Influence
I've been thinking a lot about the topic of leadership a lot these days. Not only because it has obvious connections to my degree, but also because as I'm growing and learning more about myself, i've stumbled across a couple of things.
My friend Obi from New Jersey once told me...you're not a musician. At first, I was thinking that maybe this guys' head is getting a little too big, but then i stepped back from the emotion (of course, i also knew he wasn't trying to put me down). I asked...what exactly is a musician? and maybe i'm not one. Just because you can lead a music team, and help people connect with God in music - doesn't necessarily mean that you are a musician. Of course, I have also met people, who didn't have a single note built into them but they were still wildly successful at leading music teams. was it their musical ability? in those cases - certainly not, because they had none. So while, i do have some skill in music, I'm quite sure that my musicianship(while it helps), has not made me a better leader. my leadership skills is what has carried me.
its appropriate of course to define exactly what a musician is. I have to say that i'm not defining it by the general consensus of what a musician is. typically, the understanding is that if you have some skill with some musical instrument - you are a musician. What i'm referring to though, is "real" musicians. people who eat, breathe and live music. People who love to play music and share their gift with the world. people whose sole purpose in life is music - yes i'm sure you have one in your mind right now. weird? i don't think so...its because, that is how they are made, thats how they are wired. I know thats not how i'm wired. the reason i am involved in music is because of the relationships, and in my context, the spiritual value that comes out of it.
I know if you had asked me this question two years ago, i would have admitted that my gifting is more in leadership than music. its not a new thing for me, but i guess its settled slowly over the last little while. and like snow that packs down slowly, and turns into a giant rock hard glacier....so the seeds of these of thoughts have begun to take root.
so then i naturally ask myself - well what has made your mildly successful at what you do? there is only one thing left - leadership. wow. so as i've been soaking that in, i've come up with some thoughts about leadership. like the above paragraph, its stuff that i knew about before, but its now starting to really firm up.
the ability to influence someone is a gift. Some might say its from God, others might say its a natural ability. People make the mistake too many times of assuming influence over someone just because they happen to be in a position of authority. Authority and influence are two different things. one demands from because it can and another invites and inspires. Conversely, too many people place undue authority on somebody just because they happen to have something you don't possess. i don't care much for authority but maybe its because i've been involved with it my whole life. on both sides of the spectrum. I'd rather influence someone instead of be their boss.
the ability to influence someone is a gift. its not what you do, its who you are. some people in charge like to think that they can limit your influence by limiting your authority. if they don't get a chance to lead, they can't influence anyone. wrong again. the ability to influence someone is not dependent (necessarily) on your words or actions. its in who you are. of course, who you are affects what you do, so don't think its got absolutely nothing to do with it. but its starting point isn't in action, its in your integrity as a human being.
the scary thing is for me? out of five and a half years of full time work, I've been a manager for about four and half years out of those years. was it because i was a marksman and gold star athelete? I don't think so. was it because I made a mean caramel macchiato, and could work the bar like diana krall on the piano? probably not. perhaps it was my vast knowledge of hardware parts to fit your home improvement parts. no way jose. I know I know, its my vast knowledge of movies from directors that spanned the life spans of Cecil B Demille and Andrew Adamson. no, i suck at movie trivia.
Can i tell you what i've done consciously? not really, leadership for me has always just heppened. since i've been in school, i've studied the topic if leadership more in depth, and i'm fascinated by it. but not in a notetaking, database forming type of knowledge. in sort of a weird, settling down of things my soul has always been familiar with.
the ability to influence someone is a gift. I'm sure one day, it can even be taken a away or just lost. I wonder what that day will be like...
My friend Obi from New Jersey once told me...you're not a musician. At first, I was thinking that maybe this guys' head is getting a little too big, but then i stepped back from the emotion (of course, i also knew he wasn't trying to put me down). I asked...what exactly is a musician? and maybe i'm not one. Just because you can lead a music team, and help people connect with God in music - doesn't necessarily mean that you are a musician. Of course, I have also met people, who didn't have a single note built into them but they were still wildly successful at leading music teams. was it their musical ability? in those cases - certainly not, because they had none. So while, i do have some skill in music, I'm quite sure that my musicianship(while it helps), has not made me a better leader. my leadership skills is what has carried me.
its appropriate of course to define exactly what a musician is. I have to say that i'm not defining it by the general consensus of what a musician is. typically, the understanding is that if you have some skill with some musical instrument - you are a musician. What i'm referring to though, is "real" musicians. people who eat, breathe and live music. People who love to play music and share their gift with the world. people whose sole purpose in life is music - yes i'm sure you have one in your mind right now. weird? i don't think so...its because, that is how they are made, thats how they are wired. I know thats not how i'm wired. the reason i am involved in music is because of the relationships, and in my context, the spiritual value that comes out of it.
