WHAT IS A TRUE LEADER?

Genesis chapter 1




Today we are walking in: What Is A True Leader?






Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.



The Torah Testifies.............................

*****






The prophets proclaim...............



Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.








The writings bear witness.............



2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword








What Is a True Leader?


Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.


Peter F. Drucker, one of our generation’s foremost thinkers and authorities on the subject of leadership and management, stated, “There may be ‘born leaders,’ but there are surely far too few to depend on them. Leadership must be learned and can be learned....‘leadership personality,’ ‘leadership style,’ and ‘leadership traits’ do not exist.”


What makes a leader a leader? How do you identify leadership when it is present? In this chapter, we will explore various definitions of leadership and compare them with a definition of leadership that I have developed through years of observation and research. The examples of leaders that follow help demonstrate the fact that true leadership is an attitude rather than a title and that it inspires rather than manipulates or controls.


LEADERSHIP IS MORE THAN INFLUENCE


A popular definition of leadership is that “leadership is influence.” In spite of the fact the leadership does
involve the component of influence, I believe that this is an incomplete description because it does not distinguish what kind of influence or the source or cause of that influence.


Remember the story in chapter one of the teenage boy who had a gun and ordered everyone to “hit the ground”? What would you do in such a situation? You would probably do what he said because he would influence you to take a certain action through fear and intimidation, but I doubt you would consider his behavior to be leadership. The fact is that true leadership is not control or manipulation of others, but it is other people’s willful submission of their authority to yours, motivated by inspiration.


There are many people, past and present, who have influenced others using threats and violence, but we don’t call that true leadership. We call it manipulation, oppression, or dictatorship. Nero, Hitler, and Idi Amin were all influential. They exerted their wills over people, but they were not leaders in the true sense.


A WORKING DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP


True leadership fundamentally requires the responsibility of taking followers into the exciting unknown and creating a new reality for them. For over thirty years, I have dedicated myself to the study of the subject of leadership. After thousands of hours of study, research, and reading hundreds of books on the subject, I determined to craft my own comprehensive definition of leadership as I have come to understand it. This definition incorporates the principal ingredients and components that I believe give birth to and sustain true leadership and can be applied by anyone who desires to discover and release the hidden leader within. The following is my definition of leadership, which will serve as the working definition of leadership throughout this series:


Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.


THE PRIORITY OF INSPIRATION


A careful study of this definition will reveal that leadership is not a pursuit but a result. Under this definition, the word leader is not a label that you give yourself. Leader is what the people whom you inspire call you because they are stirred to participate in the positive vision that you are presenting them—whether it is the vision for a country, a company, or a cause.


Leadership is a privilege given by the followers. The great Hebrew rabbi, Yahusha of Nazareth—the ultimate model of effective leadership—inspired his chosen followers so much that they left their businesses and, for a time, their families, in order to follow him. He never threatened them or forced them to come, but he inspired them and then invited them to join him.


A further study of this definition will also reveal the priority of inspiration in the development of a leader and his leadership. In fact, true leadership is one hundred percent influence through inspiration. The principal pursuit, therefore, for those who desire and aspire to become effective leaders must be the answer to this question: “How do I inspire and what is the source of inspiration?”


The best way to approach and appreciate the practical application of our definition is to start the process at the end of the definition. You will note that the process begins with an individual’s discovery of a personal purpose that, when captured, ignites a conviction. This conviction generates a vision in the person’s heart that stirs a passion. The force of this person’s passionate pursuit of the vision inspires others, who are stirred to join in and cooperate with the vision. This ultimate effect is called “influence” and results in the followers acknowledging the individual as their “leader.”


If inspiration is the key to legitimate influence and thus the source of true leadership, then, again, inspiration should be the pursuit of all true leaders. How do leaders inspire others? What is the source of inspiration? These are the most important questions of leadership, and when you have found the answer to them, then you will have begun to discover your own leadership potential.


