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Session 3 - A Leader's Essential Qualities

Session 4 - A Leader's Source of Strenth

Session 6 - A Leader's Growth to Influence (now with a supplement!)

Our vision is: "Discipling students as they learn to lead in unfamiliar settings, perceiving the needs of their community, while uniting and empowering a team to meet those needs in a manner the reflects the grace of God."

Goals of Leadership Training at ECA:

Continued integration of leadership concepts within the student body and school community
Expansion to include other students interested in leadership development
Training students to teach other students in a �safe environment�
Training of next year�s leadership team (with the option for 5 students to attend SLC in Budapest next fall)

A Leader's Purpose - Session 1

Leadership is most simply defined as influence. Who are the people that have influenced your life? You can probably name the 10 most significant people. Would you call them leaders? What are the qualities that you admired in them? The most significant aspect of their influence on you was probably the relationship they had with you. That relationship (whether good or bad) determines the impact of their life on yours.

Influence, then, is determined to a large degree by relationship. When you have a relationship with someone, you impact their life. That relationship can take many different forms but the desire to influence others demands the development of a relationship. How would you describe your present relationships? Are they meaningful? Are they in a process of growth? Do you struggle with one or more of them? Do you consider what those relationships could mean to you both over time? A person must consider these questions if he or she is to become a leader. The type of influence or relationship determines what kind of a leader you will be.

This week write down the names of people you influence in your daily life. How do you influence them? Is that influence for your benefit of for theirs? Do you purposefully consider the development of these relationships? What do you see happening in others as a result of these relationships?

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A Leader's Calling - Session 2

Is God calling me?

What makes me think the call is not for me?

I'm not sure who is asking

I'm not sure what to do about it

I'm not sure if it�s really important

If it's important, I�m not sure I can do it

You can lead now!

God often calls young people to serve, and we don�t have to wait in order to make a major impact on our world.

Paul said to Timothy, �Don�t let anyone think less of you because you are young, but be an example.� I Tim. 4:12
There are however different types of calls

4 ways God might call

� The thunderbolt � as in the case of Paul
� Walking through open doors � like Queen Esther
� A call from birth � like Jeremiah
� Or a growing awareness � which is what happened to Joseph

Now let�s look at a great leader who didn�t start out with a bright future...

The Life of David:

1. God chose David o be a leader even when others put "lids" on him
2. God looked at David's heart and knew his faith and passion were genuine
3. God called David as a teen for the same reasons He calls us today

Why should we answer God�s call to become a leader?

* Because we will influence others whether we want to or not

Ex. Sociologists say that the most introverted person comes into contact with an average of 10,000 people during their life
Think about it... If you could be better at influencing others, why would you not want to use it for good?

Why should we answer the call?

* Because the world needs good leaders now more than ever.

Ex. Look at the so called leaders of our world and you will see people who are unhappy, disillusioned, and even failing miserably in certain areas of their life!

George Barna writes: �After 15 years of research, I have reached the conclusion that the American church is dying due to lack of strong leadership.�

Why should we answer the call?

* Because when God starts a movement, He often goes to young people.
Examples: John, other disciples, the Haystack movement, the Cambridge Seven, the student volunteer movement, Operation Mobilization, Charles Spurgeon, Bill Bright, etc.

And what is a great leader?

A futurist - they dream big
A lobbyist � their cause outlives the critics
A catalyst � they initiate movement in others
A specialist � they don�t try to do everything
An optimist � they believe in their cause
An economist � they use every resource
An activist � they empower others and unleash potential
A strategist � they plan how to best influence
An enthusiast � they attract others to the cause
An industrialist � they are not afraid of hard work
A finalist � they are diligent and devoted to the very end

Now, what about YOU?

Do you look at that list and think, �Wow, then I�ll never be a leader!�? Don�t despair yet!

* Look at the questions to take home
* Spend time really thinking through them
* Pray about them and listen for God�s direction
* Develop a vision for yourself through this process

Assess yourself

After looking at how God has called young people throughout history into leadership, do you believe that God will use you to lead? This topic is easy to embrace in our minds but harder to grasp with our hearts- that we can lead now! We don�t have to wait to make a major impact on our world! Judging by the way you live your life � your habits, time management, self-discipline, attitude � do your think that your life reveals God�s call too?

What specific habits for better leadership can you begin to cultivate? For example, begin a personal growth plan by reading, finding a mentor, being more self-disciplined, changing your attitude and speech, being a better time-manager, etc.

What vision has God placed within your heart? Where can you begin to make an impact RIGHT NOW? (Think about areas in and out of school, anything that needs attention or someone to begin to do something about.)

Commit to the Lord this plan of action. Ask Him to give your the strength to take the leap into greater levels of leadership. Once you�ve prayed, sign your name and the date below to seal your commitment.

