John Sweetman
I’ve written much about the kind of leadership God requires of those who follow him. I hope that you’re developing a solid understanding of the heart of Christian leadership.
Now over the next few weeks I want to explore the question, “Does 21st century culture require a new or different form of Christian leadership?”
Culture, church and Christianity in the 21st century are big issues which are explored in detail in units that we teach at Malyon. This is not the place for an in-depth examination of the subject. However, to help with orientation to the issue, here is a table that I have adapted from Lawrence (2004, 43). It summarises some of the ideas that we will explore.
|
|
Builders (born pre-1945) |
Baby boomers (1945-65) |
New generation (1966+) |
|
Value |
Faithful |
Productive |
Involved |
|
First commitment |
Organisation |
Ministry |
People |
|
Role of leader |
Stability & direction |
Produce growth |
Consult/understand |
|
Working with others |
Prefer alone |
See need for team |
Only work in team |
|
Key question |
Is it true? |
Does it work? |
How does it feel? |
|
What counts |
Experience |
Competence |
Involvement |
|
Facing disagreement |
Avoid, direct |
Be pragmatic |
Consult, listen |
Like most generalisations and simplifications, this table doesn’t really describe any individual. All leaders are driven and moulded by a complex variety of issues of which generation of birth is only one.
But it is certainly true that cultures are different and therefore may produce a different form of leadership. For example, Australian indigenous leadership looks very different from American business leadership.
So it is possible that different experiences in life (culture) will develop different leadership values. They may not be as clear-cut as the table suggests, but they are worth exploring in order to understand ourselves, the other-generation leaders we are working with, and the future of Christian leadership.
In Leadership Divided, Carucci (2006), a secular business consultant, points out that the growing retirement of baby boomers has produced a leadership crisis around the globe. According to a recent survey, 94% of North American human resource professionals say their organisations are inadequately preparing younger-generation employees to be senior leaders (Carucci 2006, 5).
Carucci’s response is that older leaders are looking for the wrong types of leaders. They want to replicate themselves, but the new leaders have no desire to lead in the way that they have been led. These new leaders have a different paradigm of leadership. They are looking for different relationships.
We will explore whether this is true and what the Bible says about it.
Daniel Goleman has led the emotional leadership / intelligence school for 15 years.
His research (and others) indicate the most desirable leadership quality that followers want is “approachability”.
The other desired traits people want to see in their leaders, largely follow the qualities that Christians know as the fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23