LEADERS ARE PARTNERSbecomes a catalyst for them, most of these people will go through life
as spectators rather than as participators. Often spectators degenerate into
agitators and aggravators!
In his excellent book, Management: A Biblical Approach, Myron Rush points
out: “People form relationships because they have needs that can only be met by
others.”^4 It is some “unmet need” that motivates one individual towards
another individual. It is the primary motivator for building relationships
- whether healthy or unhealthy. Every person was created with a relational
vacuum that cannot be lastingly filled by things. God created us as relational
beings. In the final analysis, relationships are the only things that are eternal.
Only relationships will outlive this life. We were created to have an eternal
relationship with God, and temporal relationships with others. Our relationship
with others is no better than our relationship with God. We build relationships
by meeting the needs of others. Again I quote Myron Rush: “Meeting the
needs of others is the key to developing and maintaining good working
relationships...Just as met needs strengthen relationships, unmet needs
erode them. You won’t find people on their way to a divorce court because
a spouse is meeting too many of their needs.”^5
Principle: “We build relationships by meeting the needs of others.”We build strong ministries just like we build strong marriages – by
building strong relationships! Relational skills are the single most important
quality for effective leadership! As we saw in our earlier chapter on the
leader as a “people-focused” individual, no other skills and abilities can long
compensate for poor relational skills. Effective leaders are always honing
and refining their ability to build and sustain relationships. Meaningful
and lasting relationships are built through meeting needs in the lives of
others. Authentic leadership is “other-focused” rather than “self-focused.”
Leadership is not about having my needs met – it is about meeting the needs of
others. The more needs met, the greater the leadership!
One of the most effective ways to meet the needs of others is by building
a partnership with them. A leader adds significance to the lives of others
by incorporating them in a worthy cause...by making them a part of his
leadership team. This means delegation of responsibility and power-sharing