Next Generation Leader | Andy Stanley

Andy Stanley. Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future. Multnomah, 2006. 176 pp.

1. Competence—Do Less, Accomplish More

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is… leadership, let him govern diligently. [Romans 12:6, 8 NIV]

[The apostles] knew all about servant leadership. They had learned from the Master Himself. But more and more of their time was being consumed by administrative activities. And apparently administration wasn’t something they were exceptionally good at, because before long it appeared that they were being partial to the Hebraic Jews in the daily distribution of food.

At some point they realized things had to change. The mission of the church was at risk. The main thing was no longer their main thing. So they did what any good church would do: They called a meeting.

The apostles came to terms early on with the notion that they had to do what only they could do. They were the only men on the planet who were equipped to recommunicate the teachings of Christ. Their unique experiences and unlimited access to the Master had positioned them as the sole bearers of the most important message in the world.

Unlike the modern church, they did not ask for volunteers. They chose seven men who were equipped to handle the task. And the result? “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” [Acts 6:7 NIV]

2. Courage Establishes Leadership

Only those leaders who act boldly in times of crisis and change are willingly followed. [James Kouzes]

Leaders challenge what is for the sake of what could be. That’s the job of the leader. But challenging what has always been and what has always worked before requires guts. Simply recognizing the need for change does not define leadership. The leader is the one who has the courage to act on what he sees.

A leader is someone who has the courage to say publicly what everybody else is whispering privately. It is not his insight that sets the leader apart from the crowd. It is his courage to act on what he sees, to speak up when everyone else is silent.

[Here are] three specific expressions of courage that are essential for those who aspire to be leaders worth following:

• The Courage to Say No
• The Courage to Face Current Reality
• The Courage to Dream

3. Uncertainty Demands Clarity

Every success is usually an admission ticket to a new set of decisions. [Henry Kissinger]

Uncertainty is not an indication of poor leadership; it underscores the need for leadership. It is the environment in which good leadership is most easily identified. Uncertainty actually increases with increased leadership responsibility. This is why it is imperative for you to learn now how to thrive in uncertain environments.

Leadership is all about taking people on a journey. The challenge is that most of the time we are asking people to follow us to places we ourselves have never been. There aren’t any photographs. There are no maps to guide us. We are left to cut a trail. As we move forward into the uncertainty before us, we sense the need to turn occasionally and assure those who follow.

This is the tension: negotiating the uncertain terrain while casting a clear and compelling vision.

4. Coaching Enables Leaders to Go Farther, Faster

An effective coach does not need to possess more skills than the person he is coaching. [Andy Stanley]

You will never maximize your potential in any area without coaching. It is impossible. Every top athlete and athletic team has a coach. Nobody performs his way out of needing a coach.

A leadership coach helps us assess the present so that we can operate more effectively in the future.

A coaching relationship is usually a medium to long-range prospect. Coaching does not center on problem solving. Instead, the focus is performance enhancement.

Coaching encompasses all the components of a mentoring relationship, and then some. Unlike a mentoring arrangement, a leadership coach doesn’t simply advise when asked. A coach is going to be more proactive in his instruction and evaluation. A coach is often on the scene watching rather than in an office waiting for a report.

5. Character Determines a Leader’s Legacy

We set young leaders up for a fall if we encourage them to envision what they can do before they consider the kind of person they should be. [R. Ruth Barton]

Character is not essential to leadership. We all know leaders of large organizations who lacked character.

But character is what makes you a leader worth following.

Integrity is not necessary if your aspirations as a leader end with simply persuading people to follow you. Your accomplishments as a leader will make your name known. Your character will determine what people associate with your name.

You can create an enviable lifestyle by leveraging your leadership skills alone. But you cannot create an enviable life without giving serious attention to who you are on the inside.

Years ago I adopted a definition of character that is simple enough to remember, yet complete enough to have teeth:

Character is the will to do what’s right even when it’s hard.

Those who choose to follow you want you to be a leader worth following. They will judge you not so much for where you led them, but how you led them. The truth is that those who choose to follow you will expect more from you by way of character than they expect from themselves.

Having the will to do what’s right requires that you determine what’s right before the struggle to what’s right ensues. Leading with character necessitates a series of predecisions: As a next generation leader you must decide ahead of time what is non-negotiable as it relates to right and wrong.

Excerpted from Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley. Copyright © 2003 Andy Stanley. Used by permission of Multnomah Publishers, Inc. Excerpt may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of Multnomah Publishers.

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