Pensamientos 2.0

Annotated question #2 for Module 3... What is required of me to be a leader? ... Enjoy!

I've been pondering all of the things we have learned, the stories that have been told, and where we are as leaders. Where do we see ourselves on the scale of effectiveness?

This last week a lot of my thoughts have centered around religion and Jesus Christ as I prepared and taught a lesson on obedience. There was a talk called "The Perfect Executive" by LDS Presidnet Spencer W. Kimball. He said:

"Jesus was a patient, pleading, loving leader who didn't grow impatient with those he lead.

"And when Peter drew his sword and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear, Jesus said, "Put of thy sword inthe the sheath" (John 18:11). Without anger or being perturbed, the incident passed.

"You will recall his saying several times, "Come follow me." HIs was a program of "Do what I do", rather than "Do what I say." HIs innate brilliance would have permitted him to put on a dazzling display, but that would have left his followers far behind. He walked and worked with those he was to serve. His was not a long-distance leadership. He was not afraid of close friends or that proximity to him would disappoint his followers. The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others until we are with and serve those to be led.

"Jesus kept himself virtuous and thus, when his closeness to the people permitted them to touch the hem of his garment, virtue could flow from him. The woman in the large press of people touched his garment: "For she said, if I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole... And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?" (Mark 5: 8, 30).

"We are not perfect as Jesus was, but unless those about us can see us striving and improving, they will not be able to look to us for example and they will see us as less than fully serious about the things to be done."

This takes me back to my earlier thought about Mother Teresa, to Norma Rae, to Sir Thomas, and to many of the accounts we have read in our texts. They were leaders from the field; they were not afraid of proximity to those around them; in a sense, virtue flowed from them and radiated to those around them.

Do we worry sometimes about putting on a "dazzeling display" to impress those around us, thus losing our followers along the way? Do we push people away because we are afraid they will become competition? Are we striving to improve each day, thus inspiring those around us to do the same?