It Starts With The Heart

Have you ever seen a leader who was extremely good at what he or she did, but you knew his or her motives were wrong? Do you realize that it is possible to have the skills of leadership, but lack the heart of it? No matter how skilled you are as a leader if you lack the heart of leadership you are not a leader, you are only a very skilled person.

When God called David to leadership he was young & completely inexperienced in leading people. Matter of fact, after he was anointed by Samuel the only things that followed him were sheep! However, what distinguished David from the thousands in Israel at the time was his heart. It was not his appearance, experience, or skills that qualified him for leadership in God’s eyes, it was his heart, “People look at the outer appearance, but God looks at the heart,” (1 Samuel 16:7).

As a leader it is absolutely necessary for you to grow in your skills & abilities to lead, but without developing the heart of leadership you are a time bomb waiting to explode. The heart of leadership is derived in our beliefs, character, thoughts, passions, motives, & desires, but it is eventually revealed in our actions. Too many have substituted the heart of leading for the skills of leading & have ended up as skillful, heartless movers & shakers. Skillful leaders can move people or projects, but it usually isn’t for the good of the people, it is for the benefit of self. If moving those people is of no benefit to them then they won’t commit an ounce of energy.

I always wondered why God did not reject David when he messed up horribly, it was because his heart. Yes, you need to develop your skills as a leader or else you remain someone with a great leadership heart who is completely incapable of carrying out the responsibility of leadership. But, when you have the heart of leadership & you’re growing in the skills of leadership your fails can turn into building blocks. However, if you do not develop the heart of leadership: servanthood, selflessness, adding value to the lives of others, & love, your leadership will eventually be revealed for what it truly is, making your name great. Leadership takes skill, but it starts with the heart.

Let’s Do This Together

What experiences have you had with leaders who are all heart & no skill or all skill & no heart? Are you a leader who is intentional on developing both the heart of leadership & the skill of leadership?