LEADERSHIP IN HINDUISM

  

Becoming a Dharmic leader, or one who truly represents the Vedic path of Sanatana-dharma, is similar to becoming the ultimate revolutionary, but a spiritual revolutionary. It is being an agent of reality in a world that still lacks reality, meaning the genuine basis of what is our true spiritual identity. This is beyond politics or a violent revolution against the typical establishment construct, or anything like that. But it is working to bring in a new dimension, a higher consciousness, and a loftier awareness of who and what we are. It is like the saying by George Orwell: In a time of deceit, telling the truth itself becomes a revolutionary act. In this way, in this age of Kali-yuga, a time when the basis of most business transactions, politics, or relations in general is deceit and dishonesty, becoming truthful enough to speak the deeper truth of spiritual reality and following Vedic Dharma itself becomes revolutionary.

            Of course, “revolution” is a word which invokes many images or ideas. But in the sense in which we are speaking, it has nothing to do with promoting some kind of uprising against the present establishment, government, dictators, or the like. It is much more refined. It is an internal quest of an individual to reach one’s real identity as a spiritual being and then assist others in doing the same. It is a matter of reaching the ultimate freedom a person can attain. Only after becoming truly free can a person help others also become free. You cannot free others if you are tied up or confined in the same trap of ego and ego-based conceptions that are promoted and perpetuated in much of  society. In the end truth prevails, thus the main endeavor of a Dharmic leader is to never stop finding the ways to present the real truth and meaning of the deepest spiritual knowledge, which is the Vedic philosophy, for this is what can overcome all obstacles in time. Therefore, Dharmic leaders must operate on many different levels and help others in many different ways.

            Therefore, Dharmic leaders and Agents of Reality are:

1. Always working to be in touch with their higher spiritual realizations and perceptions. A Dharmic leader, teacher or guide always makes sure that he works on his own spiritual development in order to stay in touch with the spiritual dimension. That is his foundation, his inspiration, and the basis for his insights and his motivation in helping all others. Without that he knows that he cannot be free enough to lead others to the same freedom.

2. A Dharmic leader must know how to free others from being a prisoner of the false aims and perspectives that are commonplace in materialistic life. Because a true Dharmic leader has a connection with the spiritual realm through his own spiritual development, he naturally wants to give the same to others, and works for that purpose. This kind of freedom cannot be fully appreciated until it is experienced. And that is the object of everything that a Dharmic leader does. Through this process, a Dharmic leader works to help free others from the illusions, the bodily concept of life, and find the ways to deliver the higher perception of the purpose of life in a way that others can understand. This must include everyone so that no one is left behind. Thus, he lives for the benefit of others. 

As Dharmic leaders, we are trying to free others from this limited dimension of existence and bring them to a higher level of spiritual reality, at least for those who are acceptable to it. Here the material existence is like a temporary dream from which we need to awaken and of which to be free, and we must know how to maneuver our way through it.

3. A leader also has to fully understand the importance of the Vedic spiritual knowledge and its culture, follow it appropriately, and show by example how others can also benefit from it.

4. A Dharmic leader must also be properly educated in the Vedic spiritual knowledge and to work to spread that genuine spiritual information and culture for everyone’s well-being. When questioned about Vedic philosophy and culture, he must know how to answer with an equipoised mind and with proper responses. He must know how to deal with practical issues, both in the temples and how they operate and are managed, and also in regard to social issues, like casteism, caring for the poor, dealing with discrimination, and other matters that are often found in India.

He must know how to educate others so that they also understand, in whatever way is best for them, the importance of this information and how to apply it to their lives. It cannot be given in a way that appears overly lofty, impractical or too unapproachable by the average person. The point is that if a person does not understand this knowledge, they will never be able to remember it, and if they cannot remember it, they will never be able to apply it to their lives. Thus, the importance of receiving this spiritual knowledge from a Dharmic leader who has the cultivated knowledge from proper references and is also experienced or realized and knows how to explain it in practical terms is most important.

            Furthermore, Dharmic leaders must know how to explain the customs and their purpose to others, not merely go through the rituals without describing the reasons for them or what is going on. He must be able to explain the objective of the rituals and the benefits of performing them so that people comprehend their purpose. Otherwise, if such rituals do not make sense, or if people do not appreciate their purpose, soon they will be given up and forgotten.   

5. A Dharmic leader must not afraid to be inventive and look at and try to use new ways to infuse the message of Vedic Dharma that can be fun, enjoying and entertaining for both the young and old in order to invoke their desire to learn more. There are so many ways to do this. Otherwise, the message can seem to get old and boring, and then people lose interest. Another problem with many Hindus is that they think they already know all they need to know, and there is no longer any reason to learn, study, or take guidance. But when it comes time for them to explain the Vedic culture to someone else, they are at a loss for what to do. This means that, if they cannot even remember enough to repeat or present to others, then actually they have a long way to go, but may refuse to admit it. A Dharmic leader, however, can even invent new ways of teaching the message, while maintaining the proper and traditional standards. The fact is that there will need to be new variations in the approach of teaching it for each succeeding generation to make it interesting.

            6. A true Dharmic leader knows that all religions are not the same. Dharmic leaders must understand the profound and deep nature of the Vedic philosophy and not resort to some wimpy idea that all religions are the same. They are not, and you will know that if you seriously study each one. They all take you to different levels of consciousness and understanding of who you are, the purpose of life and the universe, what is God, what is the soul, and so on. Some consist mostly of moralistic principles and rules for living, and hardly touch the higher principles of deep spiritual realization. Others are more like forced dogmas which must not be questioned too much, whereas the Vedic system is to guide a person to their own ability to perceive their spiritual identity and the higher dimension, not to merely depend on blind faith. Thus, all religions are not the same, and a Dharmic leader must know how to distinguish the differences between them.

            7. Dharmic leaders understand the need to bring in the spiritual energy and infinite love that is so essential for us to become complete while living in a world that is increasingly ruled and controlled by the darkness of materialism and all the negative qualities that come with it, such as anger, jealousy, envy, prejudice, competition, hatred, etc. Infinite love is the love coming from the Supreme Being. We must be clear mediums through which that love may come so that it can be received and experienced by others.

8. A Dharmic leader will also help free others from false or misleading political views and its corruption, and from sham economic strategies and promises that are often promoted by the agents of this ignorance that misleads the general masses in a way that benefits the few for profit and power at the expense of the many. This is part of the false aims of life that distract one from the spiritual goals that are the real purpose of human existence.

            We need to work to set up a life of simplicity as an alternative to the oncoming crisis of peak oil, water shortages, environmental collapse, or other economic or political disasters, the likes of which few are working to prevent. However, if a Dharmic leader becomes successful at receiving large donations of money or land, he shows the proper example by using it for the highest good to help others both spiritually and materially, while he lives a simple life. This leads to the next point:

9. Any Dharmic leader must be beyond suspicion of inappropriate activities or association. They must act in such a way to be free from any rumors or the appearance of any improprieties.

            Especially if one is wearing saffron, which is the color of renunciation, he must be free from the association of women. (If such a leader is a woman, then she must be free from unnecessary association with men.) A person wearing saffron should never be alone with a woman. That is the proper etiquette, but also because there may be those who are simply looking for a reason to spread accusations, or who try to bring an important person in the Vedic community down and ruin his or her reputation, influence, position, or life, which thus reflects back on the culture or tradition he represents in negative ways. Therefore, Dharmic leaders must be pure in all of their actions so that they do not become vulnerable to false appearances and so that they may lead by example.

