Empowering and Disempowering Leadership Styles

Empowering and Disempowering Leadership Styles

By Joseph Mattera www.josephmattera.org


Eight Contrasts between Empowering and Disempowering Leadership Styles
Knowing how to nurture people so they reach their maximum leadership potential is as much psychological as it is an art. There are ways leaders limit the creativity of others, and there are ways to get folks to reach new heights they haven’t even dreamed about. The following are ways leaders can empower others to fulfill their potential:
I. Empowering leaders allows others to make mistakes
Some leaders are more concerned with getting a job done correctly than about empowering people to learn how to do a job. When all leaders care about is getting a job done right they won’t truly delegate authority to others to perform a task. This is because they view their workers merely as an extension of their arms and legs but not their brain, because they don’t let their workers think for themselves. Often, those they give a task to perform are constantly corrected as the job is being done.
On the other hand, empowering leaders often allow those who are assigned tasks to make mistakes and then gracefully critique those workers after each finished task is done.
II. Empowering leaders don’t micromanage
Micromanaging should only be done if a leader is working with a person that is completely untrained or unskilled at a particular task. This kind of working arrangement should only be temporary because a person should not be assigned a task they don’t have the potential skill to perform and, once the transition to job proficiency is complete, the leader should allow the worker to perform tasks with only macro oversight.
Micromanaging breeds an atmosphere of distrust and tells the person given the task that the leader doesn’t really believe in them. Habitual micromanagers usually don’t have a clue when it comes to being an empowering leader.
III. Empowering leaders focus on the positive traits of others
We all stumble in many ways. All of us usually drop the ball on assignments at least 10% of the time depending on how much extra work we have. In addition to this, there is always going to be mistakes in a certain percentage of the tasks we perform. Also, one person will always do a job differently than the next person. Consequently, a leader will always have the opportunity to point out things that a person didn’t do correctly. Thus the leader should attempt to focus most on what the person given the task did right and the results of the work performed. Of course, the exception to this is if someone totally messes up a task or doesn’t follow the guidelines given to them.
When we focus on the positive contributions of others we impart confidence to them and motivate them to continue to perform at a high level.
IV. Empowering leaders give constructive criticism, not destructive criticism
There should be regularly scheduled times after each major task is completed to review the work and assess whether objectives were met. This should be based on the criteria given before the task was attempted so there is an objective way to gauge whether or not the task was performed with excellence. Regular debriefing times like this allow the person given a task to understand whether or not they are growing in the job and where they stand in regards to their employment.
It is not fair to tell a person one year after they start a job that they are not performing well. By this time their job is already in jeopardy and they haven’t even been given a chance to improve because they had no feedback.
Those who desire to work with a spirit of excellence usually welcome consistent, constructive criticism. Of course, when a leader puts a person down, calls them names, belittles them, or speaks in a condescending manner to them, they are dispensing criticism that can destroy, not build up, those working under them.
V. Empowering leaders give expected guidelines, goals, and outcomes
Empowering leaders usually always give those working for them general guidelines for a job and the objectives of tasks along with the end result they are looking for. This enables the person given the task to “run downfield with the ball” creatively without constantly looking over their shoulder wondering if they are still on the playing field.
Disempowering leaders merely give a person a task but have amorphous guidelines, goals, and objectives so that no one but the leader really knows if the job is being done right or wrong. When leaders do this it is a sign that either they themselves don’t even have real objectives for a task, or that they are simply trying to keep exercising psychological control over their workers.
VI. Empowering leaders connect people to their passion, gifts, and calling
Empowering leaders always attempt to match people with jobs according to their gifts, passion, and abilities. Disempowering people don’t take these things into consideration and often are guilty of attempting to force a square peg into a round hole. Empowering leaders take pride in being able to help people soar like eagles to the highest heights imaginable, while disempowering leaders care more about getting tasks accomplished than releasing human potential. Empowering leaders also are sensitive and lead each person differently according to their experience, personality, and temperament.
VII. Empowering leaders focus on inspiring people as opposed to forcing people to perform
Empowering leaders cast vision so as to inspire their followers to perform great things, while disempowering leaders often get things done merely by giving orders and making demands on people. When you inspire people they perform at a much greater level because they are allowed to make their own decisions to serve and have a greater amount of buy-in, while those merely following orders will do just enough to please the leader and usually don’t tap much into their creative juices.
VIII. Empowering leaders engage in dialogue while disempowering leaders dictate their desires and ideas
Empowering leaders attempt to allow a flow of dialogue between themselves and their followers in work-related projects. These leaders understand the importance of receiving regular feedback from their subordinates so they will have a better understanding of how to go about accomplishing tasks. In contrast, leaders that disempower others don’t usually engage in dialogue but merely dictate what and how they want a project done. Folks under this kind of leader eventually lose their motivation to think and just robotically follow orders because they know their opinions don’t really matter. Dictating leaders usually don’t multiply other leaders; they are merely retaining followers who have allowed their creativity to be capped.

