I firmly believe that whether you are a follower or a leader in any sphere of influence—church, homeschool groups, non-profits, or organizations—you should understand and have certain leadership qualities. How does this work? If you have the ability to work with conviction, initiative, and humility, you will be more effective and more valued than many others who simply exist in a state of always doing exactly what they’ve been told. Leadership is about making wise decisions, serving those around you, fulfilling your role, communicating well, and being teachable. While these qualities are essential to the role of a leader, they are just as valuable in the role of a follower, albeit in a slightly different way.
The following four points are key qualities and callings that every leader must have and understand in order to lead well. Each one can be taken and incorporated into the rule of a follower as well. A person of conviction is needed in both roles.
#1: Carrying Out Your Elected Duties
Every leader must be able and willing to actually fulfill the responsibilities and duties they were elected to fill. It may seem strange to have to say this, but too often leaders are oblivious of or choose to ignore the responsibilities of their position. In both cases, this shows a lack of character and a heart that seeks the position simply for the title and power. On the other hand, a conviction-led leader knows his responsibilities and plans, delegates, and executes with the end vision in mind.
At Patriot Academy Leadership Congresses, young patriots (16-25 year olds) engage in one of the most realistic legislative simulations in the nation. One of the opportunities they have during this experience is to run for an elected office. At Regional Leadership Congresses, they can campaign for Governor or Speaker of the House, and our National Leadership Congress includes a third office, Lieutenant Governor.
Each of these offices includes a variety of responsibilities, and those who run understand that it’s not merely about campaigning well and winning the election, but about leading well at the next Leadership Congress.
For our unelected positions at Leadership Congress—Chair, Vice Chair, and Calendar—the expectation of responsibility is no different. Although staff selects alumni to fill these positions, the selection is done with the confidence that our alumni are seeking to grow their leadership skills and will take on the full responsibility of their position.
#2 Humble and Teachable
Humility and a hunger for learning are defining characteristics of a conviction-led leader. A humble leader knows that they will make mistakes, but accepts accountability for them and keeps moving forward. They don’t speak or act like they know everything about every subject, but at the same time, they speak about what they do know with boldness and conviction.
Humility doesn’t just show up in speech, although that is one major place to see it. It is apparent in the way a person carries themself. A humble leader is known by their actions. Anyone can sweep the floor after an event, pick up trash, offer a kind word, or put in long hours to see an idea come to fruition. But not everyone does it with a heart of authenticity and those motives will eventually come to light. People are quick to watch a leader, to perceive if they’re doing something out of a genuine conviction or if they’re doing it to earn favors.
Being a humble leader means being teachable as well. Think about any expert craftsman who has studied a craft or skill. They only reach such a high level of skill by remaining a learner all their life, continually honing their craft and always seeking to grow. But when someone apprentices under them or seeks to learn from them, they teach with authority. They invite those learning from them on the journey of continuing growth, while still speaking from a place of wisdom and experience.
#3: Leaders are Communicators & Storytellers
Communication is key. It’s probably a phrase you’ve heard before, and it’s true! Without communication, no one you lead will know what to do or how to proceed. Organizations can and have crumbled from poor communication.
Not only does communication need to happen, it needs to happen consistently. Teams and organizations suffer when communication is sporadic and inconsistent. A lack of communication cultivates feelings of instability, distrust, and a general feeling of not belonging.
Consider how you communicate with friends or family. Good relationships are built on talking frequently, sharing photos, checking in on one another, and so much more. However, these relationships can start to suffer when communication slows down or only happens once in a while. You are no longer aware of everything going on in their lives and your relationship will probably change or even suffer as a result.
The same is true in an organizational setting. Poor communication will make an employee feel like they are not being heard and their work is not valued. Consistent communication will produce the opposite effect.
Beyond simply communicating, leaders are storytellers. Part of storytelling is envisioning the end goal—where the group or organization hopes to find itself at the end of the journey. Stories and visions serve to unite teams and bring them closer together. As Ken Blanchard and Randy Conley write in their book Simple Truths of Leadership, “if people don’t know where they’re headed or what they’re meant to accomplish, the fault lies with the leader” (2022, “Simple Truth #1”).
The Christian leaders storytelling and vision for the team is directly influenced by the truths of Scripture regarding the things that matter and are lasting. They must create a vision for their team that consists of more than just working for physical profits and rewards.
A good leader draws his team together around a common goal. He explains why something is important, not just that they have to do it. Everyone likes to feel that they are part of something. It’s the leader’s job to get his team to see why the work they do is important. Albert Mohler said, “Our most effective national leaders have known how to…rally the nation to a cause by making the story central” (Conviction to Lead, p. 39).
#4: Leaders Graciously Accept the Time for Their Decrease
George Washington was a leader who believed that power was not the ultimate goal. His heart was to serve his country and to lead them well. Washington’s success in wisely and courageously leading the Continental Army to victory firmly established him as a hero in the minds of the American people. They would have enthroned him as king in a moment. However, Washington refused to be caught up in the moment. Remembering what they had just come from and knowing the nature of every human, he vehemently rejected the idea. King George, on hearing that Washington had taken this view, reportedly said, “If he does that [refuses to be king], he will be the greatest man in the world.” Washington provides an incredible example to follow.
A conviction-led Christian leader in today’s world is unique from many kinds of contemporary secular leadership in that they are focused on the needs of the team. Servant leaders are people who seek to build up their team and look out for them. A recent study published in Sustainability discusses servant leadership and the impact it has on team members. The study found that, “servant leaders are able to recognize and meet the needs of their staff…which, in turn, directs their followers to show positive behaviors” (Rahal, 2022, p. 9). Others have come to similar conclusions.
In her book Servant Leadership in Management Practice: Welcome to the Foodbank, Suzanne Kane takes this idea one step further. She writes, “To seek to mentor those who may truly surpass yourself is the solemn point of servant leadership…the zenith of achievement” (2020, p. 107). Instead of working from a self-centered focus, conviction-led servant leaders help their followers grow personally, professionally, and socially. This idea is antithetical to the worldview of many secular leaders and can be hard to swallow in a world where personal success is often the highest priority. Thus, meeting the needs of others is just one area where Christian servant leadership differs from secular leadership.
At Leadership Congresses, those alumni who have grasped this concept make it their goal to invest in freshmen or those still struggling to speak up. One of the most rewarding moments, as a staff member, is watching an alumni take a nervous freshmen to the back mic and walk them through asking a good question about a bill or bringing them to the front mic and walking them through speaking on a bill. These actions show the heart of true servant leaders. Having grown and learned themselves, they take it upon themselves to lead others upward and onward. They aren’t in the experience for themselves anymore. They are producers and not just consumers. This doesn’t mean they always step back and let someone else take the role, but it does mean mentoring, equipping, and leading others to fill positions.
What Now?
As you step into roles of leadership or supporting those who are in leadership, consider each of these qualities of an individual who is conviction-led. Make it your goal to choose at least one of these to pursue over the next month, and remember that ultimately your convictions must have a source. For the Christian, that source is Scripture.
Emma Sager
Emma Sager works as the Marketing Specialist at Patriot Academy. She graduated from Cedarville University with a degree in Communication. In a world that spends seconds on content before being caught up in the next new thing, she enjoys tackling the challenge of creatively telling stories that capture the reader’s attention and leave them pondering what they read or saw. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, art, playing violin, and spending time outdoors and with friends.
