A Life of Transformation - World Evangelical Alliance

A Festschrift for Colonel Doner
ence can tell whether your identification with them is authentic or
opportunistic. If the leader is authentically empathetic, his words
resonate within the hearer: “Yes, he’s right. This is the answer.”
The leader must also value those he would lead. A leader like
George Patton or Robert E. Lee could demand (and receive) superhuman
effort from their men because at a gut level those men
knew they were not reviewed as just cannon fodder (even though
it may turn out that way). Conversely, when the flock figures out
the shepherd really doesn’t care all that much about their personal
welfare, they scatter. The old adage “people don’t care how much
you know until they know how much you care (about them)” would
have saved more than a few pastors the loss of their parish.
Risks
A leader must be ever vigilant for any opportunity which allows
him to advance or strengthen his cause, mobilize new
resources, or exploit a new opening to circumvent troublesome
obstacles. Carpe Diem (cease the day) – let no day or opportunity
slip by – should be his morning mantra. Consequently he must
constantly be willing to take risks, which alone may qualify one as
a leader, in that as the vast majority of men are “risk averse” to the
extreme. To be successful, however, the leader must learn how to
carefully weigh each risk, to have a “contingency plan,” to take a
prudent risk, if you will. The wisdom required (and the humility
to obtain wise counsel) will once again set the successful leader
apart from many who would lead but will fail because they never
learned to calculate risk or pack an extra parachute.
Large Spirit
A leader needs to be generous in overlooking human frailty
and in rewarding and acknowledging others’ contributions. In other
words, he needs to be magnanimous. No one wants to follow a
small-minded, mean-spirited, glory-hogging cheapskate.” And God
gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and
largeness of heart like the sand in the seashore” (1Kn. 4:29)
Readers
Another cliché, time worn but true: there’s simply no substitute
for reading deeply and widely to understand your strategic
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