FOLLOW THE LEADERimmorality would not spread to others. Put outside the spiritual security
of the Church, God would use the world and Satan to discipline him unto
death if necessary “...so his spirit would be saved on the day of the Lord
Jesus.” As long as this church problem was not dealt with, spiritual life
and health could not grow in the church at Corinth.
Principle:
“Th e measure of success is not whether
you have a tough problem, but whether
it is the same problem you had last year.”^2
(John Foster Dulles, Former Secretary of State)Effective leaders must not only be perceptive of the place they are in, the
people they are with, the potential that they represent, and the possibilities
that confront them – they must also be sensitive to the problems that
inevitably arise in leading people. They must be willing to squarely face
those problems – regardless of how difficult or distasteful they may be.
Problem-solving cannot be separated from leadership. A leader who
cannot – or will not – face and solve problems, will not lead for very
long.
Principle:
“A leader should look for what is wrong,
not to criticize it but to correct it.”^3
(Fred Smith)Effective leadership is based upon effective problem-solving. Almost every
great leader emerged by confronting and solving some major problem
that others either ignored, or failed to solve. As they faced the problem –
and found a viable solution – their leadership became evident to others.
People are drawn to someone who is not afraid of problems and who is able
to successfully confront them. Every problem has within it the potential to
produce a leader. Problems are the building blocks of leadership! They
are the raw materials out of which the gifts of leadership are refined.
As John Maxwell has observed: “Every problem introduces you to yourself. It
shows you how you think and what you’re made of.”^4