The Extras of Professional Coaching

The 10 Commandments of Effective Leadership

Look out from where you are

“No Church Left Behind.” That was the theme of the 2013 Pastors and Leaders Conference hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes, the senior pastor of The Potters House located in Dallas, Texas.

Bishop Jakes opened the conference with his message on Ten Commandments of Effective Leadership. I will share each of the ten commandments with you over the next few weeks and I hope you will find something in the writing to equip, encourage, and empower you for God’s next move.

To lead effectively, you need to obey the Ten Commandments of Effective Leadership. You may be talented, educated, or highly skilled and not be a good leader. The fact that you can teach, preach or manage does not make you a leader. There are great leaders who doesn't teach very well and great teachers who doesn't lead very well.  To be an effective leader, here are the Ten Commandments you must live by:

Leadership Commandment #1 - Thou shalt not lead beyond your own exposure

As a leader, it is possible that you are intrinsically focused on what you are leading and not be exposed to anything beyond what you are leading. Your faithfulness and commitment to your vision could be the point of your frustration. Are you so busy working in the house that you never see beyond the house you are in?

The first thing God says to Abraham is, “look out from where you are.” You cannot lead further than your own exposure. How are you going to go to something you are not exposed to?

"You need to be exposed beyond the people that you lead or you forfeit your right to lead them."

The children of Israel were commanded to send spies to the Promised Land because the exposure to what is on the other side might give them the strength to march around the wall. Your level of exposure will determine your level of confidence.

Lead to the next level

Moses was very effective at leading the Israelites though the desert because he had been in the desert for forty years himself. He led the Israelites as far as his exposure. Moses knew how to survive in the desert because he had been there but he couldn't lead the Israelites to the Promised Land because he had not been there. So God needed somebody [Joshua] who had been exposed to the next level [The Promised Land] to lead to the next level.

"You cannot get people to go where you have not been yourself."

You cannot bring people into a theory. There are so many theoretical leaders today who are busy leading and teaching things they have not experienced, trying to build business on something they have not experienced. They understand it philosophically, they have a degree on it but they have never done it.

Theoretical vs. Empirical Information

There is a difference between theoretical information and empirical information. You don’t have to prove theoretical information but empirical information has to be proven. David chose not to fight the giant in his life with Saul’s [his boss] ammunition because he [David] was yet to prove them. David has not been exposed to it and he does not have the experience on how to use it.

It is better to take the less that you are exposed to and use it against the giant in your life than to take something that is not proven in your life and fight your giant with it. You are strongest on the level of your exposure.