“Value based leadership is not a title carrying or positional leadership, value based leadership is the only bible authenticated leadership”.
Leadership is evolution of value! It is value based, and it evolves. People will freely follow you because you have they value they need in you. Value based leadership is not a title carrying or positional leadership, value based leadership is the only bible authenticated leadership. Jesus of Nazareth came to offer value, a heavenly value on earth. He said, “I have come that they may have life abundantly…”“The son of man has come to look for those who stray and to save them …” If you have nothing to offer you are not leader, but an opportunist. Leaders are ordinary people who discover their greatness, unique ability, potentials where trying to overcome extra ordinary challenges.
The quality of a group, a nation, a church, a family, cannot be better than the quality of the leader. The quality of a leader determines the quality of the organization. For any community to be great the leadership must possess great qualities. No wonder leaders are often blamed or praised for the development level of their community or organizations. For example, the underdevelopment level of African states is always put on the table of the past and the present leaders. It is a truism that everything begins and ends on the leaders’ table. For a nation to be great it needs a great leader. History has revealed to us the exploit made by some great leaders of our time, such leaders with great qualities and big hearts of service.
These are some of the qualities and characteristics of the value based leaders.
Value Based Leaders Initiate Change. They lead others to new experiences and level of life. They do not like settling with status quo. Value based leaders have initiatives and they are innovative. They think out of the box. All about leadership is really about change. No organization in the world today can survive if it is the same today as it was yesterday. Change becomes the fact about life, and it is our attitude to change that can make the difference between success and failure. Change does not just happen it is driven by a reason, a thought or an idea; this is the thrust of a value based leader, to lead others to new experience and level of life. The value based leader initiates such idea or thoughts that drive change among the followers. David, the first King of the United Kingdom of Israel was an example of such leadership. He initiated a change in Israel. He was no longer satisfied with where their God was being worshiped. He called for the construction of new temple; he gathered materials which his son used in building the temple. That was an initiator, a value based leader. History is littered with many more of such leaders, Martin Luther, Obafemi Awolowo, among many others.
Value Based Leaders have a sense of divine timing. The bible made us to understand that it was the sense of timing that distinguished the children of Issachar from others and they became the leader of their generation. Special mention was made concerning them for this great quality. Like children of Issachar, leaders have understanding of time. They develop the sixth sense. They are very sensitive and alert to time. The Bible states that “…And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of times, to know what Israel ought to do the head of them were two hundred, and all their brethren were at their commandment.” 1 Chronicles 12:32.
By my understanding of this verse, I am of the opinion that if an individual understands his purpose in life, and have adequate knowledge about his area of calling in life, and he also prioritized and strategize very well, he would soon become an authority and a commander, others would follow in that area of life, and all these are functions of understanding time appropriately. Having a sense of timing makes a leader very efficient. One critical factor that all leaders must take cognisance of is that service is bout by time and space. There is always an expiration date for our service, therefore a value based leader must be alert and have sense of timing. He needs to plan and focus on the implementation of his plans. He needs to have aspiration and pursue his aspiration doggedly.
As leaders, our understanding of time, our perception of time, our reaction to time will eventually determine the quality and the worth of our lives in this realm. Time is all we’ve got to determine what is important to us in life to continually create value around those issues that are most important to us in life that our world and generation yet unborn would benefit from. Understanding time is about being proactive with our purpose in life; our willingness to do the right thing at the right time in hope of achieving our goals, aspirations and objective per time. Time management starts with self-management and personal discipline where our greatest priorities in life are concerned. Time is the greatest essence of life and when we understand ourselves and our calling in life, we begin to invest time rather than spend it. Life is really short and is too full of unworthy activities clamoring for our attention at the detriment of much more crucial activities that would add values and substance to our aspirations and purposeful life.
Value Based Leaders know and focus on what is important.To a value based leader, many things are important but not all are expedient. Value based leaders aside from having the sense of timing also know what to focus on at any point in time. They know what to delegate and what not to delegate. When Moses missed the point, his father in law, Jethro thought him on how to delegate and what to delegate, and what to focus on. When he imbibed the principle he saw how interesting and smooth leadership could be. Leaders don’t delegate decisions they only delegate implementations. Decision making is the leader’s responsibility born out deep thinking. He would have consulted, ruminated and be dedicated to the issue, then decision comes out from his innermost. This is important because he is directly responsible for the decision he is staking. Thereafter he could delegate the implementation and monitor how it is carried out. Truly, the operational definition leadership is hardship, so value based leader should be courageous in taking hard decision, if it is the most important thing to do. Focusing on what is important also helps leaders to maximize the use of his time. Focus on what is important also helps leaders to be efficient and effective.
Value Based Leaders have vision. It is absolutely true that it is only a leader with vision that can create change. The value that a leader carries is not in his sight but in his dream. Leaders have vision that is more than what he can handle. Leaders’ vision is about people. His vision is the primary key to his impact making. What you need do before fulfilling your purpose is your Task.
The result is the Impact it has on the people you are assigned to lead. Vision provides the plan for these tasks to be carried out to make impact in life, and be a value based leader. Vision is seeing the future before it comes into being. It is a mental picture of our destination. A leader needs to have a picture he wants to create. The Bible says my people perish for lack of vision. The poorest man in the world is man without a dream/vision. I also say woe betide the nation, the community, the family, the church that has leaders without vision.
The great leaders in the world are those who have vision, who can see beyond the little thing to the big issues involved. They have imagination and imagination constructively employed will help to make impact. And the great nations or organizations in the world are those who have visionary leaders at the helm of affairs. No organization or nation can be better that its CEO. Every leader needs vision because vision brings mission. To make an impact as a leader, you must have a mission statement and vision statement. Vision helps to catch a niche for your life, to stand out and have a USP. You should be known for something. Those who need the value you carry should look for you. Vision helps to be focused. You will be focused in accomplishing your mission and you will make impact.
To be Continued Next Edition.
