CEO Leadership

a Biblical thought...
Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn't receive it through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:10-12)

a Book thought...
Builders (people born prior to 1946) have a strong sense of obligation to serve the church, they are the most churchgoing generation. (p44 McIntosh)
a Dave thought... from Alan Hirsch
The problem with such forms of CEO-type leadership is that it tends to be disempowering to others, and when, for various reasons, that leader should leave the group; it tends to leave the organization weak and under-developed. This is the very thing that apostolic influence is at pains not to do—rather apostolic ministry calls forth and develops the gifts and callings of all of God’s people. It does not create reliance, but develops the capacities of the whole people of God based on the dynamics of the gospel. In a word it involves empowerment. Jim Collins, in his study of outstanding organizations actually says that dominant charismatic leaders are one of the greatest hindrances to an organization moving from being good to becoming great.

Although our movement is always on the lookout for quality leaders we need to remember some of our best are not charismatic at all. I often think we choose or define our best leaders by an hour performance on Sunday when the fifty plus hours during the week often gets unnoticed. But for me the definition of a great leader is a person who is taking others somewhere new that God is asking them to go.

Just a thought.