GUEST POST ~ #ReimagineLEADERSHIP…Less Methods & Meetings; More Counsel & Coaching

Shifting from Leadership to Fatherhood 

Glenn Bleakney

In a day and age when the presence of paternal influence is notably lacking, apostolic leaders face an undeniable and urgent need to transcend their conventional roles as mere leaders. Now, more than ever, they must fully embrace their true calling as spiritual fathers, offering guidance, nurturing, and unwavering care that can only be provided by those who embody the essence of a spiritual father. 

This generation yearns for a profound and intimate connection, as well as compassionate support that can only be fostered through the presence of spiritual fathers. As spiritual orphans wander, desperately seeking purpose and identity, it becomes imperative for apostolic leaders to wholeheartedly embrace the role of a father, guiding others to experience a deep, personal encounter with God the Father and embracing their true identity as cherished children of the Divine. 

Here are ten strategic shifts for apostolic leaders to become influential spiritual fathers, catalyzing transformative change in the lives of those they father. 

1. Embodying Christ-Centered Character: 

As spiritual fathers, apostolic leaders must embody the very essence of Christ-like character in every facet of their lives. In the same way that Paul implored others to imitate his example as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1), leaders who embody the virtues of Christ become living testimonies of His transformative power. Through their embodiment of Christ-like character, these spiritual fathers inspire and influence those under their fatherly care. 

2. Cultivating Intimacy with God the Father:

Spiritual fathers must prioritize the cultivation of a deep, intimate relationship with God, serving as models of a life deeply rooted in prayer, worship, and devotion. The letters of the apostle Paul radiate with evidence of his profound intimacy with the Divine, serving as a compelling example for all spiritual fathers. By nurturing their own connection with God, these spiritual fathers create a sacred pathway for others to experience the boundless love of the Father and discover their true identity as cherished children of the Divine. 

3. Building Authentic and Meaningful Relationships:

At the very heart of spiritual fatherhood lies the importance of authentic relationships. The letters of Paul reveal his deep yearning for genuine connections with others. Spiritual fathers must invest their time and effort in building authentic relationships, characterized by vulnerability, transparency, and a genuine willingness to journey alongside others through both moments of joy and struggle. By fostering an environment of trust and authenticity, these spiritual fathers create fertile ground for transformative growth in the lives of those under their fatherly guidance. 

4. Equipping and Empowering the Next Generation:

Apostolic leaders are called to equip and empower the next generation of leaders, following the example set by Paul with Timothy and Titus. The mentorship of these young leaders beautifully exemplifies this crucial principle. In the same way that Paul entrusted them with responsibilities and encouraged them to fulfill their God-given potential, spiritual fathers invest tirelessly in the development of others, creating a legacy of multiplication that extends far beyond their immediate sphere of influence. 

5. Imparting Sound Doctrine and Unyielding Truth: 

Paul placed profound emphasis on the importance of imparting sound doctrine in his teachings. Spiritual fathers must ensure that they impart biblical truth and stand unwavering against the waves of false teachings. By grounding their spiritual children in the unchanging Word of God, these spiritual fathers equip them with the discernment needed to distinguish truth from falsehood, establishing a rock-solid foundation for their faith. Sound doctrine becomes an unwavering compass that guides and shapes the lives of those under their spiritual care. 

6. Correcting with Love, Grace, and Compassion: 

Approaching correction with a heart overflowing with love, grace, and compassion is a vital aspect of spiritual fatherhood. This mirrors the tone of Paul's letters, which were filled with corrective instructions delivered with immense compassion. Humility, discernment, and a genuine desire to witness transformation are crucial components in offering corrective guidance. When rooted in love and grace, correction becomes a catalyst for profound spiritual growth and maturity. 

7. Fostering a Culture of Honor and Affirmation:

Apostolic leaders should strive to cultivate a culture of honor within their communities, following Paul's example of honoring and affirming others (Romans 16:1-16). In doing so, spiritual fathers recognize and celebrate the unique gifts and contributions of those under their care. This cultivation of honor creates an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and empowerment, enabling individuals to thrive and fulfill their God-given potential. 

8. Providing Unwavering Spiritual Covering and Protection: 

Just as Paul provided spiritual covering and protection to the churches he founded, spiritual fathers offer steadfast guidance, support, and accountability to those entrusted to their care. This covering acts as a shield and guide, enabling spiritual children to navigate challenges and grow in their faith. Spiritual fathers become a source of strength and stability, 

9. Modeling Servant Leadership: 

Spiritual fathers exemplify the essence of servant leadership, mirroring the selfless nature of Jesus Christ himself. They lead not by exerting authority or seeking personal gain, but by humbly serving and sacrificing for the well-being and growth of those under their care. This sacrificial love and servant-heartedness inspire others to follow their example, creating a culture of servanthood within the community. 

10. Nurturing Emotional and Spiritual Healing:

Spiritual fathers understand the importance of addressing emotional and spiritual wounds that hinder growth and wholeness. Just as Paul demonstrated deep care and concern for the emotional well-being of his spiritual children, these spiritual fathers provide a safe space for healing, restoration, and inner transformation. Through compassionate listening, wise counsel, and prayer, they guide individuals towards healing and freedom, enabling them to embrace their true identity in Christ. 