The GREATEST DANGER

The GREATEST DANGER
-David Wilkerson.

The greatest danger we all face is not being able to see Jesus in
our troubles - instead we see ghosts. In that peak moment of fear
when the night is the blackest and the storm is the angriest, Jesus
always draws near to us, to reveal himself as the Lord of the flood,
the Savior in storms. "The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord
sitteth King for ever" (Psalm 29:10).

In Matthew 14, Jesus ordered his disciples into a boat that was
headed for a storm. The Bible says he constrained them to get into
a ship. It was headed for troubled waters; it would be tossed about
like a bobbing cork. Where was Jesus? He was up in the mountains
overlooking the sea; he was there, praying for them not to fail in the
test he knew they must go through.

You would think that at least one disciple would have recognized
what was happening and said, "Look friends, Jesus said he would
never leave us or forsake us. He sent us on this mission; we are
in the center of his will. He said the steps of a righteous man are
ordered by himself. Look again. That's our Lord! He is right here!
We've never once been out of his sight."

But not one disciple recognized him. They did not expect him to
be in their storm. Never, ever did they expect him to be with them,
or even near them, in a storm! But he did come, walking on the water.

There was only one lesson to be learned, only one. It was a simple
lesson, not some deep, mystical, earth-shattering one. Jesus
simply wanted to be trusted as their Lord, in every storm of life.
He simply wanted them to maintain their cheer and confidence,
even in the blackest hours of trial. That's all.

SOURCE -  http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com

Copyright (c) 2009 World Challenge, Inc.

NOTE ABOUT the WORD & THE SPIRIT JOINED

NOTE ABOUT the WORD & THE SPIRIT JOINED:
The world awaits a move of God that truly brings together
the strong, piercing preaching of the word along with miracles and
healings. For too long these have been separated into rival camps.
Smith Wigglesworth prophesied about a last great Revival- "There
will be evidence in the churches of something that has not been
seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the
word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit. When the word
and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest move of the
Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed, the world has ever seen. It
will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that
has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and
Welsh revivals of former years..."

The piece below makes some interesting points about this:

THE WEDDING of PURITY AND POWER
by Paul Holdren.

The wedding of purity and power is a concept that the Holy Spirit
is promoting among believers in these latter days. As stated
earlier, in the late 1860s after the Civil War, a wave of the Holy
Spirit came like a mighty wind moving across the land bringing a
fresh awareness of the requirements of God to live a life pleasing
to Him. This was to be accomplished by the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. In the 1906 Azusa Street outpouring in the City of Los
Angeles, the church began to be reawakened to the powerful
manifestations of the Holy Spirit. This too was to be accomplished
by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Since the advent of the Azusa
Street outpouring, the body of Christ has been divided into the
purity and power camps.

For the past 100 years the Body of Christ has gotten as much
attention from its wild fires as it has from its Holy Ghost fire. For the power camp the emphasis upon purity was almost anathema.
For the purity camp the emphasis upon power was almost
anathema. This was because each camp expressed doctrinal
positions that were unacceptable to the other. They vehemently
rejected each others' positions. The power camp noticed that
purity expressed without power became both legalistic and
limiting. The purity camp noticed that power expressed without
purity became both carnal and limiting. Only by the wedding of
these two beautiful doctrines can the Spirit of God gain full
authority and appreciation within the Body of Christ.

In the present time, the Spirit of Christ is calling the Body of Christ
to be reunited in a mighty outpouring of His Holy presence - the
Spirit's wedding of purity and power. Each doctrine has something
the other needs to hear, a compliment to and completion of God's
design for the wholeness of the church. The power camp needs
to know of an exclusive holy love that is expressed out of a pure
affection for the Holy ONE. The purity camp needs to know a
holy power being expressed out of a manifestation of the Holy
Spirit's gifts. The purity camp needs to share the beauty of
holiness in the spirit of humility. The power camp needs to share
the gifts of power in the spirit of humility. The purity camp needs
to exercise the power of Christ in "signs and wonders." The
power camp needs to exercise purity in "laying one's life down"
for another. With a discerning spirit, each can benefit from the
other, for these are perilous times in which we live.

