INTRODUCTION
Whether you’re talking about a church or a business, a hospital or a university,
a nation or an athletic team, nothing rises above its leadership – nothing.
So whenever and wherever there is a successful enterprise, whether it’s
a prosperous business, a winning team, a growing church,
you will find a competent leader who has made it so.
It didn’t just happen. He made it happen.^1
(Paul Powell, Getting The Lead Out of Leadership)Growing up almost every child played the popular game known as “Follow
the Leader.” It was a favorite childhood game where one child was the
leader and the other children followed. In the process, all of the followers
had to imitate the leader, and do everything he or she did – whether
hopping on one foot...rolling over...standing on your head...jumping
a log...walking a wall...climbing a tree...or flying like an airplane. The
challenge for the leader was to keep all of his playmates interested in
what he was doing – so that they would continue to follow his leadership
and stay close behind him. If his leadership was too dull and boring, the
other children would lose interest and stop following. If his leadership
was too daring and dangerous, many would also not follow. In either
case, a new leader would emerge for the others to follow.
A successful childhood leader had to find a good balance between challenge
and comfort...risk and reality...suspense and safety...adventure and ability...
spontaneity and predictability. As we were growing up, some of us were
more naturally inclined toward leading. Others of us preferred following.
Most all of us as children did some of both. However, all of us started out