            Nonetheless, a Dharmic leader knows the spiritual equality between the sexes, that both men and women are spiritual beings inside different material bodies that are like various costumes or appearances. He realizes and knows the different roles that they can play in family life, temple management, and the importance of women role models in the community and in temples. But he also knows he must never exploit others or use his position to his advantage, and, thus, is never seen in situations that can be controversial, or become food for rumors. He must be beyond suspicion of any kind.

10. Dharmic leaders must know how to collaborate with those who are from various Vedic affiliations so they can all work together to achieve the protection and preservation and practice of the Dharma. Then we can join together as one unit by using each other’s various experiences and talents for reaching something extraordinary.

In this way, unity amongst other Dharmists is also extremely important because there is strength in numbers. And the more who work together, the more force there is for the preservation and proper promotion or defense of the Vedic culture from those who try to unnecessarily criticize it or even try to bring about its extinction. The more we work together, the easier everything becomes.

Therefore, collaborating with the larger community, and with other Vedic organizations, temples, etc., and working with the power of the collective as opposed to small groups, much more can be accomplished. Dharmists in general must let go of their ego and show how to work together. The entire Vedic community, when working in a united way, can more effectively help pass laws, institute changes to suite their needs, get the attention of politicians, and show that their vote can and will make a difference. That will provide much more influence when dealing with local government agencies. This can also help provide assistance for the whole community in times of need. Working with the collective with proper leadership will always show much more efficiency, power, and speed at getting things done than merely working alone or as only one temple or one small group.

            11. A Dharmic leader must be able to delegate duties and activities to others who are also enthused to participate in working for Sanatana-dharma. Such people can then become enlivened to continue in their work and endeavors with confidence.

            In this regard, a Dharmic leader must also know how to enhance the Hindu/Vedic Community through the temples. This means to understand the importance of uniting the community with festivals, holidays, customs, and through the performance of seva. This seva or service that can be performed by other Dharmists in the community can include helping manage the temple, serving the deities in the temples, providing the means for making the temples more effective and useful to the community, and so on. Community services, such as health fairs, orprasada and food distribution, distribution of clothes to the needy, or so many other programs, can be parts of that seva in the mood of service.

Dharmic leaders must know how to coordinate activities for the protection and promotion of the Dharma, whether it is writing letters, establishing promotional campaigns, doing radio shows, television programs, or producing videos, newsletters, websites, and so on. Each leader may not know all of the ways or details to do each endeavor, but he should know how to coordinate and inspire those who do to work in unity for the ultimate goal.

            In this way, a Dharmic leader should recognize and unite people around a common set of Vedic values, concepts and traditions that can be the universal uniting factors between all Hindus or Dharmists.

            12. A Dharmic leader must also know that many people everywhere are looking for a higher level of spiritual perception and experience, but they simply do not always know where to look. This may include Indians and westerners alike. Many are those who are looking for deeper spiritual knowledge to which they can feel a stronger connection, and many are those who become attracted to the Vedic spiritual path once they know what it is and learn more about it. It is not proper for Hindus to feel that they are some exclusive group that few others can join. Such an attitude is but a prescription for a slow extinction of Vedic culture, at least in this world. Sanatana-dharma includes everyone as spiritual beings. So a Dharmic leader provides the means and openness so others, meaning non-Dharmists, can learn about the Vedic tradition, its spiritual knowledge, temple rituals and customs, or even attend yoga classes, instruction on meditation, temple festivals, and so on, to see what it has to offer, and how it may assist them in their own spiritual progress, or even bring them a deeper level of joy and happiness. There have been many instances when such people have taken a strong attraction to the Vedic culture to lend much support to other Dharmists and the tradition itself, or who have fully taken it up in their lives and now recognize themselves as Hindus, Dharmists. Such access has often lead to greater degrees of harmony and understanding with the local community.

            From this mid-set, from this perception, and from the infinite love that manifests in a true Dharmic leader’s heart, comes the attitude as summarized by the phrase “No Hindu left behind.” No Dharmist or devotee should be left behind. A true Dharmic leader will feel this in the core of his heart. He knows that he is merely mirroring the love of God to all others in the life he leads and in the actions he performs, and in the love and patience he shows to everyone. But it is also in his heart where he feels that no Hindu can be left behind. There is space for everyone, just as there is space for everyone in the spiritual world. No one can be left behind. Everyone is a part of the whole, the Complete. We merely have to awaken that completeness within ourselves. When everyone shares this vision, when it is shared amongst the whole community, that community becomes extremely powerful. When everyone is imbibed with such spiritual unity, concerned for the welfare of all, then the spiritual vibration is no longer something to acquire but it is something to witness, to experience, and to bring together through all like-minded people who work in that unity to expand that spiritual vibration, that higher energy that exists within us all. 

            The key to this love is in everyone, but a Dharmic leader knows how to draw it out and provide the means for everyone to focus on it and perceive it as their own ultimate value, self-worth, and their own offering to God and the community. Everyone in the Vedic community must see all others as Dharmic brothers and sisters who are eligible to make the same spiritual progress as anyone else. No Hindu left behind. That means everyone is eligible to enter the temple, everyone is eligible to participate in the rituals, the sadhana or spiritual practice, and the core identity of being a Hindu, Dharmist and devotee. No Hindu left behind. Everyone should feel they have a place and are valued and have something to contribute. This is the basis of enthusiasm, which everyone should feel. This is the power a united Dharmic community. No Hindu is left behind. When this is established, it creates a most positive atmosphere in all who participate, it creates a very positive future, and it creates a winning team in which many others will want to join. Who would not be attracted? Everyone wants to be in a warm and loving environment, and there is no reason why Hindus cannot create that for the whole community. And if someone cannot accept this, if someone cannot see the unity that we all share spiritually on the Vedic path, then they have not yet understood the basic Vedic principles of Sanatana-dharma. It means that they are still in the illusion, they are in the depths of maya. Yet, no one should be left in such a condition. Everyone should be taught and shown how to raise their own vision, consciousness and spiritual perception of who they are and the spiritual unity they share with everyone else. After all, no Hindu, Dharmists or devotee left behind. We must raise everyone up to higher and higher levels of consciousness, higher and higher levels of perception. Then we all become very powerful in our ability to change this world, and bring in the spiritual vibration for one and all. That is the purpose of the Vedic philosophy and its peaceful and joyful traditions.

            With that ideal of no Hindu left behind, the Dharmic leader knows how to instill the unity for everyone to take a stand, to defend and preserve the Vedic culture and all who participate in it. The usual apathy amongst Hindus is what must be given up and cast aside as we all gather momentum to make sure we all have our freedom to follow the principles, the customs, and the traditions of the Vedic path well into the future. 

            Isn’t this worth working for? Isn’t this worth dying for? What else is the purpose of life other than to benefit the spiritual well-being of others?

13. Finally, a Dharmic leader must create the means so that others can become future Dharmic leaders. It is not enough to be a leader, but such a person must also encourage and provide the means, the example and inspiration for others to become Dharmic leaders. We all grow old and eventually leave this world. So there must be those who are younger, who are trained, educated, experienced, and inspired to take up the cause and the position as a new Dharmic leader who can also work to preserve, protect and promote the Vedic tradition well into the future.

