{"id":41618,"date":"2025-04-11T01:54:04","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T08:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=41618"},"modified":"2025-04-11T01:54:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T08:54:04","slug":"a-human-masterpiece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/a-human-masterpiece\/","title":{"rendered":"A Human Masterpiece"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just when I thought I had read and learned everything about leadership, who knew that picking up the book\u00a0The Sound of Leadership<\/em>\u00a0would provide me with a different perspective and deeper insights! As great as it is, my favorite part describes God as an artist and creator, portraying us as something artistic and special. In the age of AI and robotic machines, with Apple\u2019s creative retina displays, smartphones transitioning to 5G, rockets launching into space and returning, and cars driving themselves, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, like a human being created by God! God is an artist, and we humans were made in His image. Genesis 1:27 states, \u201cSo God created mankind in His own image…\u201d\u00b9<\/p>\n

The Sound of Leadership<\/em>\u00a0describes leadership as an art. “Leadership is an acoustical art.”\u00b2 Leadership is like music. Just as music is built on notes, Glanzer introduces the Do-Re-Mi Framework for leadership: Listening, Seeing, Learning, Doing, and Loving.<\/p>\n

Listen<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Leadership begins by listening to God and to others. This foundational act tunes the leader\u2019s inner ear to purpose and people. \u201cFaith comes from hearing the message…\u201d (Romans 10:17).\u00b3 Isaiah 30:21 also says, “Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’\u201d\u2074<\/p>\n

See<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Observation follows listening. Leaders must see reality as God sees it, not merely through human eyes. As Elisha prayed in 2 Kings 6:17, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.”\u2075<\/p>\n

Learn<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 After listening and seeing, leaders synthesize what they\u2019ve heard and observed. They process truth and form strategies through reflection and discernment. \u201cLet the wise listen and add to their learning…\u201d (Proverbs 1:5).\u2076 Glanzer writes, \u201cReflecting, processing, and interpreting the sounds and sights of the situation… becomes the music that those involved will play.\u201d\u2077<\/p>\n

Do<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Action follows discernment. Leaders must have the courage to act, even in the face of criticism or uncertainty. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word\u2026 Do what it says.\u201d\u2078 Theodore Roosevelt captured this courage: \u201cThe credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…\u201d\u2079<\/p>\n

Love<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The ultimate tone. Leadership without love is noise. \u201cIf I speak… but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.\u201d (1 Corinthians 13:1)\u00b9\u2070 Glanzer quotes General Eric Shinseki, \u201cYou must love those you lead before you can be an effective leader.\u201d\u00b9\u00b9<\/p>\n

Since I was a kid, I have been obsessed with music. Not just listening, but actually participating in choirs, singing in groups, attending music school, playing the violin and guitar, and even performing a solo at school. I can say that some things are innate, but even for talented individuals, it takes years to develop a skill or elevate it to another level. I wish I could simply pick up a new instrument, watch a YouTube video, and then play it, but no\u2014it requires days, weeks, months, and even years to achieve. The same applies to leadership. Developing leadership skills takes time; understanding people takes time; creating something new and meaningful takes time.<\/p>\n

Glanzer applies the same principle to leadership. He writes, \u201cEveryone is called to serve. Some are chosen to lead. God takes great delight in creating individual masterpieces that sing His songs and play His music to the world.\u201d\u00b9\u00b2 To read people, to lead a team, and to serve society is like learning and applying music\u2014it takes time, training, and trust in the Voice of One.<\/p>\n

Leadership, as Glanzer sees it, is like participating in a divine symphony. Each of us has been given a unique sound, and together, we are meant to create something beautiful and full of purpose. It\u2019s not about performing solo\u2014it\u2019s about blending, harmonizing, and contributing to something bigger than ourselves, conducted by God Himself. In a world that thrives on chaos and noise, our role is to tune in to the Master Conductor and play our part well.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve started asking myself: what kind of music is my leadership creating? Is it a rushed, off-key tune trying to impress others, or is it part of the rich, God-composed melody that brings peace, hope, and love into the world? Glanzer\u2019s book reminded me that great leadership doesn\u2019t always come with applause\u2014it comes when we\u2019re in sync with God\u2019s rhythm and we choose to play the notes He\u2019s written for our lives.<\/p>\n

Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Genesis 1:27, NIV.<\/li>\n
  2. Glanzer, Perry.\u00a0The Sound of Leadership<\/em>, p. xii.<\/li>\n
  3. Romans 10:17, NIV.<\/li>\n
  4. Isaiah 30:21, NIV.<\/li>\n
  5. 2 Kings 6:17, NIV.<\/li>\n
  6. Proverbs 1:5, NIV.<\/li>\n
  7. Glanzer, Perry.\u00a0The Sound of Leadership<\/em>, p. 54.<\/li>\n
  8. James 1:22, NIV.<\/li>\n
  9. Roosevelt, Theodore. \u201cCitizenship in a Republic\u201d speech, 1910.<\/li>\n
  10. 1 Corinthians 13:1, NIV.<\/li>\n
  11. Glanzer, Perry.\u00a0The Sound of Leadership<\/em>, p. 89.<\/li>\n
  12. Glanzer, Perry. p. 91.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Just when I thought I had read and learned everything about leadership, who knew that picking up the book\u00a0The Sound of Leadership\u00a0would provide me with a different perspective and deeper insights! As great as it is, my favorite part describes God as an artist and creator, portraying us as something artistic and special. In the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","cohort-dlgp04"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41618"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41619,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41618\/revisions\/41619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}