Leading From Beyond the Horizon?
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008Bad things happen if leaders get too far in front of the folks they are leading. A great distance may cause the leader to be beyond the horizon of their follower’s view and thus, the followers lose contact with the leader. Is this what happened to a degree with Moses and Joshua? Did they outpace their people? When the spies returned from the promised land, most of their followers did not have the faith to follow into a difficult circumstance. Was this all on account of the peoples’ lack of faith or had their been some leadership pitfalls as well? Did Moses and Joshua communicate effectively the knowledge and vision they were getting from God?
Leaders can outpace their people when:
1. we present them a vision so large they cannot see how God can use them specifically in it. Vision should be God-sized but people-utilizing.
2. we have been ruminating over something for a long time period and then dump it on our folks in one 30 minute message and expect them to follow immediately.
3. we have not taught our followers about spending time hearing God so they can be given a corresponding vision that helps keep them in step with the larger vision.
How are you doing in this?
[via idea that jumped into my head as Omar Reyes shared in an exec staff meeting]

