Many inspirational leaders feel much more than mere commitment to their work. It even transcends loyalty. It is more an inner conviction that compels them to give their best.
John F. Kennedy spoke of ‘a very deep personal obligation’ to fulfil his responsibilities.
There are many successful leaders and managers who hold fast to their personal faith to lead and guide their actions. They too are not beholden to their human bosses but derive their inspiration from God. Their standards are set by what they consider to be the ‘highest authority’. They have no issue with conflicting morals that have compromised so many promising leaders. Furthermore, they lead from a position of personal certainty. The evangelist Billy Graham, who has mentored many influential businessmen and politicians, refers to this truth as ‘I know where I have come from. I know where I am. I know where I am going’.
This confidence stems from the knowledge that their abilities are God given, their strengths are those deeply embedded in their faith, and all their weaknesses can be overcome through the application of that faith. Christians certainly have the ability to see the complete picture that places all other events in context.
Rather than make these individuals arrogant, as you might expect, their faith encourages them to serve both God and man to the best of their abilities, with real purpose and true clarity of vision. Their principles are enshrined in their belief, and their actions carried out in the context of their faith. This faith provides a personal certainty that inspires them to tackle the most difficult of situations, and allows them a peace of mind that transcends human failings.
An article in The Times Newspaper quotes Dan Bartlett, the director of White House communications, as saying of George W Bush ‘His personal faith and belief system give him the clarity of mind, personal comfort and freedom from risk in his decisions that allows him to be President’
As possibly the most effective business tool available to mankind today, the benefits that stem from a personal faith are all too often dismissed out of hand as ineffective or irrelevant when the opposite has been proven to be true in many inspirational lives.
Vince Lombardi, the outstanding sports coach stated ‘When we place our dependence in God, we are unencumbered, and we have no worry. In fact we may even be reckless, insofar as our part in the production is concerned. This confidence, this sureness of action, is both contagious and an aid to the perfect action. The rest is in the hands of God – and this is the same God, gentlemen, who has won all his battles up to now’
An individual would lose a great deal of who they were should they ignore their basic beliefs. What they owe to their faith in personal terms can only be reflected in everything they are and set out to achieve. Their faith is the standard from which they base everything, from which they operate, and should not be ignored or its impact reduced. A person’s individual belief provides the very stability we look for in a leader. Composure is a clear attribute for an outstanding leader.
When a person believes they know why they are here, and understands the origin and value of their life, it allows them to be much more purposeful. This creates a more effective individual, with an inner reassurance displacing the distraction of soul searching, self-doubt, or lack of personal direction.
We have already said a leader needs to have a well-rounded and trustworthy character. Real faith sets standards and obligations on an individual that enhances personal character.
