The great thing about this seminar was to hear from all involved and then boil down a better definition of leadership. I appreciate any interaction, so add your thoughts in the comments if you wish!

The list of attributes that those in the seminar gave and we kept are as follows: role model, friend, mentor, servant, brave, counselor, decision-maker, guide, peaceful, influencer, teacher, example, consistent, gracious, sacrifices for others, trustworthy, humble, flexible and approachable. I think this is a great list to start with and shows us what type of leader the world needs today!

We defined leadership as being best approached as a servant-leader and then defined dynamic leadership as “transformational leadership” which had four main tenets: A transformational leaders is 1) capable of creating and executing a vision of the future, 2) capable of inspiring others to join in that vision (30 second boiled down version!), 3) hopeful and able to develop members of the team (pass the baton!) and 4) able to see “the problem behind the problem.” This means that a true leader is interested in leading while making others better, stronger and helping them succeed. This is done while casting vision and highlighting the real issues, not the issues everyone else assumes are the “real” ones. Perhaps more on this will be written on by me some day.

The key to becoming this leader is hard, but simple, and we highlighted 4 keys:
1) Follow the Leader (Jesus!!!!)
2) Learn and Grow (keep reading and shadowing good leaders to grow)
3) Lead Home (if you aren’t leading well at home, you aren’t leading)
4) Redefine the List (take assumptions of what good leadership is, test them and try them)

We redefined the list you all gave and the second paragraph is what we landed on. Remember, just because many consider someone a “great leader,” doesn’t mean that they are a transformational leader. Aim to be a transformational leader!

Lastly, a request was given for some good books or resources on leadership. Here is a start:
Summoned to Lead
Public Faith in Action
Multiplying Missional Leaders
A God-sized Vision
Good to Great and the Social Sectors

These are just a few that I’ve found helpful (and different than most lists you will find!). I have read much by Bill Hybels, John Maxwell and Andy Stanley. Those are just authors on most church folks lists – the above list is a little outside the norm.