I hope you will allow me a few moments for a bit of a rant and then a plea.
The Rant
I have done a lot of reading on leadership over the last year and specifically the last two weeks for a pastoral leadership course I am taking. I am not a huge fan of leadership books because instead of feeling encouraged and inspired, I usually end up feeling depressed and beaten down. Maybe you have experienced something similar and without getting into detailed critiques of modern leadership books (I will post some reviews of the books I read soon), I want to express something that I feel is lacking on the subject. There is a saturation of material written (more than you ever need to read) on the success stories of leaders, who in mythical and legendary fashion are portrayed as impenetrable to lapses in judgment, bad decisions and mistakes. In many cases, they are gloried in leadership literature to the place where they are no longer even real. Maybe that is the nature of history, when we either forget someone’s flaws because they did great things or we forget the good because of a mistake they made.
The problem is that whenever we view leaders (anyone for that matter) like this, they end up losing their humanity and thus their reality. We then begin to compare the worst of our leadership with the best of someone’s falsely perceived leadership prowess. Consequently, it leads to everyday leaders ending up feeling like failures. Instead, why can’t we read and understand leadership realistically and truthfully and as a result with hope, inspiration and honesty.
The Plea
Therefore, I plea…I beg…someone to write a book about the real, unpolished and non-airbrushed view of leadership in a way that is honest and hopeful. To write stories like Moody, who was told at the beginning of his ministry not to preach because his public speaking skills were so bad. Or, stories like Billy Graham who was told by Bob Jones of Bob Jones University that he would never amount to anything. These stories for me don’t make Moody or Graham any less of a leader. In fact, these stories and perspectives allow me to actually engage them and their lives on a deeper level because they become more real…more honest…more human. In many ways, it provides me hope and the ability to see my ministry with new perspective. This doesn’t mean I think we need to avoid the great parts of these amazing leaders but in the pursuit of understanding what makes them tick, we can’t avoid or ignore their flaws.
Like the new DOVE commercials and their campaign for “Real Beauty” that celebrates real women instead of the plastic surgery altered and digitally “enhanced” women that have created a false ideal, I would argue we need a similar movement with pastoral leadership. We need a new perspective for “Real Leadership” that, to use the DOVE phrase: “Loves the [leadership] skin we are in.”
Thus, I am asking someone to write one of the following books:
- Real Leadership
- The Human Face of Leadership
- Leaders Unmasked
- Leaders Demythologized
- A Realistic and Honest Look at Great Leaders
The Response
If you agree or disagree with me, let me know. If you feel you would appreciate a new kind of leadership book please join your voice with mine in calling for a new kind of leadership conversation.
I couldn’t agree more. This book could include some of the many stories of biblical leaders mistakes, David, Solomon, Noah, Peter…wait a minute, all of them made major mistakes besides the son of God.
Maybe YOU should write this book.
I really do agree. I think it is hard to admit the frail humanity of leadership or even in a more spiritual fashion, admit our idolatry of “the leader.” Even leaders can use the tools of transparency and “honesty” as further tools to polish and promote themselves as powerful tools in the hands of God. Pride is ever so subtle. The problem is that our communities of faith are so driven by “the face” of the church or organization. A tough one to squeeze out of given the current state of the church. My favorite title is “Leaders Demythologized” which i think is what role the mystics have held in the church throughout its history. Maybe we need to try the steps of leadership promoted by Julian of Norwich and Francis of Assisi?
Rock on Bryce. I agree with Toni, maybe you should start some writing… blessings
Ah, but then all of us leaders everywhere would be exposed for what we really are: clueless!
And people don’t follow leaders who are clueless…at least not that they are aware of.
I agree with James about “the face” of churches and organization driving communities. We as a culture place WAY too much significance on individuals. We hold them up to a level that no one can live up to. And when they fall, we move on to the next one.
I think those of us that are part of the church should lead the way. Let’s expose our own failures and short comings instead of waiting for the tabloids.
Which then leads us back to the topic of restoration, and how people are generally so good at casting judgment but terrible at forgiveness. And we wonder why people don’t share their faults?
I’m in agreement with the others on this one, you should get started on it. I’ll gladly donate stories of personal failure.
i agree. i can’t stand all these leadership books. i have recently realized that for the sake of my own spiritual health i need to stay away from them or else i start to question whether i’m really a christian or not.
i would say though, that it wouldn’t be enough to just say how crappy we leaders actually are. this would be to stop halfway, only reporting our weakness. what needs to be pointed out is that the power of Christ kicks in.
i imagine that we all have stories about when God moved even though our sermon sucked. God did things that seemed like side projects to us but retrospect where his main concern all along. we burn out on our vision and our programs and in the process of a meeting gone sour or a relational conflict he does amazing things. we patch up our relationship or spend an extra hour at the meeting sorting through the problem and we think we’ve just gotten sidetracked and slowed down the ship.
but the reconciliation is what God cares about. the growth of that moment is what delights him most.
the vision and the programs are just the carrot on the stick to get us to notice each other, to strive, to get intertwined in the mission and the mess, and discover the healing and community of Christ. the healing community of Christ IS the mission.
We do more for God’s kingdom with one reconciled relationship or one big “I’m sorry” than we ever do with our finely crafted sermons.
i’m not saying don’t try, don’t craft the sermon, don’t have the vision, i’m just saying that we need to bring down the sacred cow.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and comments…I might have to get on writing something…maybe when school is over.
I also agree with everyone’s comments and additions…the problem of “leaders as the face of an organization,” the need for biblical stories and the part of God showing up and meeting people not simply in spite of failure but often through it.
There is so much on this topic and something I feel is neglected by publishers in the leadership genre.
I look forward to continuing this conversation with all of you in the future over coffee, conferences, and in the blogisphere.
Dear Bryce:
I agree with you about the whole leadership thing. I came to this page via a circuitous search for references to Regency Christian Church. Thanks for coming by the way, in August. It was good. Anyway, the last page I saw before coming here was one on creating CEO’s of ministry. Doubtless, these guys are formidably trained, and capable leaders, but I (like you) ended up feeling more discouraged than encouraged when looking at their .
However, I was reminded to just continue trying to fulfill the vision that the Lord has for me and my little church. I keep being reminded of my first name, David, and the continuing story that it is sometimes all about little people, of lesser clans and tribes, whom the Lord calls forth for His purposes. This is the thing that most matters. Real people. Genuine callings. Willingness to try, despite the failings and perceived inadequacies…
Anyway, bless you Bryce.
Grace to you, and yours…
David MacKenzie
Thanks for your comments Dave. It is true that often we read about individuals who lead large ministries and falsely believe that their leadership is greater that ours. Not to downplay their leadership as they fulfill the calling God has given them,but there are also great leaders who are faithfully leading small groups of people in fulfilling their calling in the Kingdom (a Kingdom that is defined and described very differently then the worlds). I, like you, believe that it is just a matter of being faithful to the calling God has given and in that, there is godly success.