More interesting quotes

In response to my blog post yesterday, a couple of friends shared some well-known leadership quotes with me yesterday via Facebook. 1) "The goal of every leader should be to replace themselves" and 2) "You can tell the leader by who's following. I guess that's pretty obvious, but is it?"

Keeping in mind I'm talking about leadership in the church, let's look at the first statement for a minute. You'd think it would be a "duh" statement, but it's really an incredibly difficult test of faith, especially when there's money involved. If you're a ministry leader who is making a paid living, and you happen to like your position, how motivated are you - really - to keep your eyes focused on God's plan for His church? Or do you equate the fact that you have your position, and must remain in your position, with God's plan for His church? I don't think I really need to expand on this thought any further. I will say this, though - if you are focused on God's vision for His church, you will be raising up other leaders who could easily take over for you in the event God either calls you home or into ministry elsewhere. Some of you leaders out there have made yourselves so indispensable that you are actually missed, and things don't run as smoothly when you are not present. That, my friend, is incredibly short-sighted and self-absorbed. Chew on that a while.

The second statement should also be a given, but it's not in every case. Leaders have all sorts of followers, and I believe it's the quality, not the quantity of followers that tells of the leader's effectiveness. Are people following you because they want to, or because they have to?

How did that last question make you feel just now?