Naturally, not everyone may have the qualities, characteristics, or even inclination to be a Dharmic leader, but everyone can instead be a “Vedic Ambassador,” for which there is also a huge need. Everyone can join forces in the ranks of being a Vedic Ambassador, and all work together to show the benefits and advantages we all had the fortune to acquire through the practice and development of the Vedic tradition in our lives.

IDEAL LEADERSHIP

Resonant Leadership

Resonance is a powerful collective energy that reverberates among people and supports higher productivity, creativity, a sense of unity, a sense of purpose, and results. Resonance comes from our ability to use our own cognitive and biological systems to master skills of self-awareness, awareness of others, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
Resonant leaders use emotional and social intelligence skills to renew themselves, create positive relationships, and foster a healthy, vibrant environment to engage others toward a common goal. They do this through mindfulness, hope and compassion.
Mindfulness: The awareness of what is really happening within your body, mind, heart and spirit, while paying attention to what is going on around you.
Hope: Charting a course of action on clearly articulated goals, believing the goals can be met and eventually reaching them with a sense of well-being.
Compassion: Compassion is empathy in action — not just caring, but helping others to discover their dreams and helping to achieve them.
As importantly, Resonant Leaders manage negative emotions, using them carefully, consciously and appropriately. Such leaders exude emotions that are contagious and affect all around them. These leaders are consciously attuned to people, focus them on a common cause, build a sense of community, and create a climate that unleashes peoples' passion, energy, and unified spirit. They are able to remain calm and stay focused in order to manage themselves and others effectively under stress and/or when dealing with ambiguous circumstances. Resonant leaders also facilitate empowerment, acting in ways that leave the people around them (colleagues, team members, employees, suppliers, community members, etc.) feeling stronger and more capable. They encourage participation and teamwork by staying intensely in touch with what those they lead are thinking and feeling to motivate and energize them.
Resonant work environments support health and well-being, encourage collaboration and innovation, engage and motivate employees, and ultimately lead to improved overall performance.

Resonant Basics

Resonant leaders have a higher degree of emotional intelligence and a greater ability to connect personally with followers. They show empathy for employees struggling with life challenges. They are more likely to create harmony in a group and motivate workers to follow direction, even in tense company situations. Employees typically believe that a resonant leader cares as much about them as people as he does about their work performance.

Styles

Goleman identified which common leadership styles are associated with resonant and dissonant leaders. Visionaries, coaches, affiliators and democratic leaders were noted as types of resonant leaders. Visionaries are often known as charismatic or transformational leaders. They use personal qualities to inspire employees toward a common goal. Coaches use a close, mentoring approach with employees. Affiliators want group harmony above all else. This is beneficial in developing a team environment, though it may lead to inefficiency and poor discipline at the extreme. Democratic leaders use various forms of participative leadership and actively seek employee input or feedback.

Dissonant Basics

Dissonant leaders tend to operate more on the authoritative side of leadership. They maintain a greater social and emotional distance from employees. This can aid in times when orders must be delivered and executed urgently. However, dissonant leaders can cause emotional frustration, stress, burnout and disengagement among employees. While a dissonant leader often intends to remain objective and logical in decision-making, his approach is commonly viewed by employees as cold and distant.

Styles

The two styles Goleman linked to dissonant leadership were pacesetting and commanding. A pacesetter focuses heavily on getting employees to constantly ramp up efficiency and performance in meeting deadlines. While this approach may work in crunch time, it can wear on employees as a constant leadership style. A commander simply operates with a highly authoritative style. He expects employees to complete tasks quickly and without questioning. This conflicts with contemporary leadership approaches emphasizing empowerment and employee involvement.

The Myth of Christian Leadership 

In Reimagining Church , I argue that there is no special position or office called “leader” in the New Testament.
Some who haven’t read my work have misconstrued my position to suggest that I believe there are “no leaders” in the church . . . or that there shouldn’t be any.
Not true.
My position is the opposite. I believe that the New Testament envisions all Christians as leaders in their own sphere of ministry and gifting.
To put it another way, according to the New Testament, there is no clergy/laity distinction. Instead, all Christians are kleros (clergy) and all Christians are laos (laity).
The clergy/laity dichotomy is a tragic fault line that runs throughout the history of Christendom. Yet despite the fact that multitudes have taken the low road of dogmatism to defend it, this dichotomy is without biblical warrant.
The word “laity” is derived from the Greek word laos. It simply means “the people.” Laos includes all Christians—including elders.
The word appears three times in 1 Peter 2:9–10, where Peter refers to “the people [laos] of God.” Never in the New Testament does it refer to only a portion of the assembly. It didn’t take on this meaning until the third century. (I trace the historical roots in Pagan Christianity
.)
The term “clergy” finds its roots in the Greek word kleros. It means “a lot or an inheritance.” The word is used in 1 Peter 5:3, where Peter instructs the elders against being “lords over God’s heritage [kleros]” (kjv).
Significantly, kleros is never used to refer to church “leaders.” Like laos, it refers to God’s people—for they are His heritage. According to the New Testament, then, all Christians are “clergy” (kleros) and all are “laity” (laos). We are the Lord’s heritage and the Lord’s people.
To frame it differently, the New Testament doesn’t dispose of clergy. It makes all believers clergy.
Therefore, the clergy/laity dichotomy is a postbiblical concept that’s devoid of any scriptural warrant. It’s also a bothersome menace to what God has called the church to be—a functioning body.
There’s no hint of the clergy/laity or minister/layman schema in the history, teaching, or vocabulary of the New  Testament. This schema is a religious artifact that stems from the postapostolic disjunction of secular and spiritual.
In the secular/spiritual dichotomy, faith, prayer, and ministry are deemed the exclusive properties of an inner, sacrosanct world. A world that is detached from the whole fabric of life. But this disjunction is completely foreign to the New Testament ethos where all things are to bring glory to God—even the stuff of everyday life (1 Cor. 10:31).
I’m not alone in taking this view.
The term ‘laity’ is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from the Christian conversation.
~ Karl Barth
The clergy-laity tradition has done more to undermine New Testament authority than most heresies.
~ James D.G. Dunn
The clergy-laity dichotomy is a direct carry-over from pre-Reformation Roman Catholicism and a throwback to the Old Testament priesthood. It is one of the principal obstacles to the church effectively being God’s agent of the kingdom today because it creates a false idea that only ‘holy men,’ namely, ordained ministers, are really qualified and responsible for leadership and significant ministry. In the New Testament there are functional distinctions between various kinds of ministries but no hierarchical division between clergy and laity.
~ Howard Snyder
So what is the myth of Christian leadership?
The myth is that some are leaders and others aren’t . . . that some are part of the “clergy” class and others are part of the poor, miserable “laity.”
Now if all Christians are leaders, as I’m suggesting, then what is leadership? That’s an important question.
For years, I’ve held that leadership contains four elements:

1. Persuasion. I recently discovered that Stanley Hauerwas defines leadership this way also.
2. Influence. I recently learned that John Maxwell, the leadership guru, said, “Leadership is really nothing more than influence.” I’ve never read a book by Maxwell, but I stumbled across this quote last year on Twitter and found it interesting.
3. Giving direction – leadership is showing others “the next step,” which goes along with persuasion and influence.
4. Leadership “leads” or “points” to something/someone – for the Christian, it always points to Christ. Either in faith or action. As believers we lead/point/guide/direct people (both Christian and non-Christian) to the ultimate Leader, Jesus.