THE POWER OF PASSION


Simply put, the source of inspiration is passion. This component of leadership is the heart of influence and is the generator of the energy and resilience of the leader.


Passion is the discovery of a deep desire born out of a conviction that renders one possessed by commitment to a purpose. This passionate commitment allows one to defy opposition, adversity, failure, disappointment, and discouragement.


Passion is a controlling desire that exceeds the boundaries of casual interest or concern and transports the individual into the realm of obligation. In essence, true leadership passion is the discovery of a belief, reason, idea, conviction, or cause not just to live for, but also to die for, which focuses on benefiting mankind as a whole. It is this sense of personal resolve, obligation, and willingness to sacrifice personal advantage, comfort, and advancement for the sake of a noble cause that impacts others and resonates within them a desire to help achieve the stated desire, goal, or vision. True leaders, therefore, are those who effectively express their inner passions, which find a common response in the hearts of others. It is passion that attracts people to the leader, who motivates them to take action.


This vital aspect of effective leadership development was expressed in the lives of all great leaders throughout history and identifies what separates them from their followers. Again, consider the greatest leader of all time, the young Hebrew rabbi Yahusha Hamachiach, who personifies our definition of true leadership. His leadership effectiveness is undisputed even by his critics and skeptics, and no study of historical leaders can be fairly conducted without reference to his impeccable achievement and his model as a leader of the highest order. No man has ever affected the destiny and development of humanity as this one.


THE ULTIMATE LEADERSHIP MODEL


Born in an obscure, forgotten town in the hills of ancient Judea; raised in a village that, according to archeological research, had only one street and eleven houses; and leaving no record of having had any formal education, this young man introduced his vision of a new world order to simple village people who themselves were considered least on the social strata. Yet his clear sense of purpose, his commitment to the cause, and his unrelenting passion and compassion inspired twelve common local businessmen—among them, four fishermen and a tax collector—to abandon their personal dreams, private priorities, and occupations to follow him even to the death.


He was so passionate about what he came to do that he motivated his disciples to leave behind their old priorities and ways of living in order to discover a new kind of life with him. They had never before met anyone who was ready to die for what he was living for. Moreover, his impact and imprint on the history of the world and on the personal lives of millions over two millennia testify of leadership at its highest and in its essence.


As I mentioned earlier, the source of true passion is the discovery of a clear sense of purpose and significance for one’s life. When a person discovers a sense of purpose, it produces a passion for pursuing it, and that passion is what inspires other people to want to join in the pursuit. Then, as people are inspired, their thinking and their lives are naturally influenced. True inspiration is not manipulation or brainwashing. Instead, it is an invitation to pursue something higher and better than one has had before and, in the process, gain a sense of meaning and significance for one’s life.


To clarify the process of leadership according to our working definition, let us review the progression of leadership development:


1. Purpose
2. Conviction
3. Vision
4. Passion
5. Inspiration
6. Influence
7. Leadership


True leadership is impossible unless all these ingredients are present and integrated as a whole, producing a force for change in our communities, societies, and the world.


EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS


Leaders are often ordinary people who accept or are placed in extraordinary circumstances that bring forth their latent potential, producing a character that inspires confidence and trust within others. Many of the great leaders in history were “victims” of circumstances. They did not intend to be leaders, but the demands of life ignited a sleeping spirit within them. The greatest leadership seems to surface during times of personal, social, economic, political, and spiritual conflict.


Let’s look again at the definition of leadership that I am proposing:


Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.


When you apply this definition of leadership to every one of the following people, you begin to see a common thread that explains their leadership influence. I have interspersed examples of great leaders from ancient and contemporary times. Each of these leaders first discovered a purpose for their lives that became a passion. Their passion inspired and influenced others who personally embraced the leaders’ purposes and allowed these leaders to guide them in the specific direction of their visions, which brought about changes in the world.