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A Leader's 4 essential qualities - Session 3

Leadership Clues

Look for what is missing in these Biblical examples of leadership�

Samson - in Judges 13:24 � 16:31
Pilate - in Matthew 18:28 � 19:16
Simon Peter - in Matthew 16:21-23
Joshua and Caleb - in Numbers 13:17-33

The primary colors

# Character is inward strength - Taking responsibility seriously

# Perspective is inward insight - Maintaining faith in the goal

# Courage is inward spirit - Taking wise risks

# Favor is inward savvy and skill - Communicating your heart to others

Who am I?

Which of these characteristics make me a potential leader?
What am I doing to develop these characteristics?
Which are missing from my life?
How can I develop those?

Character

� �Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But, if you must be without one, be without strategy.� Gen. Norman Schwarskopf

� A development of personal discipline, personal security and identity, personal convictions, values, and ethics

Perspective

� �The primary difference between a leader and a follower is perspective�� Dr. Robert Clinton

� Requires the building of a vision, clearly understanding reality, and discerning the process and people needed to reach the goal

Courage

� �Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the one which guarantees all others.� Winston Churchill

� Involves the making and keeping of commitments, being able to take calculated risks, and working for a breakthrough.

Favor

� A leader has a compass in their head and a magnet in their heart

� Favor is a style of communication that involves much more than words, it means really connecting with people

True leadership...

� Does not depend on conferred authority, titles, positions or fame

� Can occur whenever a need emerges that sparks passion within someone

� May take on a variety of methods, styles and appearances because the outcome is what is most important to the leader

� Works toward a breakthrough of impact

� Occurs when one acts upon a vision and mobilizes others to join in the cause

Summary

A leader does the right thing
A leader sees ahead
A leader goes first
A leader relates to others

�Leadership is the development of 4 essential qualities�

Assess Yourself

Review the four primary qualities of effective leadership.
Do you exhibit these qualities?
Which one is the strongest?
Which is the weakest?
How will you develop in each of these in the next month? (Choose just one from each list or make up your own. Put it up in a place where you can see it every morning!)

Developing Character

Discipline yourself to do two things you don�t like every week
Fix your eyes on a clear, specific purpose
Learn the �whys� behind God�s commands
Interview a leader who has integrity: How did they build it into their life?
Adjust and monitor your motives for why you do what you do
Write out the promises you�ve made. Take responsibility for all your actions and emotions

Developing Perspective

Watch the news or read the newspaper and ask: What could be done to solve these problems? Choose a crisis and list solution steps you would take if you were in charge
Groom the optimist in you. Read and listen to positive books and tapes. Feed yourself with big ideas from great people
Write out your dreams. What would you attempt to do if you did not fear failure?
Interview a visionary leader. How do they think? How do they perceive things?
Identify one burden you�ve embraced. Set some goals to address it
Post photos, pictures and quotes that represent your goals and dreams in your room

Developing Courage

Attempt something each week that you could not possibly pull off without God
Invite accountability regarding commitments and decisions you�ve made
Give an all-out commitment to a good habit for a set time
Interview a courageous person. What gives them their courage?
Do the thing you fear the most and the death of fear will be certain
Force yourself to be a decision-maker and a responsibility-taker

Developing Favor

Learn to �host� the relationships and conversations you engage in
Determine to be others-centered, focusing on their needs, not on yours
Become a �good finder�. Find one good quality in others and affirm it
Make deposits in the lives of people � encouragement, good books, contacts, etc.
Identify the strengths in people and help them find a place to employ those strengths
Interview a people-person. How did they develop their charisma?

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A leader�s source of strength - Session 4

Group Study and Discussion

� Examples of Intimacy

� Isaiah 6:1-8 group 1 (see session 2 above)

� Jacob / Genesis 28-33 group 2

� Moses / Exodus 33:7-11 group 3

� Study the passage as a group

� Describe the development of this leader�s intimacy with God � how did it happen, what was the result?

� Where are you in this process?

For Further Thought

� How does your intimacy with God allow you to be open, real and intimate with others?

� What are you doing to develop this intimacy with Him?

� What results do you see from this in your interaction with other people?

Defining Intimacy

Intimacy with God is not:

A feeling of spirituality
A knowledge of Scripture
Doing good things
Automatic for Christians
Being zealous for ministry activities

Our personal intimacy with God is a struggle.

Intimacy with God seems mystical and ambiguous

Intimacy with God:

Is the conscious development of a relationship

Is deliberately drawing near to God to experience:

� The PROMISE of Ephesians 3:18-19

� And the COMMAND of Matthew 22:37,

� Resulting in the FRUIT of John 15:15-16.

