Becoming An Extraordinary LeaderExemplo

“Lead With All Your Soul”

The soul is the part of us that longs to know God. It’s the epicenter of morality, integrity, humility, and servanthood. It is the spiritual component of our leadership and gives us the sensitivity to engage in the conversations that help lead people closer to God. It is the distinction that sets you apart as a faith-based leader.

Leading from your soul is seeking to have the character of Christ formed in you. Character is often defined as who you are when no one is looking. It means purposefully pursuing the elements that will help you grow regardless of whether they get immediate attention. It is experiencing God’s best developed in us.

Our character as leaders is essential for our influence. Every move we make is watched, studied, mimicked, followed, or criticized. If people do not see God’s work in our lives, we have limited influence by which to lead them. Developing the character of Christ is our ultimate goal. We should desire for those we lead to see God consistently in us.

Jesus’ way is countercultural. Choosing to align ourselves with the character of Christ will always win in the long run over the cut-throat tactics of the marketplace. Living a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control will get attention. It looks different. People want to be valued and respected, and when that is consistently how you treat them, you are practicing spiritual leadership whether or not you ever quote a scripture or are given the opportunity to share your faith more specifically.

How do your actions support your belief system? How do you conduct your business? How do you treat others? As a person of faith, you must define the God-honoring attributes of a follower of Christ and then consider whether your daily actions display these qualities well.

Questions for Reflection:
• How much is your faith involved in your work?
• What Christ-like character qualities do you need to seek to develop?