[20] Ibid.
[21] Crossway Bibles, ed. 2007. ESV: Study Bible: English Standard Version. ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, p.1470.
[22] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023, p.85.
About the Author
Tonette Kellett
Missionary, teacher, Bible student, traveler ... Having lived in Kenya and Korea, I now live in Mississippi and work with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.8 responses to “What Authentic Leadership Sounds Like”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Tonette, thanks for your summary of this book! I especially appreciated you highlighting his conclusion, that all of leadership, even the five words he sets out, all begin with God.
I resonate with you in that I miss what God is doing all the time because my focus is off. Someone called me out once and it’s been a helpful reminder for me. They said, “sometimes it feels like you’re making plans and asking God to bless them rather than seeking what God is already doing and joining.”
Caleb,
Thanks for your comment and the helpful reminder your friend once shared.
Hoping you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thanks for a great summary of Glanzer Tonette. I agree he is qualified to write a Leadership book. The book is enjoyable a good one for leadership training especially with the takeaway sections.
Jean,
Thanks for the comment on my post.
Hoping you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.
Tonette,
Great summary of the book. I like that you pointed out that Glanzer added “takeaways” to end of each chapter. Admittedly, I skipped over them, but I know that if I slowed down and reflected on the questions, I would get more out of the book. Were you able to reflect on any of the takeaways?
Chad,
Thanks for the comment on my post. I felt the takeaways were good at the end of the chapters for group discussions. I admittedly didn’t take time to slow down for any self-reflection. Perhaps I should have.
Hoping you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!
Dr. Glanzer summed up by saying, God speaks – we listen. God does – we see. God teaches – we learn. God inspires – we do. God loves – we love. [22] There couldn’t be a better summary.
One of my favorite parts about God is that he knows all the details and so delicately shares his plan for us at the perfect time.
I love this summary too!
Alana,
I always enjoy your comments. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family! Blessings!