For this week’s newsletter, I brought a guest.
That guest is John Maxwell, the famous Christian leadership author.
A few years back, I was reading one of his books, The Law of Influence, and came across a phenomenal quote that explains lay leadership so well.
It highlights how lay leadership is much more complex than the typical leadership roles in the world.
I’ll let John take it from here…
I admire and respect the leadership of my good friend Bill Hybels, the founding pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, one of the largest churches in North America. Bill says he believes that the church is the most leadership-intensive enterprise in society. A lot of businesspeople I know are surprised when they hear that statement, but I think Bill is right. What is the basis of his belief? Positional leadership often doesn’t work in volunteer organizations. There is no leverage. In other organizations, the person who has position has incredible leverage. In the military, leaders can use rank and, if all else fails, throw people into the brig. In business, bosses have tremendous leverage in the form of salary, benefits, and perks. Most followers are pretty cooperative when their livelihood is at stake.
But in voluntary organizations the thing that works is leadership in its purest form: influence. Psychologist Harry A. Overstreet observed, “The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.” Followers in voluntary organizations cannot be forced to get on board. If the leader has no influence with them, then they won’t follow.
Recently at a meeting where I was speaking to a group of company presidents and CEOs, one participant asked for advice on finding the best leaders in his organization. My advice was to ask candidates to lead a volunteer organization for six months. If those leaders can get people to follow them when they have no leverage—recruiting employees to volunteer, serve the community, work with the United Way, and so on—then you know that they can influence others. That is the mark of true leadership ability.
I love the leadership proverb that says, “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.” If you can’t influence people, then they will not follow you. And if people won’t follow, you are not a leader. That’s the Law of Influence. No matter what anybody else may tell you, remember that leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.
What do you think?
Is this an accurate framing of lay leadership in our faith tradition?
See what others are saying about this message HERE.
Sincerely,
Kurt Francom
Executive Director
Leading Saints
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