Moses, the historic Hebrew deliverer, was given a clear sense of purpose. In his writings, he described his encounter with Yah in the wilderness where he was told what he had been born to accomplish: freeing his fellow Hebrews, who were slaves in Egypt, and leading them to a promised land. After some initial apprehension concerning the details of his assignment, Moses became passionate about his purpose. He described it to his brother, Aaron, who went with him to the Israelites and told them about this vision of a promised land. Moses believed in his purpose so deeply that they, also, began to believe that their freedom was possible. He inspired them to have the courage to abandon their painful, but accustomed, role of being a slave labor force in Egypt. The result was that they were willing to follow him out into the desert where there was no civilization and no source of food or water. They had caught the vision for this Land that Moses told them about, a “land flowing with milk and honey,” and were influenced to follow him into the unknown wilderness with confidence.


The unforgettable speech, “I Have a Dream,” encapsulates the purpose, passion, and inspiration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A leader and symbol of American blacks’ struggle for civil rights, Dr. King helped to change both laws and hearts in America, leading to greater equality and freedom in the country. Here are some of his inspirational words from that speech:


I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.”
...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.4


Dr. King’s purpose was the pursuit of equality, and his conviction and passion were a vision of his country, the United States, in which freedom was every person’s right and privilege. His passion became an obligation that set him on a course of self-sacrifice. Hundreds of thousands of people caught his vision, which became not only his destiny, but also that of a whole nation, as he influenced a change in the fundamental laws of the land. Dr. King had a vision that he was willing to live—and die—for.


During World War II, before the United States entered the war, Great Britain was an underdog, fighting singlehandedly to save not only England, but also most of Europe, from being overrun and ruled by Nazi Germany. Their leader was Winston Churchill, who was considered washed up in politics before becoming prime minister at the age of sixty-six. Later, he wrote, “I felt as if I was walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial.”


Winston Churchill’s speeches during this time of national crisis reveal his sense of purpose. He inspired the English people to believe that parliamentary democracy and freedom were valuable enough to fight and even die for. His purpose produced a tireless passion to prevail, and his confident, cheerful manner and powerful speeches are credited with keeping the morale of the English people strong when they faced seemingly impossible odds. One of his most famous sayings was, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.”6 His speech, “Their Finest Hour,” is clear evidence of his ability to inspire those who were looking to him for leadership:


...the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Hebrew civilization. Upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age.... Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”7


Churchill’s vision for Great Britain and the world influenced both individuals and nations to extend themselves beyond what they thought they were capable of in order to achieve victory.




Nehemiah was a Hebrew exile who was serving as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. He had a visit from some men from Judah who told him that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and that its gates had been burned. Grieved at this state of affairs and what it symbolized about the plight of his people, Nehemiah prayed night and day. He believed that Yah had put it into his heart to do something about the situation. Rebuilding the wall became his purpose, which created an all-consuming passion to restore what he could of the city. His deep passion influenced Artaxerxes—who had no real reason to want to rebuild the city of people his nation had conquered—to help Nehemiah fulfill his desire. He provided his cupbearer with safe passage to Jerusalem and even supplied building materials.


Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem and told the Hebrews living in the region about his vision to rebuild the wall and how King Artaxerxes himself was helping him. His personal commitment to the restoration of Jerusalem inspired the people, and they readily joined him in the work.


Nehemiah soon faced bitter opposition from some of the local residents and officials. When Nehemiah’s enemies tried to lure him from the project, he remained focused on his purpose, essentially saying, “I am doing a great work. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?” When he and his fellow-workers were threatened with fear, intimidation, and physical attack, his steadfastness and belief in their Yah-given purpose inspired them to hold firmly to the vision and refuse to give way until the task was completed. His leadership was the result of the discovery of a purpose that produced a vision and deep passion, which influenced an entire population to rally to a cause that benefited the whole nation and changed the course of history.