All four aspects of leadership are accomplished by precept and/or example.
For instance . . .

If you have a Facebook page and you recommend a book to someone, and only one person is persuaded or influenced to buy that book, then you just led them by your FB update.

If you decide to leave Facebook, stating your reasons why, and one person is persuaded by what you wrote to also leave Facebook, then you just led them by your example.

In both cases, you were leading.

If you’ve ever given direction to someone and they’ve heeded it, you were leading.

If you’ve ever corrected someone, and they received it, you were leading.

If you’ve ever led (brought) someone to Jesus Christ, you were leading.

If you’ve ever written a blog post, article, or book, and you influenced someone to take an action or adopt a viewpoint, then you were leading them.

If you’ve ever persuaded another human being to do anything, be it your spouse, child, parent, friend, co-worker, employee, etc., then you were leading them.

This makes all Christians leaders.
I lead every time I post a blog post, write a book, counsel someone, speak in front of an audience, or release a podcast message . And so do you (if you write or speak).
Leadership can be good or it can be bad. It can be helpful or harmful. It can be effective or weak. And, of course, some people influence more people than others based on the size of their “platform.”
“Great leaders” are people who by virtue of their lifestyle and wisdom have many followers who safely trust their guidance.
But the fact that they have large followings doesn’t entitle them to wield the special title of “leader” at the exclusion of everyone else. Unfortunately, many Christians obsess over being a “leader” today. Some to the point of frenzy.
Leadership exists, period.
And we all lead in various and sundry ways and arenas. We just differ in the kinds of things into which we lead others.
(I’ve heard some retort to this idea saying, “If all are leaders, then none are leaders.” But that doesn’t follow. It’s like saying, “If all are members of the body, then none are members of the body.” Or “if all are part of the priesthood of believers, then none are part of the priesthood.” This logic doesn’t work.)
That said, here are 10 things to consider about “leadership” and why the common idea that some Christians are leaders and others aren’t is a myth in my view (note that an entire book can be written to expand each point):
1. The New Testament never uses the term “leader.” In some translations, you’ll find the word “leader” only in a few texts. Hebrews 13:17, 14 and Romans 12:8, namely. But these are questionable translations of the Greek words. Those words are better translated as “guard,” “give care,” or “guide.” It’s the verb, not the noun. These texts almost certainly have in view the more spiritually mature overseers and elders. Overseers/elders are not “the” leaders of a local church. They simply lead in a specific capacity that’s different from the other members of the church. For details, see Reimagining Church  , Chapter 9-10.
2. Overseers (also called elders and shepherds in the New Testament) are part of the DNA of the church, but we have misunderstood these functions as “offices” that have inherent authority over other believers. Overseers/elders/shepherds certainly lead, but so do prophets, apostles, evangelists, teachers, exhorters, those who have gifts of mercy, helps, and every other function in the body of Christ. Christians have authority only in so far as they are revealing the mind of Christ is the authority. Again, all Christians lead according to their specific gifting. That’s the argument of 1 Corinthians 12.
3. Jesus Christ turned the common idea of leadership on its head. He did this in two ways. He took dead aim at the positional/titular view of leadership that was common among the Jews (Matt. 23:8-13). And He took dead aim at the hierarchical/top-down view of leadership that was common among the Gentiles (Matt. 20:25-28; Luke 22:25-26). For details, see Reimagining Church , Chapter 8.
4. Many Christians and churches have adopted and baptized the business model of leadership over/against the New Testament vision of leadership. Properly conceived and functioning, the ekklesia is a spiritual organism whose source is divine life. It’s not a human-constructed institution. Once this is fully understood, our understanding of leadership changes dramatically.
5. The New Testament doesn’t emphasize leadership. It emphasizes following Jesus (who is now in the Spirit) and living as a servant of Christ and a servant to others. According to the New Testament, all are gifted, all are servants (“ministers”), all are priests, and all have ministry as members of the body. In addition, all are called to be examples of Jesus.
6. None of the many words used for “office” in the Greek language are ever employed to describe a function or role in the church. New Testament scholar Robert Banks makes an indisputable case for this in his seminal book, PAUL'S Idea of Community.
7. The doctrine of “covering” was invented in the post-apostolic period, and it has no biblical merit. See Reimagining Church , Chapters 11-13 (entitled “Who is Your Covering?”) for details.
8. The modern obsession over leadership isn’t helpful. If Christians spent their time focusing on following Jesus Christ and sharing whatever He has given them with others (= functioning as a member of the body), opposed to obsessing over how to be a “leader,” the Kingdom of God would be better off. So it seems to me anyway.

9. Hebrews 13:17 confirms the idea that leadership is linked to persuasion. In that text, some translations have, “Obey them that are over you.” The Greek word for “obey” in this passage is not hupakuo, the garden-variety word for obedience used elsewhere in Scripture. It’s peitho (middle-passive form), which means to yield to persuasion. The author of Hebrews was simply saying, “Allow yourselves to be persuaded by those who are more mature in Christ than you are.” The word “over” and “rule” in some translations is a horrible reflection of the Greek. And according to Peter and Luke, elders/overseers aren’t over the flock, they are among it (1 Pet. 5:1, NIV; Acts 20:28, NASB).
10. Throughout the New Testament, only Jesus Christ is said to be the “head” of the church, which implies both source and rule. All leadership flows from His headship organically when a member of His body reveals His mind and will in a given situation. Christ has the power of speech, and He speaks through His body (this is the argument of 1 Corinthians 12:1ff.). And we all share the mind of Christ. His mind is not the exclusive property of a few.
Point: you don’t have to be an author, a pastor, or an elder of a local church to be a leader. In fact, some of the greatest Christian leaders I’ve known were neither.
Focus on following Jesus and you will be leading others naturally by your example, let alone by the things you say.
No doubt, someone reading this post may object to some of these points. And that’s fine. None of us can claim perfect insight. However, I address every objection to them I’ve heard (and more) in detail in Reimagining Church , which is a 320-page book. This is merely a preface to the subject.
For whatever it’s worth . . .
Is it possible that much of Christianity today is focused on being a leader when it should rather be focused on how to follow an indwelling Christ?
Be sure to read the comment section where “push-back” challenges are answered.
Everyone wants to be a leader.
Leadership is a position of honor.
It’s a position of power.
It’s a guarantee that you will make a mark on the world.
It’s more prestigious than being a servant.
More respected than being a follower.
And is a sign that you’ve arrived.
Leadership is a driving purpose for many.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

Leadership in and of itself is not a bad thing. Going to conferences, buying books and trying to become a better steward of your leadership gift aren’t wrong. Answering the call to be a leader isn’t an act of sin.
But when leadership is all we talk about, when it’s all we focus on, when our heart’s desire is to become a leader of any size organization, business or group, we elevate it to a place leadership was never meant to be.
An idol.
It becomes a source of identity.
It pushes to be a life goal.
It tells us we’re too good to vacuum floors or scrub toilets or serve someone else’s vision.
It causes us to leave our church, our business or our organization if that leadership role is denied.

Exalting leadership above all else denies us the power of truly serving God.

