C h a p t e r 4
LEADERS ARE
PREDICTABLE
“Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is really faithful?”
(Proverbs 20:6; NLB)As we saw in our last chapter, leaders must be people-oriented rather than
program-oriented. They must have a heart for building individuals rather
than a head for building institutions.
The people-building business – whether in parenting, industry, or ministry
- is based upon predictability. Just as an unpredictable parent will produce an
unpredictable child; an unpredictable leader will produce unpredictable followers.
Every child needs to be able to predict his parent’s behavior in order
to develop emotional security. Without emotional security a child will not
healthily develop physically, mentally, socially, or spiritually. In the same
way, a follower needs to be able to expect the same predictability from
his or her leader. Whether in children or in followers, unpredictability
always produces emotional insecurity. If a parent or a leader is unpredictable,
unstable, inconsistent, erratic, constantly changing like the weather, there
will be confusion and insecurity in the followers.
Principle:
“Predictable leaders produce predictable followers.
Unpredictable leaders produce unpredictable
followers.”