Esther was a beautiful young Hebrew woman, also living in exile, but at a slightly earlier time period. Through an extraordinary set of circumstances, she became the queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes. When she learned of a plot to annihilate the Hebrews, she discovered that she had been born for a critical purpose: preserving her people. Her uncle told her, in effect, “Perhaps you have become queen for such a time as this.”


When Esther accepted her purpose, it became her passion, and she was willing to risk her own life for its fulfillment, saying, “If I perish, I perish.” Her courage and grace under tremendous pressure influenced the king to agree to a plan to protect the Hebrews, who were inspired to rally to defend themselves.


Esther was an ordinary woman who was placed in extraordinary circumstances and had a part in influencing and preserving her whole generation. Her sense of purpose and destiny was clear and produced in her a passion for which she was willing to die. This passion impacted and influenced the king and saved a whole nation under her leadership.


Nelson Mandela’s life purpose was the elimination of the policy of apartheid and the establishment of racial equality in South Africa. He desired the formation of a free and democratic society for all people, black and white. His passion for this purpose led him to fight for these causes, for which he was sentenced to life in prison. At his trial, he explained his vision for his country:


I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”


Following national and international pressure, Mandela was released from prison after twenty-eight years. He then worked with South Africa’s white leader, F. W. de Klerk, to eliminate apartheid, and they both were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In a historic event, Mandela was elected president of his country under open democratic elections and served in that position from 1994–1999. Mandela’s passion transformed an entire country’s outlook, government, structure, and policies.


It was Mandela’s sense of purpose as a young lawyer that produced a vision of a new South Africa without discrimination and racism. This purpose and vision ignited a deep passion that exploded into a sacrificial flame of imprisonment and a willingness to die for his convictions. His vision inspired not only millions in his country, but also countless millions around the world. It is important to recognize that true leaders do not seek or pursue followers but instead attract them by their dedication to a personal purpose.


David is one of the most fascinating and remarkable leaders in the history of the world. His lifelong purpose was a desire to serve his Yah, restore the honor of his nation, and strengthen his people politically and militarily.


When King Saul of Israel turned his back on Yah, the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint David—the youngest born of a humble Israelite family—as king. At this time, David was just a young shepherd boy. Only Samuel, David, and David’s family knew about this anointing, and it would be many years before David would be recognized as king. However, the biblical account says that David was “a man after Yah’s own heart.” David’s purpose and passion were recognized as valuable qualities in the man who would lead the Israelite nation.


David was passionate about his purpose, and he leapt to prominence soon after his anointing. He was the only one who believed that the Israelites could defeat their enemies, the Philistines, including the colossal Philistine warrior Goliath—whose coat of mail alone weighed two hundred pounds.


David asked, in essence, “Who is this who defies the armies of the living Yah?” Using merely a slingshot and five smooth rocks, he released a wellaimed missile that hit the giant in the forehead, instantly killing him. The Israelites then routed the Philistine army. David inspired not only the army, but also the whole nation, to believe that they were not victims but were able to overcome their enemies. David subsequently became a military hero and was a favorite in the court of King Saul, whose son, Jonathan, became his best friend.


WHAT IS A TRUE LEADER?


Yet David’s success on the battlefield set up a long and intense decade of conflict and exile for him. He and his loyal followers were continually running for their lives as Saul, in his jealousy, sought to kill David. All during this time, David continually respected Saul as king and preserved his life even when he twice had an opportunity to kill him.


Eventually, Saul and Jonathan were killed in a battle against the Philistines, and David finally began to reign as king. Under David’s rule, the nation grew and pros pered. The foundation was set for its becoming one of the most respected, feared, and powerful nations in the world. Before his death, David helped prepare materials for the magnificent temple in Jerusalem, which his son, Solomon, constructed.


David inspired his people through his devotion, his faith, his loyalty, and his bravery. In response, his people loved, respected, and served him. Even today, thousands of years later, millions continue to be inspired by the record of the stories and events of his life, which depict his deep sense of purpose and passion.