God calls us first and foremost His children.
He calls us to serve.
He calls us to take up our cross and follow Him.

Even if the means we’ll never hold a leadership role.
Being a leader should never be our purpose, our drive or our heart’s desire.
That role belongs to God alone.

Evidence of this idol ranged from unhealthy work patterns to unrealistic self-imposed expectations  to jealousy of other leaders. Sometimes instead of celebrating the ways God was working, I looked at other leaders and wondered why they had more responsibility or influence than I did. I was subtly discontent in the calling and work God gave to me. I consistently looked out toward what was next rather than focusing on God’s present work.
Looking out and ahead is important in leadership, but not without simultaneously looking in to monitor motivations and the condition of one’s heart. Thankfully, I now maintain a completely healthy perspective on all subject matter related to my life and ministry. Ok, not quite, but I am growing. Now residing with prominence in my thinking is a healthier God-glorifying sense of gratitude and peace about who I am and the work I do.  
Jesus says to the Father in John 17, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” I desperately want those words to be an honest assessment of my daily life and one day, my entire life. None of us brings God glory by completing the work he gave someone else to do. None of us brings God glory by wishing for the work he gave someone else to do whether we wish for it because it is easier or seemingly more impressive. I simply want to hear from God and live a life of trust and obedience, glorifying him by completing the specific work he gives me to do. May God give you peace, contentment and joy as you do the same. 
Reflection and Application - Is accomplishment an idol for you? Are you seeking to earn God’s favour through your works? The good news is that “…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9  Confess any lies and idols you have embraced – and embrace the good news!
- See more at: http://www.sharpeningleaders.com/general-leadership/the-idol-of-accomplishment/#sthash.mySh6aVG.dpuf

Evidence of this idol ranged from unhealthy work patterns to unrealistic self-imposed expectations  to jealousy of other leaders. Sometimes instead of celebrating the ways God was working, I looked at other leaders and wondered why they had more responsibility or influence than I did. I was subtly discontent in the calling and work God gave to me. I consistently looked out toward what was next rather than focusing on God’s present work.
Looking out and ahead is important in leadership, but not without simultaneously looking in to monitor motivations and the condition of one’s heart. Thankfully, I now maintain a completely healthy perspective on all subject matter related to my life and ministry. Ok, not quite, but I am growing. Now residing with prominence in my thinking is a healthier God-glorifying sense of gratitude and peace about who I am and the work I do.  
Jesus says to the Father in John 17, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” I desperately want those words to be an honest assessment of my daily life and one day, my entire life. None of us brings God glory by completing the work he gave someone else to do. None of us brings God glory by wishing for the work he gave someone else to do whether we wish for it because it is easier or seemingly more impressive. I simply want to hear from God and live a life of trust and obedience, glorifying him by completing the specific work he gives me to do. May God give you peace, contentment and joy as you do the same. 
Reflection and Application - Is accomplishment an idol for you? Are you seeking to earn God’s favour through your works? The good news is that “…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9  Confess any lies and idols you have embraced – and embrace the good news!
- See more at: http://www.sharpeningleaders.com/general-leadership/the-idol-of-accomplishment/#sthash.mySh6aVG.dpuf

CONDUCIVE SCHOOL TO BE BETTER EDUCATION

Joy in School

Joyful learning can flourish in school—if you give joy a chance.

Two quotes about schooling particularly resonate with me. The first is from John Dewey's Experience and Education (1938): "What avail is it to win prescribed amounts of information about geography and history, to win the ability to read and write, if in the process the individual loses his own soul?" (p. 49). If the experience of "doing school" destroys children's spirit to learn, their sense of wonder, their curiosity about the world, and their willingness to care for the human condition, have we succeeded as educators, no matter how well our students do on standardized tests?
The second quote comes from John Goodlad's A Place Called School (1984). After finding an "extraordinary sameness" in our schools, Goodlad wrote, "Boredom is a disease of epidemic proportions. … Why are our schools not places of joy?" (p. 242). Now, a generation later, if you were to ask students for a list of adjectives that describe school, I doubt that joyful would make the list. The hearts and minds of children and young adults are wide open to the wonders of learning and the fascinating complexities of life. But school still manages to turn that into a joyless experience.

So what can schools and teachers do to bring some joy into children's formal education? Children typically spend from six to seven hours each day in school for nearly 10 months each year. During the school year, children generally spend more time interacting with their teachers than with their parents. What happens inside schools has a deep and lasting effect on the mind-sets that children develop toward lifelong learning.
Dewey's point about the destructive power of our schools should make us ask ourselves some fundamental questions: What is the purpose of school? What dispositions about learning, reading, school, the world, and the self do we want to cultivate? Ask young adults why they go to school. You will hear nothing about joy.
I am not using the word joy as a synonym for fun. For many children, having fun is hanging out at the mall, watching TV, text-messaging their friends, or zipping down a roller-coaster. Having fun certainly brings us joy, but students don't need to be having fun in school to experience joy. According to my Random House dictionary, joy means, "The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something good or satisfying." Surely our schools can do some of that. Joy and learning—including school content—are not mutually exclusive. Many of our greatest joys in life are related to our learning. Unfortunately, most of that joyful learning takes place outside school.
As educators, we have the responsibility to educate and inspire the whole child—mind, heart, and soul. By focusing on the following essentials, we can put more joy into students' experience of going to school and get more joy out of working inside one.

JOY 1: Find the Pleasure in Learning

Why do people learn? I don't mean inside school—I mean learning as a part of life. Surely a large part of our learning is necessary for survival and a basic quality of life.
But there is another, entirely different, reason to learn. Learning gives us pleasure. This kind of learning is often (but not always) motivated from within, and no outside forces or coercions are needed. We also don't mind the possible difficulties in this learning. We often expect the challenges we encounter; we tend to see them as a natural part of the learning process, so we are far more open to taking risks. Some love to learn about cars, others love to learn about history, and some find great joy in learning how to dance. According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990), such learning is an example of flow, which he defines as

the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it at even great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it. (p. 4)

If we want students to experience more flow in school—if we want them to see school and learning as joyful—we need to rethink how and what we teach. No longer can schooling be primarily about creating workers and test takers, but rather about nurturing human beings (Wolk, 2007). By helping students find the pleasure in learning, we can make that learning infinitely more successful.

JOY 2: Give Students Choice

Outside of school, children are free to pursue their interests, and they do so with gusto. They learn how to play baseball or the drums; they learn how to ice skate or play video games; they read comic books, graphic novels, skateboard magazines, and Harry Potter.
But during a typical six-hour school day, how much ownership do students have of their learning? Practically none. It's not surprising that their interest in learning dissipates and that teachers complain of unmotivated students.
Joy in learning usually requires some ownership on the part of the learner. Students can own some of their school learning in several ways. They can choose the books they want to read through independent reading. In writing workshop, we can inspire them to be real writers and choose for themselves what genres to write in. During units in math, science, art, and social studies, they can choose specific subtopics to study; then, as "experts," they can share their learning with the class. Students can also choose which products they want to create to demonstrate their learning. What brings more joy—studying the civil rights movement in the United States through a textbook and lectures or creating comic books, writing and performing plays, interviewing people to create podcasts, and proposing your own ideas? Which would you rather do?
I advocate giving students one hour each day to study topics of their choice in what I call "Exploratory" (Wolk, 2001). In Exploratory, teachers collaborate with students to help shape student-initiated ideas into purposeful, inquiry-based investigations. During this time, students are scattered around the room, absorbed in an endless variety of topics that matter to them. While one student is studying the life of ants, a second is researching the workings of the FBI, and a third is exploring the life of Frida Kahlo. While two students work together to investigate the history of soccer, another is engrossed in surveying adults on their opinions of video games. Exploratory can teach students that school can be a place that nurtures curiosity, inspires them to ask questions, and helps them find the joy in learning.