Ezekiel added this dimension when he wrote of the prophecies
involving the requirements of how the priests were to keep the
holy law of the temple (Ezekiel 44-45) and when he wrote of the
river flowing from under the threshold of the temple (Ezekiel 47:
1-12). The purity of the priests was revealed in that they were to
have a certain appearance, conduct themselves in a particular
manner, and serve others in a specific way. Everything about
the Holiest of All is pure: pure oil, pure clothes, a pure man
placing the lamb's pure blood on the pure gold of the mercy seat.
This was to be a pure presentation of righteousness, given to a
pure and Holy God. The "Holiest of All" is the place of purity. It
is here that the river of life has its head waters, emanating from
the holiness of God.

The power of the river of God continually increased. The farther
away from the temple it flowed, the deeper and wider it became.
As the river flows, healing comes to everything in its path. Notice,
however, it is the purity of the waters that allows it to contain
healing virtue. It is the river's purity that allows the river to be saturated with holy power. By comparison, only powerful men
can serve, but powerful men must serve with a pure love for God
and their fellow man. It is time for a wedding of purity and power.

-From "The Wedding of Purity and Power" by Paul Holdren.

Learning to be Content

Learning to be Content

By Don Walker basileia2009@yahoo.com


“Godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim. 6:8)

Having traveled to a number of Third World nations, I have had the opportunity to observe many believers that live far below the poverty level in the United States. I have been in the mountain villages in Mexico. I have been in remote areas of the Philippines, and in the former Soviet Union after the fall of communism. I have seen people living from “hand to mouth,” in primitive shelters, with little more than the clothes on their back. In all of these situations, the thing that struck me most forcibly was the obvious joy and contentment that these Christians possessed. Particularly, as I compared it to the lack of contentment evident among many believers in our much more prosperous nation. I found that contentment does not come through the things that we possess, but rather is an inward condition that is satisfied with what God has provided.

The prevailing discontentment, fueled by the advertising industry, has lead to a credit-driven economic system that now finds itself in crisis. Back in the 80’s, William Simon, then the Secretary of the Treasury, described America’s problem in one word – “More.”

Christians are not immune to this disease. There are Bible teachers, who have placed such emphasis on “prosperity” that many believers have forgotten that Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he possesses” (Luke 12:15). Paul warned us of those who would “imagine that godliness is a means of gain” (I Tim. 6:7).. In contrast Paul tells us that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim. 6:8). Just as godliness is connected with contentment, discontentment is connected with unrighteousness. Paul observes that “those who desire to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction” (I Tim. 6:9).

Why is godliness related to contentment? Because the degree of my contentment determines the degree to which I am susceptible to fall into temptation. Discontentment makes me vulnerable to temptation. But, if I am content with what God has supplied in all areas of my life, temptation, though it will come, can be resisted. The tempter always strikes at the area of our perceived discontentment. Discontentment, whether it be with our spouse, our position, or our financial provision, is the “chink in our armor” that Satan looks for in his attack. Jesus, who lived in perfect contentment, said: “The ruler of this world is coming, but there is nothing in me” (John 14:30). Jesus knew that there was no area of vulnerability in His life where Satan could successfully strike. He was content with what His Father had commissioned Him to do, and He was content with the Father’s provision. He had no desire for something more or different. Therefore, Satan had nothing with which he could “bait” his trap.

The Scriptures show us that contentment is a skill to be learned. The Apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content” (Phil. 4:11). His lessons were not theoretical, but practical, as he experienced both “being filled and going hungry, both …having abundance and suffering need” (Phil. 4:12). Paul recognized as well that it was only by God’s grace that he could embrace these lessons, and says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

Apart from Christ teaching us to learn what it means to be content, contentment is an elusive thing. We live under the false notion of “when,” as in “when I get enough money” or “when I get that job promotion” or “when I retire,” then “I will be content.” But when these goals are achieved we find ourselves no more content than before. Frustration and discontentment seem to be always “nipping at our heels” and like Mick Jagger said, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” This is Man’s dilemma. Contentment seems to be always just out of reach.

But God’s grace is sufficient (II Cor. 12:9). In this time of economic distress, I believe that Christ can bring us to a place of learning what it means to be truly content. His promise to us remains that if we seek first His Kingdom, and His righteousness, all of our needs shall be supplied (Matt. 6:33). Discontentment is the result of a self-focused life that seeks to find fulfillment apart from God. Contentment is the result of a Kingdom-focused life that rests in the agape love of the Father.

