THE CHARACTER OF A LEADER

« Character is not reflected by what we say, or even by what we intend, it is a reflection of what we do »-Anonymous.

WHAT IS CHARACTER?

     

 The action you take to carry out the values, values and morals you believe in.

      Consistency between what you say you will do and what you actually do.

      Putting the ethics into actions.

      Defines, builds or breaks your reputation.

      Moral strength. It takes courage to do what is right when it may cost more than you are willing to pay.

      Who you are and what you do when no one is looking.

Character is therefore the aggregate features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. Leadership is a very critical matter, in fact, “it’s a big deal”. Therefore who we choose to follow as a leader has very real consequences.

      How should we decide who we follow?

      What a leader says he will do and his stand on various issues is of lesser importance, without good character, what confidence do we have that what a leader says, he will do?

I believe not all leaders are born. Majority of the most respected leaders are those that were able to develop themselves in order to become who they are today. This goes beyond gaining educational knowledge and years of experience in the workforce. One of the most important attributes that an individual must possess is not the position, title, a great office or an impressive set of credentials. It is character. In our quest to choose leaders, in the country, church, organization, community etc we must look out for those who have taken time and pain to develop their character over the years and therefore can be trusted.

CHARACTER IS FOUNDATIONAL FOR LEADERS.

“Leadership is a potent combination of character and strategy, but if you must be without one, be without strategy”- Norman Schwarzkopf.

Deuteronomy 5:1-22

When the people of Israel entered into covenant with God, Moses commanded them to hear, learn, and obey God’s regulations. Moses’ threefold command to the Israelites provides excellent advice for development of character for every follower of God.

      Listening is absorbing and accepting information about God

      Learning is understanding its meaning and implications

      Obeying is putting into action all we have learned and understood.

All three parts are essential to helping build godly character in an individual.

 Character determines behaviour just as behaviour demonstrates character. Character is not directly observable. It is an individual’s behaviour that is observed and that behaviour which defines an individual’s character. One’s character is observed by others through the looking glass of one’s behaviour.

Character is the core of a person – “Who we are when no one sees.”

Communities and societies are vulnerable unless citizens whose characters are comprised of such individual virtues as loyalty, charity, compassion, civility and duty under gird them. Such citizens act on motives superior to their own immediate self-interest. They keep the law, respect human life and property, help the unfortunate and meet their obligation to society by the payment of due taxes. Character is never simply inherited. Nor does it grow on its own like a weed. It has to be formed and cultivated. Character develops over time. We may think that a person’s character is formed early in life but we do not know how much or how early character develops. We do know that character does not develop quickly and that it is refined over a life time.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A LEADER’S BELIEF

Contrary to popular opinion, a leader’s beliefs are not irrelevant and a private matter, but they form the basic worldview from which a leader draws principles to govern. If a leader’s beliefs are correct, the principles he governs by will be correct and ultimately successful and vice versa.

Proverbs 9:10 :( NIV) “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”

Can a leader who does not personally fear God and have a personal relationship with Him govern with godly principles? One must analyze the words and actions of a leader to determine his or her beliefs.

Character must be taken seriously for the following reasons:

      We are given gifts but we must develop our character.

      Our character earns the trust of others.

      Only good character earns lasting success with people.

      Sound character communicates credibility and consistency.

      Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

      We cannot rise above the limitations of our character.

IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER TO LEADERSHIP.

"Character is central to good leadership – not just political leadership, but the leadership of mums and dads, principals and teachers, managers and administrators and everyone who influences lives around them"

 

   Character breeds perspective. Gen 50:15-21

What enabled Joseph to refrain from exacting the kind of vengeance most of us would be tempted to dish out in similar circumstances is CHARACTER. If you want God’s perspective on life, then make sure to develop your character.

      Character builds influence.

In order to propel a group of individuals to be united towards a common goal or vision, a leader must be able to influence. A leader can only influence people who believe and trust that he or she would be able to lead them. This can only happen when the people the consistency in your CHARACTER.

      Character leads to improvement.

A leader who has character would not be closed to suggestions from his followers. He would humbly take criticisms from subordinates and apologize where necessary. This would eventually lead to trust and confidence of those below and above, it minimizes any incident of resistance and protest occurring.

STAY CONNECTED

STAY CONNECTED

The world has embraced technology advancement and when you think or try to do anything these days without technology you are considered « backward » and “not abreast with the modern time”. Technology has really come to as savior to man in this present age. It is believed that the slave trade was abolished not because the slave users or slave masters loved the slaves they used and therefore wanted to give them freedom, but rather it was realized with the invention of technology, it was cheaper to use machines to do work than to use slaves.

However, with the invention of modern technology and accompanying advantages, there is one thing that technology is taking away from humans and that is “connectedness”. With the inventions of the mobile phone in all colours, shapes, brands and functions  and social media like “facebook”, “twitter”, “skype”, “whatsapp”, “badoo”, “hi5” etc, the importance of human physical relationship has greatly reduced. No wonder, suicide rates has really shot up these days.