JOY 3: Let Students Create Things

People like to make stuff. Having control of our work and using our minds and hands to create something original give us a tremendous sense of agency. There is a special pride in bringing an original idea to fruition. It empowers us and encourages us; it helps us appreciate the demanding process of creating something from nothing.
The list of what students can create across the curriculum is virtually limitless: newspapers and magazines, brochures, stories, picture books, posters, murals, Web sites, podcasts, PowerPoint presentations, interviews, oral histories, models, diagrams, blueprints and floor plans, plays and role-plays, mock trials, photographs, paintings, songs, surveys, graphs, documentary videos—the list goes on and on. At its best, school should help and inspire students to bring their own ideas and creations to life.

JOY 4: Show Off Student Work

Our schools and classrooms should be brimming with wonderful, original student work. School spaces that are devoid of student work perpetuate a sterile and joyless environment. I tell my teacher education students that the walls of their classrooms should speak to people; they should say exactly what goes on in that space throughout the school day. I can tell what teachers value by simply walking into their classrooms and looking at the walls.
The same is true for a school building. My son, Max, is in 4th grade, and his school, Augustus H. Burley School in Chicago, is a joyous place to visit. The hallways and classrooms are filled with remarkable student work, and there is rarely a worksheet in sight. The teachers also show off the students themselves. There are photographs of students next to their favorite books, above their posted work from writing workshop, and next to the doors of some classrooms.

JOY 5: Take Time to Tinker

Gever Tulley has started a unique summer school in California called the Tinkering School. His blog describes it this way:

The Tinkering School offers an exploratory curriculum designed to help kids—ages 7 to 17—learn how to build things. By providing a collaborative environment in which to explore basic and advanced building techniques and principles, we strive to create a school where we all learn by fooling around. All activities are hands-on, supervised, and at least partly improvisational. Grand schemes, wild ideas, crazy notions, and intuitive leaps of imagination are, of course, encouraged and fertilized. (Tulley, 2005)

At Tinkering School, students are allowed to dream. They come up with their own ideas for an object, and the faculty and staff help them sketch, design, and build it. When have you seen a public school that encouraged students to come up with "grand schemes, wild ideas, crazy notions, and intuitive leaps of imagination"? In fact, schools actually work to prevent this from happening.
Our school days are too planned, leaving no room for spontaneity and happenstance. Kindergarten is the last refuge in school for letting kids tinker. Once they enter 1st grade, students must banish the joy of "fooling around" with objects and ideas and, instead, sit at their desks most of the day listening to lectures, reading textbooks, and filling out worksheets.
Sometimes the best ideas come from tinkering—and teachers, not just students, should be doing more of it. We must push beyond the teacher-proof curriculum the textbook industry has created, which tries to plan every subject for every hour of the day. Far from being think tanks or workshops, our schools continue to be assembly lines. We need to free teachers to take risks, experiment, play with the art of pedagogy, and feel the joy that comes from tinkering with their teaching.

JOY 6: Make School Spaces Inviting

Why do classrooms need to look so much like, well, classrooms, with desks in rows or arranged in groups, with a chalkboard or whiteboard at the front? When I walk into a classroom in my son's school, I usually see a space that looks a lot like a family room. There's a large rug, a class library with the best in children's and young adult literature, bean bags, couches, comfortable chairs, pillows, colorful curtains, fabric hung over the ceiling lights, and lamps scattered about the classroom. In fact, sometimes the ceiling lights are off, and the lamps warmly light the room.
And what about the public spaces inside and outside the school—the hallways, foyers, meeting areas, and school grounds? Anyone who has spent time at a university knows how integral these spaces are to the learning and social dynamics of the campus. The same can be true for a school. Why not transform these often unused and sterile spots into places for small groups of students to work or cozy nooks for kids to read or write? How about filling a foyer with plants and flowers? Why not give a large wall to the students to create and paint a mural? One colorful mural can transform a barren hallway or entrance into a vibrant and joyful sight. And schools can turn outdoor spaces into gardens, sculpture parks, walking paths, and quiet reading areas.

JOY 7: Get Outside

I am bewildered by how much time students spend inside schools. I don't mean that the school day should be shorter; I mean that more of the school day should be outside. We adults know all too well how much we like to get outside for a respite during the workday, and the same applies to students and teachers in school. They need a break from being confined inside a classroom all day. Fresh air, trees, and a sunny day can do miracles for the human spirit.
Interacting with nature brings a unique joy. Gavin Pretor-Pinney (2006) writes, "I have always loved looking at clouds. Nothing in nature rivals their variety and drama; nothing matches their sublime, ephemeral beauty" (p. 9). Naturalist and artist David Carroll (2004) describes his childhood enthrallment of seeking out turtles as he walked the ponds and marshes:

The sheer joy of being there, of simply bearing witness, continued to be paramount. I went out neither to heal my heartbreaks nor to celebrate my happiness, but to be in nature and outside myself. Turtles, spotted turtles most significantly, were a living text moving upon an endless turning of the pages of the natural world. (p. 27)

The easiest way to get students outside is simply to have recess. There is a special joy in standing amidst the students as they burst from the school and spread out like a swarm of hungry ants. Kids say that recess is their favorite time in school. Recess was also one of my favorite times of the day as a teacher because I was outside and surrounded by children having fun. Tragically, recess has become a rare sight, which may say more about our schools today than anything else. Why do so many schools find it so difficult to allow children 20 minutes each day to play?
As a teacher, I would often take my students outside to read, write, or have a class meeting. It is delightful for a student to sit under a tree and read or for a class to sit in a circle on the grass and talk. Much of our science curriculums could directly include the outdoors. A school does not have to be near a forest or the ocean for students and teachers to explore nature. Ecosystems are all around us. Have students dig a hole in a patch of dirt, and they will witness the flourishing life in the soil beneath their feet. Don't underestimate the power of sheer joy that children—and adults—can experience from tipping over a large rock and seeing the ground teeming with life.

JOY 8: Read Good Books

Everyone loves a good story. We all know that if you have a 5-year-old sitting on your lap and a good book in your hands, you will soon experience the magic of stories. And what amazing stories there are! We are living in an astonishing time of children's and young adult literature. Immerse students in a culture of good books, and you surround them with joy.
For the past few years, I've been working on a grant with a Chicago public school, in part to help teachers make literature an important feature of their classrooms. I have brought loads of good books into the school. As I did book talks in 4th and 8th grade classrooms about dozens of new titles we ordered, the room was abuzz with students who could not wait to get their hands on the books. When I walk into a classroom now, I am met with the excited voices of the students telling me what books they're reading.
Of course, if we want joy in schools, then sometimes students should read books that aren't so "serious." I believe that books with important themes can make a better world, but we must also sometimes allow—even encourage—students to experience books for sheer pleasure. Have 3rd graders read Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants (Scholastic, 2000). Have 5th graders read Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Amulet, 2007). Have young adults read Sherman Alexie's very funny (and serious) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little Brown, 2007). Encourage students to read thrillers; romance novels; action-adventure books; stories about sports, animals, and pop culture; graphic novels and manga; and nonfiction on topics they love. You will see plenty of joy.

