LEADERSHIP BY INSPIRATION

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

The subject of leadership is a broad subject. Many authors have defined leadership is many different ways.

John C Maxwell defines leadership as influence and leadership impact increases as the influence increases. It is not influence due to position but influence that is earned because the leader cares. Leaders use their influence to add value to lives and not to manipulate people to achieve a selfish interest.

Genuine influence demands heavy responsibility from the leader because people must follow from their heart and not forced or manipulate to follow.

Dr David Oyedepo defines leadership as taking the lead in meeting the need of people. It is all about making your contribution in your area of calling. Leadership is setting the pace and showing the way.

Dr Myles Munroe defines Leadership as the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.

Dag Heward-Mills defines leadership as a calling into a specific assignment. If you are called into ministry, you are a leader as a minister.

Many are called into leadership, but only few end up as leaders because others are not prepared to pay the price of leadership.

From all the definitions above, we can deduce that leadership is influence, taking the lead in your area of calling, inspiring and imparting vision unto other.

THE SPIRIT OF LEADERSHIP
Dr. Myles Munroe made a distinction between leadership spirit and the spirit of leadership.

Leadership spirit is what Kenneth E. Hagin called the spirit within. This is the seed of dominion planted in every man at creation. It is what makes man a spirit. Every man has leadership spirit.

The spirit of leadership on the other hand is called the spirit upon by Kenneth E. Hagin. It is the Spirit of God that comes upon a man and makes him fulfill destiny. Until man is endured with this spirit he cannot manifest his leadership destiny.

Dr Myles Munro also made us understand that our spirit is a leadership spirit. God made it so from the beginning when he gave man dominion over the earth, but our leadership can only manifest when we begin to operate in the spirit of leadership.

The spirit of leadership is the inspiration that connect us to the wisdom bank. It is not enough to have the leadership spirit( that is born with the leadership potential); we must strive and commit ourselves to the demand of leadership and by this we will surely manifest the spirit of leadership.
Many have leadership spirit by virtue of creation, but only few carry the spirit of leadership.

Leadership is not a technique, a style, or acquisition of skills but a manifestation of a spirit. This statement has impacted greatly on my life. Leadership is not a course you go to study in the university; it is not a style you copy from someone, or a skill you go to acquire from a workshop.

You don’t need to go to a school of leadership to become a leader; or copy a style of leadership to be a leader. Leadership is not even occupying a position of authority. Leadership is not a physical entity. It has a spirit connection.

It is the spirit of leadership that guarantees the flow of inspiration, and the flow of inspiration enables leaders to operate at the frequency of manifold wisdom.

A true leader enjoys inspiration because he has the Spirit of God constantly interacting with his human spirit.

Today so many people pose as leaders because they occupy a position of leadership but they are far from being leaders. Because you win an election does not qualifies you to be a leader, that you rose through the ranks to become the CEO of your organization is not enough to make you a leader. When people without the spirit of leadership assume the position of leadership, they abuse the office and create more problems.

Every man has a spirit but not every man has the Holy Spirit, therefore not every man can become a leader, his occupying a position of leadership notwithstanding.

Dr Oyedepo often says, a leading lawyer leads in Law, a leading academia leads in academics, and a leading preacher leads in preaching. You don’t find a leading lawyer leading in medicine. You can only lead in your area of assignment.

You can only become a leader where you are sent to make contribution in life. There is a driving energy that drives you along the path of your calling. This driving energy is the spirit of leadership.


A LEADER WITH VISION

Every leader has a vision with which he is driven along his path of fulfillment. This vision is of God and it takes the baptism of the spirit of leadership to receive divine vision.

Hab 2:1-3
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Dr David Oyedepo defines vision as the unfolding of divine plan. To access divine plan you must be ready to take responsibility of approaching God to know the mind of Christ concerning divine plan for your life.

It is your vision that defines your area of calling. It is your vision that defines your purpose in life. That is why every genuine leader is sure of his area of calling and he leads the people in the direction of that area.

There is a spirit in a leader and the inspiration of the almighty serve as the compass for his vision to lead him along the path of his leadership destiny.

Leadership is first a calling and if you are called to be a leader you must strive to take the lead and set the pace in that area of your calling.

You don’t emerge as leader where you are not called and it takes a vision to locate where you are called.


LEADERSHIP AND RIGHT ATTITUDE
There is a saying that our attitude determines our altitude in life.

There are many people that are in the position of leadership today that are not carrying the attitude of heart that goes along with leadership.

It is the attitude of the leader that makes him command the respect of his followers. Show me a leader and I will show you a man of right attitude.

Leaders are known for the kind of hearts they carry. Leaders are known to have hearts for the people. They get angry when they see people suffering. They are ready to go the extra miles to see a change in people lives. That is why leaders are agents of change.

The spirit of leadership in Moses first manifested when he saw an Egyptian molesting an Israelite. He never knew when he laid his hand on the Egyptian. His calling was to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and the spirit was leading him towards his area of calling.

It is the spirit of leadership that makes leadership more of attitude of the heart than just a mere art to be mastered and displayed at will.

When leaders lead by inspiration, they command the respect of their followers. Visionary leadership rides on the wings of inspiration.

In conclusion, see yourself as a potential leader and be ready to pay the required price for leadership. Let the spirit of God be your guide and impact you with the vision of your purpose in life. This will make you a true leader indeed.