Developing Intimacy

There are always people who are closer to us than others
There should be 2-3 who are in your �inner circle� along with God
This must be developed because it is impossible to have it �just happen�
Developing intimacy involves 8 elements

A �THEOLOGY� of intimacy with God

Time � I must be patient

Humility � I must be broken

Expression � I must learn to worship

Openness � I must trust to be transparent

Listening � I must let God speak

Obedience � I must act on what He says

Grace � I must let God love me

Yearning � I must desire Him more than anything else

The Dangers of Intimacy

Investment means closeness to others
Closeness means involvement with others
Involvement means commitment to others
Commitment means responsibility and accountability to others

Application

Practice intimacy with God

- Spend a whole day with Him twice a year

- Seek to please Him

Seek out a mentor who models intimacy

Practice intimacy with your family

Begin developing a relationship with someone who needs a mentor

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A Leader's Sense of Balance - Session 5

Examples of Leadership

Margaret Thatcher has said, "To me consensus seems to be the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values, and policies in search of something in which no one believes� What great cause would have been fought and won under the banner, 'I stand for consensus'?"
What does this signify in her character?

Now try these out...

Jack compares his beanstalk to the Tower of Babel

The big bad wolf compensates for his inability to make a home by blowing down the homes of little pigs

Snow White's step-mother convinces herself that she will only be happy when she is the most beautiful of all women

John will do anything to get people to laugh at him (or to think he's great)

Sarah is sure that she will never succeed because everyone is against her and it's all their fault

My dad has my college, job, wife, home, and life all planned out for me. If I don't do it his way, I will never amount to anything

Each of these represents a symptom of insecure leadership

Comparison - scoring ourselves against others
Compensation - victims of inferiority
Competition - outdoing others for rewards
Compulsion - driven for other's approval
Condemnation - self-pity or self-conceit
Control - protecting my interests to validate my worth

Comparison

Parable of the vineyard workers

A result of insecurity

3 insecure actions
- I can't rejoice with those who succeed
- I get defensive about my accomplishments
- I project my self-worth (or lack of it) on others

Compensation

Compensation is failing to trust in God's provision and taking matters into our own hands

Look at Jacob's insecurity in regard to his brother

Competition

Self-centeredness and being consumed by outdoing others to receive attention or reward

The older brother syndrome, Luke 15

Compulsion

Driven to perform to gain approval - a people-pleaser

Sacrificing being for doing, performance oriented, a work-a-holic (Martha)

Condemnation

A judgmental attitude of yourself or others resulting in self-pity or self-conceit

Elijah's pity-party (I Kings 19)

Also, a distortion of reality that tempts us to withdraw from responsibility

Control

A desire to take charge to protect my own interests and validate my worth

Results in poor relationships because of unresolved conflict

Often described as manipulative or having to have the last word

Insecurity building events

It's easy to be secure when we are popular or successful, but what happens�

How to counter-attack the LIES

Determine the trigger event that fostered the lie

Discover the lie you've believed about that situation

Decide what response is truthful, appropriate, and realistic

4 keys to personal security

It is simply a matter of definition. Who am I and what determines my self-worth?

A study of the following passages indicates that we must build our lives on four elements.
- Look at: II Cor. 5:21, I Cor. 1:30, Eph. 4:7, I Pet. 4:10, John 10:10, I John 3:15, Rom. 12:3, Eph. 2:8, John 14:7, Eph. 1:18-20, Gal. 5:22-23

Identity

2 Corinthians 5:16-18 reveals 3 Biblical truths essential to our identity

What does it mean to you to "be in Christ"?
Brokenness

"If I am not broken by God, I will continue to resolve my insecurities with my own strength and my old patterns."

Essentials for brokenness
- Get alone with God
- Be honest with God
- Be hungry for God
- Be broken by God

Daily take the steps toward brokenness as David did in Psalm 51.
Purpose

We must discover and practice our God-given purpose in life, not someone else's

Fit the pieces of your life together: - Talents      -Desires      -Fruit
- Passion      -Fulfillment      -Spiritual gifts
- Affirmation      -Circumstances and Opportunities

Begin to develop a purpose statement for your life.
Blessing

We must learn to let others love and bless us, and to do the same for them

This happens through�

Make sure to "bless" someone every day. Start with those who need to realize their worth.

Developing Security

Study and meditate on Scripture that defines your identity in Christ
Check yourself each time you want to compare yourself to someone
Practice thanking God for who He has made you and what He is doing in you
Focus on defining and developing your strengths
Identify 3 of the lies you believe about yourself and write the truth down about them
Find a "safe" support person and practice encouraging each other

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A Leader's Growth to Influence - Session 6

This session must be viewed in PowerPoint format.
If you do not have PowerPoint you can download a 2002 PowerPoint viewer at microsoft.com/downloads
or click here

Click here to download the session now. (295 KB)

And for "Influence Part II" (239 K) download here.

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