JOY 9: Offer More Gym and Arts Classes

In recent years, with our zeal for increasing test scores, "specials" in school have become nearly as rare as recess. It is not uncommon, especially in more impoverished schools, for students to have no art, music, and drama at all, and gym only once or twice a week. In my son's previous school in Chicago, he did not have gym until January.
With his work on multiple intelligences, Howard Gardner has helped us better appreciate the uniqueness of children and has spoken to the need to give students opportunities to use their varied strengths and interests in school. For the legions of children who have a special affinity for the visual arts, theater, music, or sports, classes in these subjects are golden times for them to experience joy in school. But how much joy can they experience when it's limited to 45 minutes each week?

JOY 10: Transform Assessment

When I was a kid, I dreaded report card time. When I was a teacher, many of my students were anxious about their grades. For far too many students, assessment in its dominant forms—tests, quizzes, letter grades, number grades, and standardized tests—is a dark cloud that never seems to leave. Must it be this way?
The idea of assessment in school is not inherently bad; children assess themselves all the time. When they're busy doing something they love outside school, such as tae kwon do, baking, or playing the saxophone—when they're experiencing flow—they don't mind assessment at all. In fact, they see it as an important part of the process. But for most students, assessment in school is the enemy.
We can, however, make it a more positive experience. We need to help students understand the value of assessment. We also need to rethink "failure." Our schools see failure as a bad thing. But adults know that failure is a vital part of learning. Portraying failure as a bad thing teaches a child to avoid risk taking and bold ideas. Imagine if we graded toddlers on their walking skills. We would be living in a nation of crawlers.
We should limit how we use quantitative assessments and make more use of narrative assessments and report cards, portfolios of authentic work, and student presentations and performances. In addition, parent conferences should not only include students, but also encourage the students to do much of the talking, using the conference as an opportunity to present their work and discuss their strengths and areas to focus on for growth.
As a teacher, I had my students regularly do self-assessments. This gave them some real power over the process. They assessed most of their schoolwork before I did my own assessment. And during report card time, I passed out photocopies of a blank report card and had my students complete it, for both grades and behavior, before I filled it out. I don't recall a student ever abusing this opportunity. At another school in which I taught, I redesigned our report card to include space for a photograph of the student inside; the cover was left blank so students could either draw a picture or write something meaningful there.

JOY 11: Have Some Fun Together

Recently, when I was visiting a school, I was standing in the hallway talking to a teacher when a tall 8th grade boy from another classroom exuberantly walked up to that teacher. They began some good-natured ribbing. Back and forth it went for a few minutes with smiles and laughter. What was this about? The teacher-student basketball game held earlier that week. Here were two people—an 8th grader and his teacher—having a joyous good time.
Schools need to find ways for students, teachers, and administrators to take a break from the sometimes emotional, tense, and serious school day and have some fun together. Sporting events, outdoor field days, movie nights, school sleep-ins, potluck meals, visits to restaurants, schoolwide T-shirt days, and talent shows can help everyone get to know one another better, tear down the personal walls that often get built inside schools, form more caring relationships, and simply have a wonderful time together.

Teaching As a Joyful Experience

Recently, I visited a former graduate student in her classroom. It is her third year as a teacher, and I was excited to see her creative and thoughtful teaching. But she said to me, "I never imagined this job would be so hard. I'm tired all the time."
Yes, teaching is hard. John Dewey's quote—about school sapping our souls—can be as true for teachers as it is for students. Considering the staggering turnover of new teachers in urban schools, it is in everyone's interest to help teachers find joy in their work. So teachers must strive in whatever ways they can to own their teaching so that each morning they can enter their classrooms knowing there will be golden opportunities for them—as well as for their students—to experience the joy in school.

INTERNET INFLUENCES

The influence of the Internet has caused a change in the way we shop, communicate, and learn.

 We now understand the importance of the many forms of communication that have been expanded into a global form by the Internet:One-to-one (e-mail is the fastest growing form of one to one communication 7.3 billion US e-mails per day). One-to-many (Internet newsgroups and personal Web sites include over a billion exchanges per day).Many-to-many (Internet chat, Usenet exchanges and a wide variety of exchanges on the Internet are now usual for 50 million people every day).It seems strange to imagine that it was only five years ago that there was any doubt that ‘the new media will enfranchise the individual with more one-to-one communication which will be easy by personal ‘phones, E-mail and video conferencing. Or that ‘person-to-person-to-machine/database communication will be more important, electronically managed and more global.This paper, taking relevant experience from round the world (and particularly the USA, where experience is much greater), is written from a UK perspective. Here we see the explosion of access evident in northern Europe and the USA two years ago. At the beginning of 1999, NOP research suggested 10 million people had become regular users of the Internet. Current projections are that, as the new millennium opens this number will have grown to 17 million.Just two years ago the Netcraft survey counted 1 million Web sites, by April 1999 it was 5 million Web sites. It is driving a knowledge explosion. More knowledge has been accumulated by the Internet in the last five years than in the previous 50 years. 

Prior to the Internet, everyday tasks such as banking, paying bills, and shopping took time outside the home.  With the Internet, online banking allows people to keep their personal finances on track twenty-four hours a day.  While this is nothing new, banks did offer phone services to do the same functions, the fact that online banking can now be combined with online bill paying, late payments are quickly becoming a thing of the past.  Even online shopping can save time and energy.  Shopping for the latest trends in clothes?  Hop on line and pick outfits from your favorite stores.  No more going to the mall, finding a parking space, then not being able to find your size.  Online shopping gives more options and real-time inventory of items.  A mall store may have limited space to display all the trends, but an online store is only limited by the size of their imagination.  Online shopping has even progressed into the supermarket realm.  Sit at home on a Thursday evening and order food for your Saturday backyard bar-ba-que for delivery on Saturday morning.  No more pushing a cart around a big box store, and lugging heavy plastic bags to you car.  Door to door delivery of groceries means you never have to go to the store again. 

The Internet has also closed the gap for many families separated by the miles.  While the US Postal Service has progressed since the days of the Pony Express, the Internet has made stamps and phone calls nearly obsolete.  During World War II, letters to and from troops were censored and shrunk to nearly microfiche size.  With all the processing required, letters often took weeks or months to arrive.  Today, a quick email takes seconds to convey feelings of fear and joy to love ones around the world.  As the Internet becomes utilized more for emails, emails themselves have become more sophisticated.  Pictures and short movies now zip around the world at lightning speed.  Want to show the newest member of the family to Grandma in Florida?  Take some video and attach it to an email.  For less then the cost of a plane ticket, she can count all the fingers and toes herself.

The Internet is probably most famous for the ability to spread information, fact or fiction.  We were once limited to news editors of a local paper, then to national cable news.  Now anyone can search the globe, visit local papers in foreign countries, and see the views of all sides.  This ease of information has also brought with it a large amount of hoaxes, money schemes, and fallacies.  Internet websites offering quick money, instant weight loss, and Nostradomises predictions sit side be side websites providing legitimate health information, historic facts, and online stock trading.

