The Most Essential Characteristic of a Leader
It’s not vision, personality or positivity
A game-changing book on leadership came out almost 20 years ago, which has sold over four million copies and caused many on Wall Street to proclaim it as being the best book on management that they have ever read.
It’s called ‘Good to Great’ and is written by the American researcher and author Jim Collins. In the book, Collins describes the five year research project which he and his 22-person team undertook to find out how some good companies make the leap to become great companies and are then able to sustain such greatness. Collins whittles down the secret ingredients to seven core factors, with an essential reason being the kind of leaders that head up such companies. These great leaders are all marked by one defining character trait which sets them apart.
Humility.
Humility is what makes the difference. Great leaders are driven to succeed, they have ambition, but not for themselves. They actually want to make the company great, they genuinely desire for others to be recognized.
This character trait is also essential for Christians, including Christian leaders. So often nowadays, in all kinds of leadership environments, including the church, we see leaders who have been forced to step down due to grossly inappropriate conduct or a bullying management style. When was the last time a country had a really humble leader? Willing to put others before themselves?
Jesus of Nazareth, who oversaw the greatest human movement of all time, mirrored humility to his 12 disciples when he suddenly started washing their dirty, foul-smelling feet, as an example of how they should be willing to serve others. Some hours later, he demonstrated again how he really was the ultimate humble leader when he willingly died for the world’s sins.
Humility is what makes a person great.
“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” Luke 14:11.