I know if you had asked me this question two years ago, i would have admitted that my gifting is more in leadership than music. its not a new thing for me, but i guess its settled slowly over the last little while. and like snow that packs down slowly, and turns into a giant rock hard glacier....so the seeds of these of thoughts have begun to take root.
so then i naturally ask myself - well what has made your mildly successful at what you do? there is only one thing left - leadership. wow. so as i've been soaking that in, i've come up with some thoughts about leadership. like the above paragraph, its stuff that i knew about before, but its now starting to really firm up.
the ability to influence someone is a gift. Some might say its from God, others might say its a natural ability. People make the mistake too many times of assuming influence over someone just because they happen to be in a position of authority. Authority and influence are two different things. one demands from because it can and another invites and inspires. Conversely, too many people place undue authority on somebody just because they happen to have something you don't possess. i don't care much for authority but maybe its because i've been involved with it my whole life. on both sides of the spectrum. I'd rather influence someone instead of be their boss.
the ability to influence someone is a gift. its not what you do, its who you are. some people in charge like to think that they can limit your influence by limiting your authority. if they don't get a chance to lead, they can't influence anyone. wrong again. the ability to influence someone is not dependent (necessarily) on your words or actions. its in who you are. of course, who you are affects what you do, so don't think its got absolutely nothing to do with it. but its starting point isn't in action, its in your integrity as a human being.
the scary thing is for me? out of five and a half years of full time work, I've been a manager for about four and half years out of those years. was it because i was a marksman and gold star athelete? I don't think so. was it because I made a mean caramel macchiato, and could work the bar like diana krall on the piano? probably not. perhaps it was my vast knowledge of hardware parts to fit your home improvement parts. no way jose. I know I know, its my vast knowledge of movies from directors that spanned the life spans of Cecil B Demille and Andrew Adamson. no, i suck at movie trivia.
Can i tell you what i've done consciously? not really, leadership for me has always just heppened. since i've been in school, i've studied the topic if leadership more in depth, and i'm fascinated by it. but not in a notetaking, database forming type of knowledge. in sort of a weird, settling down of things my soul has always been familiar with.
the ability to influence someone is a gift. I'm sure one day, it can even be taken a away or just lost. I wonder what that day will be like...
posted by Cheryl & Darrell | 9:20 AM
6 Comments:
Good post Darrell, lots of good nuggets in that. I think I know where you are coming from as well.
Don't worry too much about trying to label gifts and ministries and how you influence people. By not letting us know all the time what the outcome of our influence is, God is able to keep us humble. It isn't always possible to separate out one gift from another, even if one seems more obviously used than others. Often they work in conjuction with each other and we are not fully aware of each detail of how God is using us, or by what gifting. Such separation of categories is very North American technological mentality. Go with the daily flow and all things regarding your gifts and influences will become known as necessary. God is lovingly mysterious.
wow, the geographer in you manifested itself in the "and like snow that packs down slowly, and turns into a giant rock hard glacier....so the seeds of these of thoughts have begun to take root."
if you have truly been able to influence others in their path... inviting and inspiring them, thru their journey of life, the gift will never be lost, because the fruit of your gift is in that person, and will hopefully be paid forward to another individual.
dL
Good post D. While it's good to understand how God has made you and recognize the gifts He has given you, the most important thing is to be obedient. Take the opportunities that God gives you to lead - but also be willing to be lead when God puts others in the leadership role.
I love Cecil B. Demille! (and his rendition of the Ten Commandments.)
One thing I should have made clearer in my post, is often, I'm not interested in leadership. So i'm glad to follow other capable leaders. I liked the hierarchy of authority when I was a police officer or retail management. Even though you were in authority over some, there are always people who are in authority over you. Because i realise that leadership is a gift, when the opportunity is offered to me, I usually respond with earnestness. honestly though, I seldom covet it, as i realise the immense responsibiliies that come with it. this is especially so in a volunteer organism like Christian ministry. My motivations in a paid position is different sometimes. Of course what makes this complicated, is that I might get a paid position in a christian ministry. what then of leadership? at least with the music teams that i lead, I often do not enjoy it when the sole responsibilities are on my shoulders. sharing responsibilities is not only fun, but i believe its one of the marks of a true leader.
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