How shall we lead

Recently discussing changing global context with the CEO of an international charity organization on the context affecting voluntary sector, the discussions were quite disturbing and challenging. Of the many changes that is affecting – I zeroed in on three that seemed most pressing.

One – the scramble for resources. Money seems to be drying up fast, the donor fatigue seems to be at unprecedented levels, and there seems to be intentional efforts from various players to limit access to funds of the voluntary sector. Any CEO or leader today, need to have sufficient resource generating skills whether it be money or manpower. Resource mobilization seems to be up most in the agenda of many such CEOs and leaders.

When Jesus started off His ministry, the offer to him in the desert also was similar. You are appointed for a great task, you have the skills to generate resources (right skills for the job at hand). All you need to do it to put your skills into action. Create bread out of stones. It will be your personal and ministry resource pool. His response was interesting – He will not compromise Word of God for resources! A clear cut no to being dependent on his skills to produce resources as the foundation for His ministry, but Word of God and faith as the foundation.

Bringing the faith element back into our rational and logical and strategic management thinking processes is something that we need to redeem and recapture.

Two – right positioning of the voluntary sector in front of the community, state and national systems  is key contributor for survival. Voluntary sector is struggling hard to position well so that their survival is not affected, at the same time powers and authorities will take note and support them in their strategic directions. Promotion with acceptable sometimes even diluted messages seems to be the way forward, if we are to steer clear of the storm around us and create visibility.

Even for Jesus this was the question. With many Rabbi’s around, and self-promoting Messiahs coming and going, an easy way out was to do the spectacular (as Henry Nouwen says) and get a quick following of the people and the powers. His ministry, survival and success would be guaranteed.  Jump from the top of the pinnacle of the temple and angels protecting Him would be a great event for self-promotion. He out right refuses this methodology and follows a life style of self-giving and self-pouring out instead of self-promotion.

Repositioning by self-giving and serving than promoting what we do, is what would produce eternal Kingdom fruits. The relevance of the mandate of “Seek first His kingdom and the rest will be given to you” need to be understood in the context of our institutional and organizational strategizing and planning.

Three – Alignment to systems and processes of the world. Regulatory frame works, Standard operating procedures, Quality standards, evidence-based management frame works, and many such systems are seen as the answer for entry into the turbulent potential future of tomorrow. Good and important some of these be, these have the potential to move us from keeping our core vision at center to focusing on organizational or institution building as focus.

Jesus had a similar question put out to him. The world is here for you to take from my hand, the prince of the world offers. All you need to do is for a time worship me, align your focus on me, and you will receive what you have come for easily. For Jesus the answer was clear. Worship of His father and aligning to His purposes and His methodology cannot be compromised for easy outcomes and or short cuts!

When faced with systems the world expects us to align to, do we consider the potential slippery slope of vision loss we could enter into if we replace vision with systems of the world?

How shall we live then? Bring Word and Faith back into our management thinking, Replace self-promotion by Self-giving, and have to courage to say no to those systems that might take us away from following God whose Kingdom business we are part of, whatever be the platform we are placed in.