The Missing Ingredient

The Missing Ingredient
by Chip Brogden
“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved” (II Corinthians 12:15).
Besides prayer, no other subject has been talked about more and practiced less than the subject of loving one another. We all know we are supposed to love one another. We have heard it preached a thousand times. But there is a difference between knowing the Path and walking the Path.
I want to speak specifically to the issue of love as it relates to “ministry”. That word “ministry” is a loaded word now, and we really need to question someone when they use that word so we can find out what they really mean. I think most people will agree that what passes for “ministry” these days is something very far removed from the ministry practiced in the New Testament. And I am not referring to some kind of method or technique that they practiced. The “missing ingredient” is not something so superficial as meeting in homes versus meeting in buildings. How far we have fallen to think that the secret of New Testament life is found in some way of conducting a meeting.
Leadership exists in the Bible, and leadership exists in the Church. There is no getting around that. Jesus showed us, both in word and in deed, that His idea of leadership is based on service to God and to others. The question we need to ask is what constitutes godly, Spirit-led, Christ-centered, servant leadership? What makes someone a spiritual father? What really qualifies someone as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher?
You might say the calling of God is what qualifies someone. Perhaps, but many are called and few are chosen. Many are called but they fail to respond to the call. You need more than a calling.
You might say the gift of God is what qualifies someone. Let me tell you something, brothers and sisters. Gifts no longer register much with me anymore. Gifted brothers and sisters are really a dime a dozen. I am just speaking frankly. Often I will meet people and come away thinking how gifted they are, but they leave me hollow inside. They have a lot of potential but I would not trust them to watch my dog much less watch over people’s souls. Many of them claim to be in some kind of pastoral or prophetic or apostolic ministry. But that in and of itself does not qualify a person. I have seen gifted brothers and sisters with absolutely no wisdom, no maturity, and no spiritual discernment make a real mess of people’s lives.
You might say revelation from God is what qualifies someone. I absolutely believe that revelation is a necessity for teaching others because you cannot point the way to a place you have never been. But revelation by itself does not qualify a person.
There came a time in my life when I realized I was called, and I was gifted, and God had given me great revelation, but I still lacked something. Now when I was younger I believed that having a calling from God and being gifted by God was all you needed. Then I began to learn some things by revelation and thought that was God’s seal of approval upon me.
Even so, I could not get away from the fact that there were then, and there are now, lots of people in the world besides me who are called by God, have spiritual gifts, and enjoy an abundance of revelation. But God cannot trust them in any kind of a servant leadership capacity. They may have a title or a ministry but they are unqualified because they do not have the missing ingredient. I noticed they lacked something, and worse, I lacked the same thing. Eventually I discovered what everyone, including myself, is lacking.
What is the missing ingredient? The missing ingredient is LOVE.
Let me share something to illustrate what I mean. A pastor told me something that happened many years ago between him and his associate pastor. They worked together in the church but fortunately they were also good friends. He said his associate came to him one day with tears in his eyes and told him, “You’re the best preacher and teacher of the Word I have ever heard in my life. But you just don’t love people.” When the pastor shared this story with me he had tears in his eyes, too. It was a powerful reminder to him, and an important lesson to us. We can be called and gifted and full of revelation and still fall short because we are not walking in love with people.
Now we could go to many examples of love demonstrated and love commanded in the New Testament. You know them as well as I do. But when I turn to this little obscure passage in II Corinthians 12 I find something mostly overlooked. Paul writes, “I will VERY GLADLY spend and be spent for you; though the more ABUNDANTLY I love you, the less I am loved.” Now that is what qualifies a person. That is the missing ingredient.
Paul wrote this to the Corinthians. You know Paul had more trouble with the Corinthian church than all the others combined. Most people would have quit, but not Paul. Paul has the heart of a father. That is a real apostle. That is a real pastor. We know he was called, we know he was gifted, and we certainly know he had a depth of revelation. We could understand if he felt like he was wasting his time with Corinth and wanted to turn his attention elsewhere.
You see, that kind of thinking has the flesh all over it. I read something many years ago that I accepted at first as wisdom, but have since changed by mind. A man wrote, “Go where you are celebrated, not where you are tolerated.” At the time I was feeling very unappreciated so I thought this was sound advice. But God has been gracious to me, and He has helped me to see that this attitude is the whole problem with “ministry” today. We love people who love us, and we serve people who serve us, and we thank people who thank us, and if you scratch my back then I’ll scratch your back. What kind of Christianity is this? What if Paul only went where he was celebrated and avoided places where he was just tolerated? What a foolish statement, but this is the prevailing attitude among “ministers” today.
Paul gave us an example to follow. Don’t just look at his calling and his gifting and his revelation. Look at his heart of love. He gave all – not just for the Lord, but for the Lord’s people. And they were a most carnal, unappreciative bunch of people. Even so, the heart of a father is demonstrated. That is the reason he had authority. I tell you his authority was not in his title, his position, or his status as having founded the church. His authority was not in his calling, gift, or revelation. His authority was in the abundant love he showed.
Make no mistake: I am not there yet. I still struggle with how to be a good brother, much less a spiritual father with abundant love for everyone. I obviously have a long way to go, but now I see the missing ingredient and I am following after love. How about you?
You know, the days of a person just “showing up” to exercise their gift and do their little ministry event are just about over. I have been guilty of that, I think we all have either done it or seen others do it. Is that what Jesus has called us to do? Is that being an example? Hold some meetings, have some talks, shake hands and go home? It doesn’t mean a thing if we are not loving one another. It is all tinkling brass and clanging cymbals.
Paul saw himself as a father caring for the needs of his children. He entered right into the heart of God, because that is exactly the way God sees it. That is why Paul was able to love them more even as they loved him less. There is a vacuum of that kind of leadership in the Body of Christ today. We have people who cannot even be good brothers and sisters and yet they aspire to be spiritual fathers and leaders, apostles and prophets and pastors and teachers. Instead of serving people WITH their gift they expect people to serve them BECAUSE of their gift. It is seen in things so seemingly insignificant as the pastor’s reserved parking space right by the front door.
In recent months I have prayed, “God, take away my calling, take away my gifts, take away my revelation, but give me a heart of love.” Really friends, we have plenty of gifted brothers and sisters. But where are the Pauls and the Peters and the Johns of our generation? Where are the spiritual fathers, the leaders, the elders, the ones giving a godly example to those who follow after? An example is most definitely being given, but all too often it is an example of what NOT to do.
Where are the ones who will very gladly spend and be spent in the service of God and of others – who will love abundantly even when they are not loved in return? One father is worth more than ten thousand teachers.
All you who are called and gifted, hear me. Love is the missing ingredient. Follow after love and the calling, the gifting, and the revelation will find its deepest and fullest expression.

