Follow The Leader: What Men Need To Be Effective Leaders

Do you want to be a leader?

Most men do.  It’s wired into us.  

Man was born to be a leader.  We are designed to lead our families.  We are expected to lead our churches.  In almost every aspect of life, it is the duty of men to lead.

From the beginning of creation, man has been called upon to lead.

The first man, Adam, was called upon to lead his wife, Eve.  He was placed in charge of all the creatures of the Garden of Eden.  It was also his sin that led to the fall of man, not Eve’s.  He was responsible for her and the decisions of his family.  

The world has seen many great men who were excellent leaders.  From military leaders, to patriarchs, to political leaders, we have seen men rise up and accept the responsibility (and the burden) of being the leader.  

So, what makes a great leader?  What are the attributes of a man who can get others to follow him?

To be a great leader, you must be a great man first. 

I believe the perfect definition of a great man was given by Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, who said in his great “Strenuous Life” speech, “We do not admire the man of timid peace. We admire the man who embodies victorious effort; the man who never wrongs his neighbor, who is prompt to help a friend, but who has those virile qualities necessary to win in the stern strife of actual life.” 

A great man is a man who is in charge of himself. He is in control of his mind, his body, and his spirit.  He is not controlled by his impulses. 

How can a man lead others if he cannot lead himself?

Great leaders must have the qualities of a great man in order to be deserving of the responsibility of leadership.

In order to be a leader, you must be worthy of being followed.

Many men want to be leaders, but they hold none of the attributes required of a leader.  They expect their wives and children to submit to them, but they aren’t worthy of being submitted to.

Yes, wives should submit to their husbands simply because God ordained man to be the head of the family. But that doesn’t mean the man doesn’t have a responsibility to lead properly and according to the pattern designed in Scripture.

A man who aspires to be a leader, must have the qualities that make other people want to follow him.  He must have a plan.  He must be wise in how he deals with his family.  They must respect him and his judgement.  

If you have to demand respect, you aren’t worthy of respect.  

A man must set the standard for his family.  He must also hold himself to the same standard as he expects others to achieve.  He will set the tone for the financial, physical, spiritual, and educational status of his family. He must lead from ahead instead of push from behind.  

Great leaders are men who people want to follow, not men whom they are forced to follow.

In order for others to follow you, you must be going somewhere.

No one can follow you if you aren’t going anywhere.  To be a leader, you must have direction. You need purpose and a clear plan.  No one will want to follow you if you are taking them in circles.  

Men must have a mission and a purpose.  There must be a clear reason to get out of bed each morning.  And the family themselves can’t be the mission.  They need to be a part of the mission.  

If you don’t have a purpose in life, you’re wandering.  

Those whom you have been placed in leadership over should know what your purpose and mission are.  Many people recommend writing a family mission statement outlining exactly what your family is, what they do and do not do, and where they are striving for.

As a leader, you should have goals. Your family needs to be working together to reach them.  It’s your job as the leader to guide them, coach them, encourage them, and correct them in order to achieve those goals.

A true leader is blazing a trail, and others are following in his path.

It is the duty of man to lead.

It is your responsibility as a man, a husband, and a father to lead your family.

It is your obligation to be a leader in your community, especially your church.

If your wife “wears the pants,” you are not being the leader you should be.

If your family goes to church without you, you are failing as the head of household.

If your children are fat, misbehaving, lazy brats, that’s not their fault, it’s yours.

It starts with YOU.

Many of the problems in the world today can be attributed to a lack of strong male leaders.  The country has suffered, the church has suffered, and families have especially suffered.

It’s time that men rise up to be what they were ordained by God to be, LEADERS.

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