Category: Jesus

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Six Attributes of “Leadership”

This is likely a longer piece than usual, but I think important as we all consider the place of leadership mid-way through the term of appointment of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

I have been asked many times over the years I have served as a CEO, to define leadership.  There are of course quotes such as “It is an art, rather than a science”.  Or “You can tell if you are a leader when there is someone following behind you”.  What seems to be true is that you are not born to be a leader, and leadership is not achieved from a one day development training session.  However, we can grow as leaders every day – and indeed we must.  And leadership is about people, whilst management is about tasks and things.

But even those small truisms above do not do justice to this thing called leadership.  Most of us can likely recall our own examples of where we have experienced poor, or ineffective leadership.  We may even now be wincing as we read, recognising our own lack of skills in a leadership role at some time in the past.  We can also likely recall and acknowledge some fine experience of leadership that was such a joy to be party to.

Good leadership is a thing of beauty to experience.  Much like a diamond.  A diamond has so many qualities and when cut well, is a thing of beauty to behold.  It is hardly surprising that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.  As the following picture shows, even a so called six sided diamond has much more to offer than the “simple” six sided cuts.

So it is with leadership.

I provide below just six sides, or attributes, of leadership that I believe if practiced (well) every day will not only assist us to be better performing leaders but will drive better performance in our organisations.  I am certain we can all accept that leadership is more complex than these six, but these are a sound foundation.  The attributes are provided in alphabetical order only for convenience:

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Easter

In Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter, and particularly Resurrection Sunday, there are a number of things that different parts of the Christian faith celebrate.

I am from an evangelical Baptist tradition. Our Services over this important time of the year usually were solely around a reasonably solemn Good Friday morning service and then a celebration service on Easter Sunday morning. Of course the week leading up to Easter we have, among others, such things as Palm Sunday, the remembrance of the raising of Lazarus from death, Jesus cursing the fig tree at Bethany, and Jesus sharing a “Last Supper” with His disciples.

Other than for the Last Supper, until recently I had paid little attention to the events of Easter Thursday evening. Over the past ten years, we became familiar at our local church with a Service of Shadows – a Tenebrae Service – where darkness descends on the congregation following the extinguishment of a number of candles, all set around specific Scripture passages describing Jesus’ final few hours.

Easter Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, has become something special to me. But strangely it is the word “Maundy” that has caused me to rethink. The word has its roots in Latin and comes from the word “mandatum”, from which we get “mandate”. It means “command” or “commandment”.
So, what commandment is this word “maundy” referring to then?

In John’s Gospel we have a few chapters describing the Last Supper and the washing of the disciples’ feet, leading to the crucifixion of and resurrection of Jesus. Indeed, approximately one third of the entire Gospel of John is dedicated to the last two weeks of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. But it is in John 13:34-35 that Jesus says “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Three words, a commandment, that would do us, and the entire world well to remember – “Love one another”!

After all, and contrary to popular belief and practice, Easter is not about chocolate and hot cross buns. It is about one sacrifice for the world, given in love. So love one another!

Have a safe and happy Easter. If you are travelling, please remain vigilant. Enjoy your break. If you are working – thank you for your continued service.

If you have the opportunity, why not stop into a church for an Easter Service and join with others as we celebrate this hugely significant time of the year in our faith journey and annual calendar?

And, “Love one another”!

Blessings,

Wayne.