FollowtheLeader.indd

LEADERS ARE PROPHETIC

implementation of a prophetic vision. Harvard Business Professor, John
Kotter, has observed:

Vision refers to a picture of the future with some implicit or

explicit commentary on why people should strive to create that

future...Vision serves to facilitate major changes by motivating

action that is not necessarily in people’s short-term self-interests.

The alterations called for in a sensible vision almost always

involves some pain...A good vision helps to overcome this natural

reluctance to do what is often painfully necessary by being hopeful

and therefore motivating.^3

Principle:

“Prophetic vision often leads to long-term persecution

for the leader, and short-term pain for the follower.”

Prophetic leadership integrity necessitates that the leader must be the first
one to take the lead in the implementation of the futuristic vision. He must never
call others to make changes in preparation for the future that he is not
willing to make first. He must take the initiative to live out...flesh out...
incarnate...demonstrate the prophetic paradigm shift. The leader must not
only speak prophetically, he must also live prophetically! As a leader, he must
practically incarnate his message for people to see. To express it more plainly,
a leader must walk the talk. He must not only lead by exhortation, he must
also lead by example. As Harvard Business School’s John Kotter writes:

Often the most powerful way to communicate a new direction is

through behavior...When they see top management acting out

the vision, a whole set of troublesome questions about credibility

and game playing tends to evaporate...We call such behavior

‘leadership by example.’ The concept is simple. Words are cheap,

but action is not. The cynical among us tend not to believe words

but will be impressed by action...In short: Nothing undermines

the communication of a changed vision more than behavior on the

part of key players that seems inconsistent with the vision.^4

Again, if there is going to be leadership integrity, the one out front must
not only speak prophetically, he must also live prophetically!