Leading a Local Congregation Based On Stewardship and Institutional Development
“When a group of Individuals in any arena of life does well, one of the keys to understanding their success is to examine the leadership practices of the key leaders of that,”
“Lead Like Butler” focuses on the manner in which a team leader can influence success through the building of a strong value system. Its focus on the role of the leader is meant to point to the fact that no other figure in a group or convention is of more influence than its leader. The book holds the view that success in a group is based on building a value system which serves as a context of good performance. Results are not to be expected from a context that does not nurture them. It therefore proposes vital values that a leader should uphold which he listed as humility, passion, unity, servant hood, thankfulness and accountability. In the understanding of this text, this paper will appreciate the rest as embodied in the value of humility.
The above quote sums up what it is that most strikes about the importance of leadership in causing organization success. The book is inspirational in depicting what successful leadership should emphasize. It says that it is not about the results or what people see of the organization outwardly but the inward value system. This carries a powerful message to the New Hope Church. They have not developed the cohesiveness and adherence that require people who share common values and aspirations. That is what the leadership is supposed to target. It is, therefore, upon the leadership of the church to ensure that it establishes a bond of unity that will eat away selfishness and narrow individual concerns. The congregation despises the pastor because they are “overfilled with pride in their own abilities” which makes them “resistant to learning a new role on a new team”.
The congregation at the church is conceited and divided. They do not focus on building each other and do not invest in the institution that is their church. They do not feel that the growth of the church is as important as their growth. This arrogance is due to self-satisfaction needs to be broken down into humility. From the view point of the book, this begins with the leadership. The book notes that the highest level of leaders –level five – compromise of those who “build enduring greatness in an organization through a blend of personal humility and professional will”. This means that the success all begins with the leaders who are not self-seeking and show that the interest of the group matter more than their own. The pastor who is despised is not supposed to be discouraged by that but needs to demonstrate commitment to the church, give his best to it whether he earns recognition for it or not. A humble person accordingly is described as one who “Does his Job to the best of his ability, regardless of circumstances.”
The book carries the lesson that a troop is just as good as a general leading it. The congregation is the one supposed to be led, and they will develop a value system of humility as long as this starts from the management. This is described in the statement that when in an interview a leader is asked about good results he would “always respond that success was dependent on the talent and commitment of their coworkers. When performance was poor, rather than blaming, a great “level five CEO assumed responsibility” (Chapter 1 on Humility page 16). This implies that the circumstances at the New Hope Church reflect poor leadership that can be improved if value development was the focus of leadership. This sends the message that the congregation should be made to internalize the fact that none of them can accomplish their goals alone.
The saying that fish starts rotting from the head is the emphasis of this leadership manual. It upholds the fact that “only values-based leaders ultimately create organizations and followers who make a long-lasting, positive impact in the world”. The problem with the church is that they are seeking results before they can prepare a good base that produces them. This is only if the leadership focused on making the church a haven of values of humility where everyone values the other. The success of one should hinge on the success of all.
Bibliography
Millard, M. Kent, and Judith Cebula. 2013. Lead like Butler: six principles for values-based leaders. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
