Written by: gfesadmin on October 25, 2012

What is leadership? What does it take to lead? Who is an effective leader?  What are the qualities and attributes of a leader?  These are all great and pertinent questions?  But there are no set answers.  These questions are all understood in variety of ways in different contexts.  One must not fail to understand that till the present time leadership has been approached and defined independently from various perspectives and experiences where each of them may be credible but not complete.  It may be likened to the well known story of the group of blind men trying to describe an elephant. (Khurana n.d.)

 Leadership and its elements are contingent to various contexts. One learns from experience that there can be no leadership style that is universally applicable.  It is a combination of several attributes and skills that are effectively applied in varying contexts.   This turns out to be more complex in the postmodern context in which we currently live. Globalization is rapidly bringing about drastic changes where earlier assumptions are becoming quickly obsolete. The stability and simple structures of the past are shifting and horizons are broadened.  The contrasting phenomena that mark the present times pose greater challenges to leadership than ever.  (Khurana n.d.)

Regardless of the challenges and changes there are a few underlying principles of leadership that have stood the test of time.  The Handbook of Leadership theory and Practice edited by Khurana and Nohria highlights these core principles that have surfaced as a result of extensive research of some of the world’s best scholars on the subject.  I find the following very meaningful for my life and valuable in my leadership role because they transcend all contextual, cultural, sociological or economic restrictions.  But more importantly, they have deep theological implications for me as a Christian and they have been modelled by Jesus.  

a. Leaders of social movements have  ‘Prophetic imagination’ “Leading in social movements requires learning to manage the core tensions at the heart of what theologian Walter Brueggemann calls the “prophetic imagination” a combination of criticality (experience of the world’s pain ) with hope (experience of the world’s possibility), avoiding being numbed by despair or deluded by optimism”.  (Page 530)

b. A  Shepherd’s Style. In the study of many leaders of innovation it is discovered that they lead from behind.  What does that mean?   Nelson Mandela described it well: “they lead like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind”. (Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana 2010)(page 635)

I find this a great model to emulate.  It is a very vivid description of the style that Jesus modelled and claimed to be when He said, “I am the good Shepherd”.

c. “Leaders are formed in the fire of experience” (page 680).  What an incredible principle for today’s world that is striving for instant gratification, instant success and quick fixes.  The Greek and latin roots of the word ‘experience’ define it even better. It means ‘Coming out of the fire’.

These principles teach me that true leadership is not about being famous or wealthy.  It is about having a great vision of a transformed society, looking beyond the present and the self. It is about achieving goals with integrity and honesty.  It is about persistence in ones efforts in the face of challenges, difficulties and even failures.  It is about pursuing ones selflessness dreams with a combination of courage, sacrifice and compassion.

These proven principles add an essential theological dimension to a purely intellectual pursuit of leadership.  First, I envision a better future for all of creation as God has destined. That people will experience the ‘abundant life’ that Christ came to provide and the values of God’s reign firmly rooted and practiced in community.  `Secondly, I commit myself to lead in humility the flock that God has entrusted in my responsibility.  Thirdly, I will never give up in the face of trials and even failures but learn from them and grow with the conviction that this is God’s call upon my life.

Harvard Business School. Working Knowledge – The Thinking That Leads. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6372.html (accessed October 21, 2012).

Khurana, Rakesh. Working Knowledge – The Thinking That Leads. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6372.html (accessed October 21, 2012).

Kreiger, David. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. May 5, 2008. http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/2008/05/07_krieger_leadership_change.php?print (accessed October 20, 2012).

Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana. Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice. 2010. Edited by Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2010.

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