We’ve all seen leaders that manipulate, threaten, and intimidate their teams to get the job done. While this may work for a short period of time, ultimately the team begins to fall apart when the leader is a jerk.
Yes, it is true that leaders are tasked with moving the ball down the field and getting things done. However, it is the inward qualities of a leader that produce lasting results.
You’re probably familiar with the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
But have you thought about those inward qualities in light of your ability to lead your team well? John Maxwell lists some simple questions to evaluate our ability to incorporate the Fruit of the Spirit in our leadership.
- Love – Is my leadership motivated by love for people?
- Joy – Do I exhibit an unshakable joy, regardless of life’s circumstances?
- Peace – Do people see my peace and take courage?
- Patience – Do I wait patiently for results as I develop people or goals?
- Kindness – Am I caring and understanding toward everyone I meet?
- Goodness – Do I want the best for others and the organization?
- Faithfulness – Have I kept my commitments?
- Gentleness – Is my strength under control? Can I be both tough and tender?
- Self-Control – Am I disciplined to make progress toward my goals?
Eric Echols 