Lead by Following
by Dave Wellman on Dec.08, 2008, under Sponsoring, Team Building
You know, in the Network Marketing arena, we are told that the best way to learn about leadership is to “follow a great leader.”
I personally think that we need to be careful about that idea. I would much rather say, lead by following the right leader. By choosing the right leader to follow you will learn the right skills that will in turn make you a better leader for your team.
How do you choose the right leader? Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” This means that you need to be careful who you follow and/or take counsel from. The responsibility is yours to check out the advice you receive and the leaders you follow.
Psalm 1 also says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” As we are choosing the best leader to follow, we need to consider God’s word and the view of leadership we find there. Once we know God’s thoughts we can trust anyone who knows and follows God’s leadership ideals. They will always give us advice that will benefit us first.
Then as we learn to follow the right leader, we need to ask God to make us that kind of leader for our team. They need to see in us what we have found in the leader God gave us.
Leadership has always been more about surrender and sacrifice than it has been about being honored and lifeted up. When we learn to care for the needs of our team we will create an atmosphere where great leaders will be born.
As I have said before, if your leadership produces skilled leaders, you will build a strong and stable business that will grow and survive for years to come.
Just a thought ….