The Internet has also helped increase the entire computer hardware industry.  To compete in the latest online gaming, the fastest computers are often needed.  The hardware industry constantly pushes bigger, faster, and more expensive equipment, even to people that already own a computer.  The hardware industry may push speed of hardware as a reason to upgrade, but the average Internet user will always be limited by the speed of their Internet connection.  Dial-up Internet access is the same speed whether using a four year old slow computer, and the latest model from the Dell’s and Gateway’s of the world.

 

LEADERSHIP START CHILDHOOD

Building Leadership Skills in Children

Studies show that early experiences in life impact adult leadership potential

I have always admired people who I perceived as having excellent leadership skills. At one time, I thought that these skills came naturally, but I’ve learned that we all have the potential to develop leadership skills. We need to be encouraged, role modeled, and nurtured to develop these skills and it should begin in childhood.

Studies show that early experiences in life impact adult leadership potential. Carl Brungardt reviewed the work of child psychologists Robert and Pauline Sears, and found that personal traits such as the ability to understand and deal with others, the need for achievement, confidence and assertiveness are influenced substantially by childhood experiences. They also found that parent support played an important role in leadership development in children. (Brungardt 1997) Other studies have found that “family influences”, such as positive parental interaction and an emphasis on a strong work ethic, were found in children who actively sought out leadership roles.

There are many qualities associated with leadership such as communication skills, problem solving skills, organization, flexibility, and creativity. Teachers, caregivers, parents and other family members can encourage the development of these qualities in early life.

All children have the potential to develop leadership skills. It is a lifelong process. As children grow, the school setting adds to the influence of family life. Teachers can give children opportunities to serve in leadership roles. As adults, we can teach the skills necessary for children to take on leadership roles now and in the future. The following are some ways that you can help children develop leadership skills:

• Children learn from seeing what others do. It is important to model leadership behavior to children. Tell the child what you are doing and why you are doing it. They learn that you do things with purpose which have outcomes.
• Teach children how to see things from another’s point of view. Good communication is a key component to being an effective leader. Teach children how to listen carefully and how to respond to others in a calm and respectful way.
• Help children build their leadership self-confidence by giving them opportunities to do a good job and offer praise when appropriate. You might say, “I am so proud of you that you volunteered to be the leader of the group. It is a big job to make sure everyone is doing their part.”
• Find ways to create problem solving situations. Allow children to start making small decisions such as picking which activity they want to participate in. Give children more opportunities to make decisions as they learn the concepts of responsibility and consequences of making a decision.
• Teach children how to work with others in a team situation such as group projects or sports activities. Negotiation and compromising teaches children to stay focused on a larger picture not only their own personal view.
• Often, children as well as adults shy away from leadership tasks because they feel overwhelmed. Show children how to break tasks into workable ways to get the job  done or address a problem situation.
• Encourage children to pursue things that interest them. They may develop a passion for it, feel comfortable and later take on a leadership role. While every child may not end up in a formal leadership position, it is a good bet that she or he will be doing some sort of leadership in the future. Remember that today’s children will be needed as volunteer leaders in your local community organizations such as 4-H clubs,  Rotary, Kiwanis, fire company, Lions, and Rotary to just name a few.  It is never too early to start building their leadership potential.

Source: Better Kid Care September 2012

SUCCESSFUL PARENTS = SUPPORT TO BE SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN

Ten ways you can support your child's future

 

Children of all ages need their parents and other adults involved with purpose in their lives – to nurture and to motivate, to clarify and to connect, to challenge into realizing their dreams.
Nurture the individual...
Passion for life, learning, and work comes from within. Help your children discover their passions. Cultivate their sense of hope. Believe in their dreams, and they will believe in them.

1.	Tell your children you are proud of them. A positive sense about who we are is central to a healthy and productive life. High self-esteem, combined with hope for the future, feelings of control over life events, and a sense of purpose, build positive identity. Reinforce your children regularly to lay the foundations for a strong sense of self-worth. Notice and praise your children when you see them doing a good job. Encourage them to spend their time doing things at which they feel competent and valued.
2.	Listen to your children and express interest in those things they care about. Talk with your children about the everyday stuff. (Believe it or not, 78% of middle school and 48% of high school age students say they want to talk more to their parents.) Start early by asking about their ideas and opinions regularly. Show them that you are really interested in what they think and feel, and they will become comfortable about expressing their thoughts to you.
3.	Help your children understand who they are and what makes them special. Ask your children questions about things that interest them and activities they are good at. Share what you observe about their strengths and interests. Probe their unique interests to better understand them. Consider their favorite games, books, school subjects, toys, activities, and make believe. Talk about how they learn best - is it through reading, talking, or doing?
4.	Recognize that your children are unique and that their career paths will be unique. Sometimes we expect that life should follow a perfect and predictable path. However, career development is a process, and everyone does it differently. Each child learns and develops at different rates. Talk about the positive aspects of these differences. Help your children express and cherish their uniqueness.
5.	Be involved in school activities and support school work because education is important. When you are involved in your children's education, they will achieve more regardless of your economic status, ethnic or racial background, or educational level. Your children need to see that you care about how they do in school. Be a partner with the teachers and school staff in supporting your children's education.

Connect to the real world...
Let their dreams create purpose and purpose fashion their goals. Challenge your children to reach for those goals and help them navigate the barriers.

6.	Set a good example of school and work attitudes and behaviors. Motivate through example. Model good work behaviors. Share workplace stories. Talk about the skills and knowledge you use every day in your job. Every time you talk about your salary, your workday highs and lows, your selection of work clothes - you send a message to your children about work. Be positive. Whether you realize it or not, you are passing on important work values. These values will last a lifetime.
7.	Use everyday life activities to provide opportunities for your children to develop important life and work skills. Encourage your children to be involved in activities that develop skills or knowledge. Begin with household chores to learn about responsibility and consequences. Volunteering and part-time jobs help develop reliability, decision-making, and self-respect. Music, sports, dance, and art expand self-awareness and knowledge about the world. Discuss what they are learning in these activities, what they like or dislike about them, and how they might want to use the skills they are learning in the future.
8.	Encourage your children to make the most of career-related learning activities in school and the community. Schools want to connect school to life so our students understand the importance of what they are studying. In Oregon, students must complete various career-related learning activities to earn their diplomas. Activities may include interest inventories, career research, education planning, job shadows, service learning, work experience, and classroom projects tied into real life issues. Learn about and support these efforts. Talk about them with your children - help make them more than requirements on a checklist.
9.	Believe that education after high school is possible and important for your children. College is not for everyone nor is it necessary for all jobs. However, it is fair to say that most people need some type of training beyond a high school degree. You may feel that you are not in the position to help your children with college or training. Despite rising costs, not all postsecondary training is that expensive, and there are many ways families and students can get help. Commit to working together - your children to do well in school, and you to help in any way you can to support their dreams.
10.	Have high expectations. Set goals realistically but expect hard work and discipline. Make sure your children attend school. Ask them about homework, and verify that assignments are completed. Encourage them to take challenging courses. Help them overcome discouragement when they aren't able to reach a goal. Celebrate their accomplishments.

Your positive, proactive involvement is an important factor in your children's successes in school and work. Keep in mind that the career decision is each child's, not yours, to make. If you are listening, observing, and being involved, you will understand their paths and will want to be a part of making their dreams reality.