For I am your greatest encourager.

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NKJV) 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Dave and Novie, The Father is our greatest encourager! He has not come to condemn us, but to encourage us and give us hope. I believe that He stands on the sidelines cheering us on as we race down the field of life, all the while speaking hope into the deepest part of our being. His shouts of encouragement provide us with the strength that we need, when we need it, in order for us to finish the race that was uniquely charted for us.
I imagine Him running alongside of you, speaking words of affirmation as you continue to press on. With each loving glance and encouraging word, your muscles seem to strengthen and your endurance increases with the assurance that He loves you and wants you to finish well. When you do stumble and fall, you are quickly picked up and reminded that you were never actually running the race on your own, for it was Jesus who had been carrying you all along as He ran in stride with His Father.
The Father and the Son truly are our greatest encouragers. May their eternal encouragement bring us hope and provide us with the strength we need in order to run the race set out before us.
PRAYER
Father, I thank You for loving me and being my greatest encourager. Help me to always listen for Your words of hope and eternal encouragement! Thank You for placing within me the life of Your Son, that through Jesus, I might be able to run the race that You have set before me. In the name of Your beloved son Jesus I pray, AMEN.

A Letter from Our Spiritual Father

Dear Dave and Novie,
I want you to know it is a pleasure knowing you two and hope in the coming days our relationship will continue to grow founded upon the truth and will fulfill God's Purpose.
In the old days disciples chose their teachers but Jesus chose His disciples. In the beginning days there were those who want to be with me and follow me. recently a Singaporean Chinese minister wanted to follow me [he only heard one message from me] and I told him to go back to his church in Spore and be part of what God was doing in and through that church. Although there are pastors and ministry leaders that have relationship [father and son ] in other nations I have a longing to be a blessing to my own nation. In the midst of alot of bitterness, suspicion, fear and pride in our local churches I need to do the work The Father has called me to do. I recently chose 3 pairs of pastors to pour into their lives. Please pray for them. In Indonesia I chose Onggo and Caroline / you and Novie.
But I want you to know that I do not have anything
1] No house of my own
2] Even the car was bought for me by another friend.
3] No church to show.
4] No big ministry.
5] very little support.
6] No website

according to todays church trend -I am a failure.
But those who have received ministry testify of God's grace in and through us. I am attaching testimonies of pastors. Though I want you to know that I do not live by the testimony of man but desire to live by the testimony of my Father in heaven

desiring to hear from HIM to say

This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.
Here is my son who is after my heart.

Love you both. Hope to work together to accomplish HIS PURPOSE.

Chris and Vijaya.k