Spiritual fathers have the incredible opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by impacting not just one generation, but multiple generations of spiritual children. Through their guidance, wisdom, and mentorship, they have the power to shape the lives of their spiritual children and equip them to become spiritual fathers and mothers themselves. This ripple effect creates a lineage of spiritual growth and transformation that extends beyond their own lifetime, reaching future generations who will carry on the legacy of faith and mentorship. Spiritual fathers truly have the privilege of nurturing and empowering spiritual children who will, in turn, become spiritual parents to the generations that follow.

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For the Kingdom,

Glenn Bleakney

AwakeNations.org

KingdomCommunity.tv 

GUEST POST ~ Good Leadership Starts With Good Questions

Guest Post by John Hagel

Originally Posted @ Harvard Business Review

Leaders today need to revisit an overlooked skill: asking questions. In my 40 years as an executive and advisor in Silicon Valley, I’ve often seen leaders assume that people look to them for answers — bold assertions that build people’s confidence in their competence. But in reality, that kind of approach erodes trust, especially at a time when so much is manifestly uncertain. You think you have the answers to all important questions? That suggests that you are either clueless — you have no idea how rapidly the world is changing — or that you are lying. In either case, you won’t find that trust that you’ve been looking for.

Instead, leaders should ask powerful and inspiring questions, convey that they don’t have the answers, and solicit others’ help to find them. The leaders I talk to tend to be nervous about this approach: Won’t it look like they don’t know what they’re doing? On the contrary, however, research has shown that expressing vulnerability and asking for help is a strong signal to others that you are trusting, and you’re more likely to be trusted in return. In fact, if you can learn to ask questions well, it can help you connect with others. Thinking together can put you on the path to solving intractable problems and sparking innovative thinking.

Drucker Forum 2020

This article is one in a series related to the 12th Global Peter Drucker Forum, with the theme “Leadership Everywhere.” See the program here.

Ask Big Questions

To be clear: I’m not saying you should ask pointed questions that put others on the spot, like “How can you deliver 10% higher productivity?” or “Are you missing anything here?” The kind of questions leaders need to ask are those that invite people to come together to explore major new opportunities that your organization hasn’t identified yet. Here are some examples:

• What is a game-changing opportunity that could create much more value than we have delivered in the past?
• What are emerging unmet needs of our customers that could provide the foundation for an entirely new business?
• How could we leverage the resources of third parties to address a broader range of the needs of our customers?
• How can we move from standardized, mass-market products and services to personalizing our products and services to the specific needs of each customer?
• How can we develop supply networks that would be more flexible in responding to unanticipated disruptions in production or logistics?
• How could we harness sensor technology to create more visibility into how our customers are using our products and use this information to deliver more value and deepen trust with our customers?

Focusing your questions on these kinds of new and big opportunities rather than on the existing activities of the organization can also help you to sidestep your fear that questioning will be seen as a sign of weakness, since there’s no way you could be expected to know the answers.

These broader questions also communicate that you have a sense of ambition, that you want to take the organization way beyond where it is today. And you can bolster your credibility by providing evidence of those long-term trends that underlie your question – for example, emerging technologies that are likely to offer new opportunities, or demographic shifts that will create some significant unmet needs among your customers.

Involve Others

These questions also invite collaboration. To make the most of them, don’t ask them in closed leadership meetings. Instead, broadcast them throughout your organization and even beyond it. It’s not just you posing a question to your people, it’s your brand reaching out to learn from its consumers. Reaching out beyond the institution to connect with expertise and perspectives from a broader set of more diverse sources will help your company learn faster.

For example, take Domino’s Pizza. About 10 years ago, Domino’s was hearing from customers that they did not like the company’s pizza. Many organizations might have tried to hide this information or work behind the scenes to correct the problem. Domino’s Pizza did something different. They made public the feedback they were receiving and asked for suggestions on how they could improve the quality of their pies. This open question generated an avalanche of suggestions that proved very helpful in improving the pizzas.

But beyond an open innovation success, the impact was even more fundamental: by expressing vulnerability, I believe that the company built trust with customers. Here was a company that was willing to acknowledge they had a problem and to ask for help in addressing the problem. If more organizations were willing to ask for help from their customers and other stakeholders when experiencing a problem, they would likely have much greater success in re-building trust.

Change Your Culture

Anxiety can run high in volatile times, and by asking these kinds of questions you can help people overcome some of their fears. It’s well established in the psychology field that coming together with others can reduce anxiety — that’s the idea behind group therapy. And achieving real impact can also help overcome feelings of being overwhelmed. Thus by helping people to focus on short-term actions they can take together, your questions can provide a focusing and calming effect during a crisis. .

By asking questions as a leader, you also communicate that questioning is important. You’ll inspire people to identify new opportunities and to ask for help when they need it. These behaviors lead to a culture of learning, which is critical, since the institutions that will thrive in the future are those that encourage everyone to learn faster and more rapidly expand the value that they deliver to their stakeholders.

This will be especially true if you encourage exploration that can generate new insights into potential answers to your questions, rather than simply expecting complete answers and nothing less. This will encourage people to make small moves initially that can quickly help to increase excitement about the question since participants can quickly begin to see progress. As early answers to your question begin to emerge (as a result of experiments or research, for example), share them, even if they are not groundbreaking. They’ll contribute to your culture of learning and show your stakeholders that your questioning is generating new insights, increasing their confidence in your methods.

Leaders who ask powerful questions have the greatest success in both seizing new opportunities and addressing unexpected challenges — and they build cultures that will carry these benefits into the future.