LEADERS ARE PERCEPTIVElong, their choice of Saul as king proved to be very costly to them from
every perspective! On the outside he looked kingly – but on the inside he
had the heart of a tyrant. Even though he was physically tall and had the
stature of a “man’s man”, his spirit was infantile and his emotions were
childish. Since Saul never “mastered his moods” – his moods mastered him.
His leadership vacillated from one fleshy outburst to another. His people
were constantly victimized by his carnality! The life and leadership of
King Saul is a poignant and perpetual reminder that surface appearance
is not God’s perspective. God reminded Samuel as he sought for Saul’s
successor: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks
at the heart” (I Sam. 16:7). When it comes to leadership in His Kingdom,
God always looks for “...a man after His own heart” (I Sam. 13:14).
Most leadership gifts require some degree of public speaking. A good
leader must learn to “read his audience.” He must be ever discerning of
the internal emotional atmosphere in the heart and mind of his listener.
A leader is acutely aware that his listeners and followers are generally
preoccupied mentally and emotionally with certain recurring thoughts,
memories, feelings and emotions. Most people are scarred by hurts; pained by
memories; crippled by fear; paralyzed by failure. The Christian leader must
help them to consciously recognize – and positively deal with – their
mental and emotional baggage. If he is unable to help them change their
focus from fear to faith, they will not be able to follow him to new goals.
He must, therefore, be able to lead them from where they are to where
God wants them to be.
If the leader is not perceptive of where his listeners and followers are
spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, then he will not know whether they
are “with him” – or whether he has “lost them.” If the leader is not
sensitive to the people, he will waste time “answering questions no one is
asking.” He will “scratch where no one is itching!” He will pour out a lot
of energy and effort on “non-issues.”
Principle:
“ You can’t make important decisions
without talking about the real issues.”^2
(John Kotter, Harvard Business School)