Every human being has a sense of feeling of belongingness and this sense of feeling has created some kind of emptiness in humans. Humans are in search of what can fill this emptiness in them and make them feel belonged. Associations, clubs, old boyism, and many smaller groupings are formed to help people connect with each other but they could not really help even though they are doing well to some extent.  I believe the inventors of all these flashy modern technologies saw this need in human beings and therefore decided to create or invent something to help humans to bond, but would they truly help? Don’t be really shocked if your friends and relations send you a speedy recovery card via facebook or twitter or whatsapp or a phone call when you are hospitalized but never find time visit you in hospital.

At every level in our lives as human we desire to be connected in one way or the other. Without connectedness, people feel a sense of isolation and rejection and lack of purpose. I believe there are different levels of connectedness that we desire at every point in our human growth and development: Spiritual, social, intellectual and physical.

SPIRITUAL: I believe as human we desire to be connected spiritually, and this has led us to the various forms of worship of diverse entities and bodies we ascribe the title god.  In our quest to stay connected we are glued to places where our spiritual needs are met and we develop a kind of inner peace. We believe we are spiritually nourished and uplifted in these places and therefore are ready to do whatever necessary there is to do to stay connected there.

We are sometimes tempted to believe that our source of spiritual connection is the only true source for spiritual nourishment and uplifting. The fact that we all as humans have different spiritual needs means that our sources of spiritual sustenance are bound to be diverse.

Even though I do not doubt people’s sources of spiritual nourishment, I believe there is only one true source for spiritual nourishment and salvation, where our souls are saved from eternal damnation and separation from God and that is Jesus Christ. Through Him we have life and have it more abundantly.

SOCIAL: Social in essence is being connected with a society and the way it is organized, it can also mean being connected in activities in which people meet each other for pleasure. These have given rise to the use of the phrase social networking which implies communication with people who share the same interests using website or other service on the internet. This has brought about the proliferation of the numerous social networking media on the internet and on mobile phones. These innovations and creations were and are being conceptualized with the aim of meeting the growing and insatiable needs of humans for social connectedness. Have these social networking media really solved and met the social needs of man? I believe, not even the most innovative and creative social networking technology can meet our need for social connectedness. I don’t think you can go to the park and play games together as frequent as you may want when you are in Ghana and communicating with an internet friend in Russia via facebook or badoo.

INTELLECTUAL: It is being connected or using a person’s ability to think in a logical way and understand things. As humans, we are always seeking to connect and relate to people who have the ability to think in a logical way and understand things as we do. This is the reason why a college student cannot have any meaningful intellectual relationship with a university lecturer on the same level academically. Most of the people you will relate to intellectually are those who have the same educational or professional qualifications as we. This need has given rise to the formation of many professional bodies world over and you cannot begrudge anyone for this.

PHYSICAL: It is being connected with a person’s physical body rather than their mind. For physical fitness and to keep our bodies in shape we join all manner of sporting clubs and keep fit clubs.

In our craving to stay connected, we must not lose sight of staying connected with our maker, the we can be assured that we are connected to the right source for spiritual, social, intellectual and physical nourishment.

John Benjamin Eshun © 2012

johneshun: A JOURNEY THROUGH MY MIND AT NIGHT.

johneshun: A JOURNEY THROUGH MY MIND AT NIGHT.:   “Each of us has come into this world as to a new city, in which he had no share before his birth”-Philo   I have come ...

A JOURNEY THROUGH MY MIND AT NIGHT.

 

“Each of us has come into this world as to a new city, in which he had no share before his birth”-Philo

 

I have come to realize that in life, we are not really controlled by what goes on around us but rather what we allow into our heads, hearts and spirits because most of what goes on around us we came to meet and can do little to change.

I am not against the fact that our environment plays a very significant role in shaping our thought patterns, life choices and decisions and sometimes to a large extent determine the outcome of our lives. For example; a child raised in a slum would have very different life choices and thinking pattern to that of a child raised in a well planned estate.

However; it may happen that the child from the slum would end up living a more fulfilled and impactful life than his counterpart from the well planned estate. This brings to bear my opening statement, “we are not really controlled by what goes on around us but rather what we allow into our heads, hearts and spirits”. A child from a slum is likely to be exposed all manner of life choices and vices associated with slums. It would always be bare to him the disorderly and lawless nature of life lived in such environments, but what he decides to learn and adapt from his neighborhood would form his approach to life and determine the kind of head, heart and spirit he would develop. Someone may be open to a very orderly society but may turn out to be very disorderly and uncouth and this may be due to the choices one makes even though the environment plays a part in helping us make those choices.

Have you ever come across someone who reads a newspaper article, gets angry and begins to abuse the writer of the article and even the newspaper that published it or someone who after listening to a speech or an address by a political or public figure and all of a sudden raises insults on the speaker and criticizes every word and letter of the speech? Well, I believe you might have come across lots of people like that especially in this season that we are so close to general elections in Ghana.