Abraham Lincoln believed that it was essential for the future of the United States to keep the country united at a time when the Southern states wanted to secede over the issues of slavery and states’ rights. His purpose was to preserve the Union, and his passion to do so led him to hold on to his vision of a unified country, even when it led to civil war. He, too, had a purpose for which he was willing to die. Lincoln wrote,


I have often inquired of myself what great principle or idea it was that kept this Confederacy [Union] so long together....It was that which gave promise that in due time the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all men. This is a sentiment embodied in the Declaration of Independence....


I have said nothing but what I am willing to live by and, if it be the pleasure of Almighty Yah, die by.


Lincoln also helped to influence the nation to throw off the yoke of slavery. Just before Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, he announced his pur pose and passion for his action in his annual message to Congress:


The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation....We—even we here—hold the power, and bear the responsibility. In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free—honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just—a way which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and Yah must forever bless.10


Finally, Lincoln inspired people to bring an end to the war and to restore the unity of the country, even though his purpose did, indeed, eventually cost him his life.
Fondly do we hope—fervently do we pray—that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away....


With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as Yah gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.11


Corrie ten Boom was fifty years old when the Nazis invaded her native Holland. Up to that time, she had lived an obscure life with her sister as they helped their father run his watch shop and quietly but devotedly practiced their Hebrew faith. After Holland fell, she and her family were confronted with the reality of the Nazis’ persecution and murder of the Hebrews. Through this crisis, they discovered their purpose: preserving the lives of Hebrews and others perse cuted by the Nazis by hiding them in a secret room in their home. Their passion was so strong that they risked their own lives for its fulfillment.


Corrie and several of her family members were even tually turned in. The Gestapo never found the Hebrews and members of the Dutch underground who were hiding in their house at the time of their arrest, and the refugees were taken to new “safe houses.” However, Corrie’s father died in prison and her sister died in a concentration camp. After suffering in prison, a work camp, and a concentration camp, Corrie was about to be executed when she was released on a clerical error.


After her release, Corrie found a new purpose. Traveling around the world, she told her story and urged people to find healing and freedom through forgiveness. This purpose was severely tested when she encountered one of the former guards who had beaten her beloved sister. He didn’t recognize her, but he had heard her message and been moved to change his life through the hope of forgiveness. He came and extended his hand to her. Corrie underwent intense inner struggle, but her passion was even stronger than her pain, and she offered her own hand in forgiveness.


When John F. Kennedy was president of the United States, he demonstrated clear purpose in two major areas: He felt that he had to do something to help the poor and disadvantaged at home and abroad, and he felt that he had to develop an effective space program, placing America in the forefront of nations in regard to science and technology. Those two things, in my view, define his passion. In both pursuits, he felt his purpose was to create a sense of dignity for the American psyche.


As a result, JFK inspired the nation to take care of those who were less fortunate, exemplified by his statement, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” In other words, he was asking his countrymen to serve others rather than just themselves. To give Americans a concrete way to do this, he initiated the Peace Corps program, which sends volunteers to help nationals in underdeveloped nations.


Kennedy also inspired the United States to invest billions of dollars in a space program. I believe that he first created in his countrymen American pride, and then he strengthened that self-image by enabling the American people to achieve what no nation had ever achieved— sending a manned spaceship to the moon and back.


Ronald Reagan had a clear sense of his life’s purpose: the elimination of Communism. He desired to lift totalitarian oppression from millions of people who were suffering under its ideology and policies. His purpose became his passion, and it influenced his thinking, his pursuits, and his foreign policies as president of the United States. Unlike previous American leaders, he believed that Communism not only could be contained, but that it could also be defeated.


It is time that we committed ourselves as a nation— in both the public and private sectors—to assisting democratic development....


What I am describing now is a plan and a hope for the long term—the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the self-expression of the people....


