Leaders, Drivers, and Losers.

[lazarus]

A thoughtful article by Ed Dickerson. My thinking is that our current GC president has the "driver" in him.

http://www.atoday.org/article/1403/columns/dickerson-ed/leaders-drivers-and-losers?search=losers

We had a brand new conference president, addressing the workers for the first time. “One of the most important things about any organization,” he began, “is unity.” I knew right then we were in trouble. It was more than thirty years ago, and I was not yet quite thirty years old, but already I had experienced real leadership—and this wasn’t it.

As we discussed the situation later, my wife said, “I don’t get it. Wasn’t he right? Isn’t unity important in an organization?”

She had me there. Still, I knew something was wrong, and time would sadly confirm my initial judgment. The new conference president brought in new department heads, one of whom, my boss, declared, “P.R. is everything.” Things went quickly downhill from there.

When I decided to leave the conference two years later, the “P.R. is everything” man asked, “Am I going to get blamed for you leaving?” I shook my head in disbelief. It hadn’t occurred to me that anyone should be blamed. But I suppose when P.R. is everything. . . .

Years later, when the Governor of my state asked, “Where’s Ed? He gets the first pen. This bill would not have passed without his leadership,” I was gratified, but surprised. I hadn’t given leadership a thought. My only concern had been how to get enough support, both within the legislature and in the larger community, to bring relief to the state’s families.

My experiences, in business, politics, and the church, have given me the opportunity to study and experience leaders and leadership in a number of settings. Over the years, I have formulated a few observations. I realize that these observations have implications for the current situation in the world church, and in the coming election. But that’s not the primary motivation for mentioning them now. I’m focused on the great need for leadership in our homes, churches, businesses, and communities.

[Woody]

Yes. The author is a great person. Met him some years back. A lotta horse power in that brain.