The problem here is not in the article in the newspaper or the address delivered but the problem is with the understanding and mindset of the reader and the listener. What we see, read, listen or hear does not in itself create any effect on us but the meaning we derive from it.  I have come to understand that in the communication channel, there is the sender and receiver of a message. The sense the receiver makes from a message from the sender is largely based on the decoding mechanisms of the recipient.

In this age of information overload, the decisions we make from the information available to us are not based on the information we receive but the meaning or the sense we make out of the information available to us, so the information that we can access does not in itself determine or control the decisions we make on a daily basis but our decisions are largely based on our understanding of the accessible information. You may have access to information needed for decision making but if you don’t fully understand the information in your domain you would not be able to make any meaningful decision with it.

As individuals we have the sole right to determine what affects us and in what ways we allow things to affect us. Despite the fact that we are influenced by our environment consciously and unconsciously, we have a very special role to play in determining the outcome of our life. When we are able to do this then which part of the world we find ourselves would not necessarily determine the result of our existence.

J B Eshun © September, 2012.

 

“Men of God” or “gods of men”

The year 2012 is gradually drawing to a close and almost everyone will soon be evaluating it and making comparisons to the past year and trying hard to put down plans for the coming year. As we evaluate the past and project into the future we must not lose sight of the fact that we are the creation of the Almighty and as such our main purpose on earth is to worship our creator. For this purpose He has anointed and ordained some people to be his intermediaries here on earth.

I believe the year 2011 had too many stories concerning the people the Almighty had called and endued them with love, power and sound mind to help tend his flock. But, what I found disturbing was the nature of the stories the filled the newspapers, the airwaves, the screens and the internet about the “MEN OF GOD”, they were not stories befitting people with such title and honor.

I have come to believe that whenever God gives an assignment and you begin to enjoy the benefits never let it get too much into your head. When people are shouting your name with all the accolades, and saluting you in public and lying prostrate before you, if you are not careful you would lose touch with the spirit of God that leads and have little regard for the God that called and anointed you for service. You begin to lead people who mention your name more than that of God in a day; they believe more what you say than what the Bible says. You lead them away from God and gradually they are led away from God.

One can do an auto analysis of his relationship with the one who called him to lead his people, to know whether he is on course or has veered off course. There are some indicators that can help one know whether he is on course or off course.  Ask yourself the following questions;

§ 

•     Do my members desire God more or always desiring to listen to me preach.

• §    What is my attitude towards my praise singers; are they just being sycophantic or real.

• §    Do I still hear from God or preach my feelings and emotions and my thoughts.

• Do I personally desire the word more, pray more, and wait on God for direction.

•  Do I listen to other men of God preach and teach or I feel I am the best in town.

•  Am I humble and obedient to God or myself?

• Does material worth mean more to me than the growth and maturity of my ministry and members

• How do I treat those who help my ministry, my wife , my family and other close relations

The questions can go on and on and on, but I would like you to ask yourself the final and most important question: “should I drop dead today would I still be for God”.

I believe it would not be bad at all if the title “Thou good and faithful servant” is added to your name. May we not try or even think of taking the place of God in the life of his people. 

Let us carry only the message of God to his people and in so doing, we will be helping advance the kingdom of God.

John Benjamin Eshun © 2012.

DIVERSITY.

Sometimes I sit and ask myself why God won’t duplicate the over 6 billion people on earth but rather creates an original anytime He wants a new man or woman on earth? Why didn’t he create the same species of plant and animal all over the planet? Why did he create different water bodies; seas, streams, lakes, lagoons, wells, springs and so on?  As if that was not enough even with man he created all manner of skin colors and looks, no two palms are the same? Wonderful!

But, in all this I have come to see that this world would have been a freaking boring place if all humans were of the same color and look, had the same body odor and spoke only one language.

Assuming all men were wearing the same clothes and putting on the same kind of shoes and socks to the same places every time. Oh my God! This world indeed would have been not just boring but annoying and irritating. Assuming there was only one kind of food world over with the same taste. Would anyone in his right frame of mind want to travel beyond his locality to see what is elsewhere? Would there have been anything like tourism or cultural diversity; would man have had any sense of taste and desire to appreciate anything?

Would any man want to work if all men did the same kind of work, work in the same industry and took home the same salary and benefit? If all women looked alike, would any man be able to identify his wife? If all men built the same kind of houses and there the same streets and street lights everywhere, I don’t think any man would ever be able to find his way home.

However, because of man’s inability to embrace diversity, it has become a dividing tool and has become a destructive missile in the hands of an unable man. Many conflicts world over to come into being as a result of our inability to harness our differences to our advantage. I believe there would be no need for mediation and peacekeeping anywhere in the world if we are to acknowledge our diversity as humans and respect each other’s difference of opinion, religion, tribe, affiliation, desire, taste, and so on.

God made no mistake in creating DIVERSITY.

John Benjamin Eshun. © 2012