Let us now begin a major effort to secure the best—a crusade for freedom that will engage the faith and fortitude of the next generation. For the sake of peace and justice, let us move toward a world in which all people are at last free to determine their own destiny.


Like Churchill, Reagan became the leader of his country late in life, but everything he experienced and accomplished up to that point seemed to prepare him for his final and essential role. Delivering one of his most memorable quotes, Reagan stood before the Berlin Wall, a highly visible symbol of communist oppression, and directed this statement to Mikhail Gorbachev, then president of the Soviet Union, which controlled East Germany: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Reagan believed in his purpose so much that he inspired not only his nation, but also the world, and he lived to see the collapse of Communism.


Paul, the early Hebrew leader and writer, was dedicated to the purpose of taking the message of Hebrew living to the Gentile peoples. At first passionately opposed to the Way, Paul received his purpose on a roadway to Damascus when he had an encounter with the living Hamachiach.


Paul’s life was turned 180 degrees. He discovered that he was born to become an emissary to people who were not of his own race and culture. His passion for this purpose can be found in his letter to the early Hebrews of Rome, in which he wrote that he was “obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks,” and that he was “eager to preach” to them. He also stated, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.”


First, he said that he was “obligated,” or compelled, by an inner purpose to go to the Gentile peoples. Second, he was “eager.” His purpose generated an excitement and anticipation for carrying out his work. Third, he was “not ashamed” of his task. No matter how much ridicule, persecution, or danger he faced, he always persevered in his calling.
How many people have such conviction about their life’s purpose that they keep going in the midst of odds and obstacles such as those Paul faced? He couldn’t have done it without both inner purpose and passion. In his second letter to the church in the city of Corinth in ancient Greece, he wrote of his continual hard work and how he was whipped, beaten with rods, stoned, hunted by the authorities, imprisoned, and constantly in danger of death. He was shipwrecked three times; one of those times, he was adrift at sea for twenty-four hours before coming to safety. He described being “constantly on the move,” facing danger from rivers, bandits, his own countrymen, and Gentiles. He also said,


I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.


Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?...If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.


Paul’s dedication to his purpose and genuine love for the people he served inspired not only his generation, but also succeeding generations who, for two thousand years, have read his words and been influenced by his vision and example. This is the essence of true leadership—purpose, conviction, passion, inspiration, and commitment unto death.


Mother Teresa Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, whom the world has come to know as Mother Teresa, was born in Skopje, Macedonia. From the time she was a girl, she felt her life’s purpose was to serve Yah full-time. When she was eighteen, she became a nun and went to India with the Sisters of Loreto and taught in a Catholic high school for many years. During this time, she witnessed the life of poverty and sickness that many people in India were leading. Her life’s purpose and passion crystallized as she felt called by Yah to help “the poorest of the poor” and devoted herself to bring hope, dignity, healing, and education to the needy in Calcutta—those whom other people dismissed as being either beyond help or not worthy of it.


Mother Teresa started her own order called “The Missionaries of Charity” and became nationally and internationally recognized for her selfless humanitarian work. Her passion to help others led her to identify totally with them: She became a citizen of India and always kept her vow of poverty, even when she became famous.


Her work expanded beyond India to other nations of the world, influencing hundreds of thousands of people to join in her vision. She believed in the difference that one person could make in the world, saying, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one,” and “Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.”13 Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and continued her work until her death in the 1990s.


Mother Teresa encouraged others, “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”14 This statement seems to sum up her purpose, passion, and inspiration: In not waiting for leaders to initiate programs or other people to act when there was a real need, but instead doing what she personally could do to help, Mother Teresa became a leader herself. She influenced numerous others to awaken their own leadership gifts and, in so doing, multiplied her effectiveness thousands of times over. Again, we note that true leaders do not seek followers, but their passionate pursuit of their purposes and convictions inspire others to follow them in their declared vision.


