Finding Your Leadership Style
Ten different ways to lead God's people.
Bill Hybels
January 1, 1998
A few years ago, I began to notice major differences
in the ways gifted leaders led their teams. They all had the spiritual gift
of leadership referred to in Romans 12:8, but they approached the challenges
of leadership differently.
About the time I was making this observation, the management team at Willow
Creek gave me a leadership book for my birthday. (The year before, they had
hired an Elvis impersonator, who burst into my office during a meeting to
serenade me. Elvis discovered my leadership style in a hurry. He barely made
it out of my office with his blue suede shoes.)
This year they gave me a more appropriate gift—Certain Trumpets,
by Garry Wills. Wills describes the enormous impact of great leaders whose
particular leadership style meshed perfectly with a certain need in society.
For example, when people are being oppressed and want to break free from
that yoke, the situation calls for a radical, transforming leader.
In a complex, pluralistic democracy, with thousands of constituencies that
must be drawn together to form a government, a political or electoral leader
is necessary.
In war time, a military style of leadership works best.
During an ideologically intense social struggle, an intellectual leader might
fit the bill.
Wills effectively argues that there are many different styles of leadership,
and certain styles fit certain leadership needs better than others.
Over the last few years, I've identified at least ten manifestations of the
leadership gift as it plays out in the church. It's been helpful to our staff
to identify our leadership styles and build leadership teams accordingly.
1. Visionary leader
These leaders have a crystal-clear picture in their minds of what they want
to happen. They cast ...
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