PILLARS OF LEADERSHIP

BY AYO EMAKHIOMHE

As a leader, all your activities must be guided by 3 pillars, which are that:

1.  They must bring honor to God: Think before you act, and in thinking, ask yourself if that activity you are about to engage in or are engaged in will bring honor or dishonor to God.

2.  They must serve and benefit others. What’s the motive behind the deed you are about to commit to or the act you are about to engage in? is it to glorify yourself, your position, or is it to polish your ego or boost your self esteem? Is it to be of service to man and nature or to be of good to others? The latter 2 is usually the most preferred motive.

3.  They must be to realize and utilize the gifts of your team members positively and to their greatest potential.

Our leadership must always be about the big picture; something much bigger than us. This should be your driving personal and corporate mission and vision. To set any other mission/vision standard below this means that you are just taking a stroll and not leading anyone.

A good example of having a clear vision/mission of life goal/leadership motive can be seen in an example of a cleaner in NASA who when asked what she was doing said she was

 “cleaning the floor to assist the country to fly into space”. She knew her mission as not just to keep the floor clean, but that that floor was part of the big picture of reaching space. How many of the cleaners or members in your team can clearly define their job function in line with your corporate objective/mission/vision?

The 3 pillars listed above addresses the ultimate leadership topic of motive. Your motive for doing things ultimately determines what you do.

Note that no matter whom you are or what level you are in society, you have a call and a duty to leadership. It is the small leadership steps you take today that will take you to the big steps of leadership tomorrow. LEAD FROM WHERE YOU ARE!

I end with leadership lessons from John C. Maxwell:

• No real meaning exists apart from linking our lives to God’s purpose. Leadership without an eternal perspective falls into the trap of meaninglessness.

• Humanism and materialism provide incomplete counsel for decision making.

• Possessions, people, pleasures, prestige and power make great servants but poor masters.

• The key is timing: when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go.

• People are not motivated by one incentive, but by a variety of incentives.

• Divine wisdom provides direction, protection, correction and resolution; seek divine wisdom in God daily.

• Leaders must invest themselves generously, knowing that the benefits are in their future.

God bless you!

emakhiomheayo@yahoo.com