DISCOVERING YOUR PERSONAL LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL


Mother Teresa’s story reemphasizes this important truth in regard to leadership: We must remember that, while leaders have followers, having followers is not a prerequisite for being a leader. The demands of leadership may require that you stand alone in the face of conflict, public opinion, or crisis. Then, that very willingness to stand for what you believe in, no matter what, is what often inspires people to follow.
Most leaders go against the grain, at one point or another, and have to stand alone in their convictions. For example, Nelson Mandela was willing to die or be imprisoned alone to fulfill his passion to end apartheid. His determination inspired many people to keep believing during all the years that he was incarcerated. When he was finally released from prison, he went on to influence the world because of his courage. If you want to be a leader, then, as Mother Teresa said, “Do not wait for [other] leaders; do it alone, person to person.” When you have a purpose and a passion, you must act on it, even if you’re the only one who believes in it at the time.


The previous examples demonstrate that the purest form of leadership is influence through inspiration. I think of inspiration as the divine deposit of destiny in the heart of a person. It is the opposite of intimidation, and it contains no manipulation.


Let’s summarize this section with another definition of leadership that describes the lives we’ve just looked at: “Leadership is the capacity to influence, inspire, rally, direct, encourage, motivate, induce, move, mobilize, and activate others to pursue a common goal or purpose while maintaining commitment, momentum, confidence, and courage.”


How do you discover your own purpose and passion— your personal “divine deposit of destiny”? A very important way is to ask yourself, “What is my gifting?” What you are gifted in often reveals the type of leadership you are meant to exercise and what domain you are to operate in.15 True leaders discover keys to the nature of leadership from the examples of others, but they never try to become these other leaders. They must use their own gifts and abilities to do what they are individually called to do.
THE VITAL NEED FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP If you do not discover your personal leadership potential, this means that you will not be able to fulfill your life’s assignment. The result is that you will deprive your generation and succeeding generations of your unique and vital contribution to the world. I believe that the Creator has given each one of us life in order to accomplish something in our generation. The great king Solomon wrote that there is “a time to be born and a time to die.” This means that the timing of your birth was essential to some need in the world that you’re supposed to meet.


Suppose Moses had refused to go to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to set the Hebrews free. Consider what the world would be like if Winston Churchill had said, “The survival of Great Britain and the rest of the free world is someone else’s problem. I’m going to let the Nazis do whatever they want.” Suppose Corrie ten Boom had decided that hiding Hebrews was too risky a proposition. What if Martin Luther King Jr. had not thought civil rights were worth dying for? What would have happened if Mother Teresa had ignored the poor and sick on the streets of Calcutta?


We may never know in our lifetimes the full impact of our influence and actions, great or small. In light of this truth, developing one’s leadership potential should not be an option for anyone. We have a responsibility to find, perform, and complete our purposes. As we come to understand the nature and attitudes of true leaders, we can remove whatever is hindering us from having the spirit of leadership so that we can make a positive and lasting contribution to our generation.


WHAT IS A TRUE LEADERPRINCIPLES


1. True leadership is an attitude rather than a title. It inspires rather than manipulates or controls.


2. Influence alone is not leadership. Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.


3. Leadership is not a pursuit but a result.


4. Leader is not a label that you give yourself. Leadership is a privilege given by the followers.


5. Leaders inspire by expressing their inner passion, which then resonates with others and causes them to join in pursuing the leaders’ visions.


6. The source of inspiration is passion.


7. True leadership passion is the discovery of a belief, reason, idea, conviction, or cause not just to live for, but also to die for, which focuses on benefiting mankind as a whole.


8. Passion comes from purpose.


9. True inspiration is not manipulation or brainwashing but an invitation to pursue something higher and better than one has had before, and in the process gain a sense of meaning and significance for one’s life.


10. Leaders are often ordinary people who accept or are placed under extraordinary circumstances that bring forth their latent potential, producing a character that inspires confidence and trust within others.


11. The greatest leadership seems to surface during times of personal, social, economic, political, and spiritual conflict.