Changing Perceptions of Good Leadership

Leadership is big business. There is no shortage of books, scholarly journal articles, or websites dedicated to the subject. Training courses are not hard to come by and new university departments and faculties have sprung up: The Centre for Leadership Studies in Exeter is just one example among many.1 There is no doubt that the need for good, effective leadership in the business world, in politics, in the public services, in the military and in the voluntary sector (including churches, Christian agencies and organisations) is acute. Good leaders in a fast-changing world are in demand across the board. What does the Christian world have to offer? In what follows I will chart how perceptions in the world at large of what constitutes good leadership have changed, and are changing. Against this backdrop I shall then argue that perceptions of good leadership with respect to Christian ministry need to interact with such changes with a distinctly Christian nuance. In the final section I shall home in on the need for further research into how good leadership is perceived in Baptist churches affiliated to the Baptist Union of Great Britain. I shall highlight the progress made in ensuring that leadership studies are now an integral part of ministerial training and formation. But I shall also argue that more needs to be done to educate churches as a whole (not just their ministers) in their understanding and expectations of good leadership, the ultimate goal being that both may be able to raise their game and model example of good leadership practice to a watching world and thus contribute positively to the wider debate.

See www.leadership-studies.com

Section One: Surveying Changing Perceptions of Good Leadership Many approaches have been advocated in an attempt to capture the essence of good leadership.2 Even as far back as 1974 Ralph Stogdill stated that "[There are] almost as many definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept."3 Stogdill went on to identify over 160 definitions and categorized them into ten different types.4 The following gives a flavour of this diversity.5 Leadership theories began by concentrating on the qualities that distinguished leaders from followers. These Great Man theories assumed that great leaders were born, not made. Such leaders are often portrayed as heroic (male) figures, destined to rise to leadership as and when needed.6 Not too dissimilar from great man theories, trait theories sought to identify particular personality or behavioural characteristics shared by leaders. The assumption was still that such qualities were inherent to the leader. Contingency theories recognise that variables in the environment determine the most appropriate style of leadership to emerge. Successful leadership depends on leaders proving a match to the characteristics of any given situation. Situational theories view successful leaders as possessing a chameleon-like quality, able to adjust their leadership styles to the needs of the situation as appropriate. Behavioural theories believe that leadership can be learned through teaching and observation. The focus here is on the actions of leaders irrespective of their mental qualities or qualities of

Witness, for example, the open-ended definitions of leadership on the website of the Exeter Centre for Leadership Studies www.leadership-studies.com/lsw/definitions.htm Fifty-six definitions are listed, ending with the invitation to email any additional definitions that anyone may like to add. (Accessed 2106-2007) 3 Ralph Stogdill cited in Alan Hooper and John Potter The Business Of Leadership (Aldershot: Ashgate 1997) p.7 4 ibid 5 The categorisation adopted here is to a certain extent arbitrary. Textbooks themselves use different headings and terminology. See for example Peter Northouse Leadership Theory And Practice Second edition (London: Sage 2001); Roger Gill, The Theory And Practice Of Leadership (London: Sage 2006); Gayle Avery, Understanding Leadership: Paradigms And Cases (London: Sage 2004); Daniel Goleman The New Leaders (London: Time Warner Paperbacks 2003) 6 The enduring longevity and popularity of the notion of the heroic leader epitomising what good leadership is all about is demonstrated by such books as Shaping History: 100 Great Leaders From Antiquity To The Present by Brian Mooney (London: Arcturus Publishing 2006 edition)

character. Participative theories emphasise the value of the input of others; leaders welcome contributions from those being led. This enables the latter to have a sense of ownership of the decisions taken. The leader, however, retains control of the process and the outcome. Transactional theories home in on the role of supervision, organization and group performance. Success is rewarded, but failure is penalized. Transformational theories highlight the quality of the relationship between leaders and followers. Transformational leaders motivate and inspire people to see beyond the task in hand to a greater good. In addition, the individual is treated with respect and his or her personal development is encouraged. Transformational leaders often espouse high ethical and moral standards. We may safely draw the conclusion from this brief overview that perceptions of what constitutes good leadership have ebbed and flowed over the years. What issues are currently hitting the leadership headlines? The answer to this does not make for comfortable reading.

The Whiff of Scandal Leadership in Crisis sums up the opinions of many. The scandal surrounding the collapse of Enron in December 2001 and the subsequent criminal investigation, which resulted in the conviction of its chief executive (Kenneth Lay) of fraud and conspiracy, had repercussions not only in the USA but throughout the Western world. Enron was perceived by millions as the squeaky-clean epitome of the American dream. The shock waves went beyond the financial and business world because of the close associations of Kenneth Lay with the federal government and President George W Bush in particular. He was also a supporter of a large number of charities and a trustee of the First United Methodist Church.7

For details of the Enron scandal, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3875941.stm (accessed 2106-07)

The Independent of 3 June 2000 reported that High-profile departures from the boardrooms of some of the countrys biggest organisations have led to fears of a crisis of leadership in industry.8 The headline in the Washington Post of August 26 2004, referring to the treatment of Iraqi prisoners of war, declared A Failure in Leadership, All the Way Up the Ranks.9 The Christian Century (April 10 2002) described the scandal of sexual abuse among priests and its institutional cover-up, as not only a crisis of moral credibility and breach of trust but as also a crisis of leadership.10 Michale Ayers notes that the number of books describing the problems of leadership, the lack of moral and ethical clarity in the principles and practices of leadership, the egocentric outcomes of leadership, the inner dysfunctions of leaders, and the relationship of these dysfunctions to behavior are profuse.11 The examples could be multiplied over and over again. Greg Thomas sums things up by saying People have become so disgusted with the continuing poor examples of ruthless politicians, greedy business executives and shallow religious figures that a crisis is occurring in our culture. The crisis looming is that far too many people have lost trust and respect for those in leadership positions. People are turning off and are not interested in following even noble ideas or individuals.12 A Common Assumption The search for good leadership, whether in the academic world of leadership studies or in the real world of everyday life has shared a common assumption: good has mostly been measured and defined quantitatively, i.e. by the results that flow from skills and competencies. If profit margins are up, then that is good the business leader is getting it right. If opinion polls are favourable and votes are being
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http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article273386.ece (accessed 21-06-07) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33789-2004Aug25.html (accessed 22-06-07) 10 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_8_119/ai_85106515 (accessed 21-06-07) 11 Michale Ayers Toward A Theology Of Leadership Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership 1:1 (Fall 2006). Available at www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jbpl/ (accessed 20-06-2007) p.7 Ayers cites twelve examples in a footnote. 12 Greg Thomas Where Can You Find How to Lead? in weLead Online Magazine www.leadingtoday.org/Onmag/2003%20Archives/jan03/gt-jan03.html (accessed 21-06-07) Emphasis in original. See also the March 2005 editorial article by Howard Baker on the global leadership crisis www.leadingtoday.org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/march05/hb-march05.html (accessed 21-06-07)

won, then that is good the political leader will milk the plaudits. If the war is being won, then that is good the Generals are getting it right. If congregations are growing and offerings are up, then that is good the minister/priest/pastor clearly has divine approval. All of these are often perceived as reliable indicators of good leadership. Such thinking, however, may be a significant contributory cause to the disillusionment with leadership that we have noted above.

A Change of Focus Profit margins, votes, and membership figures may all be climbing to the right of the graph, but that doesnt necessarily mean that the leadership is good. It may be successful but morally and ethically it may be rotten to the core and the success short-lived. Recognising this, leadership studies have begun to focus less exclusively on skills and competencies (though they remain important and are not being dismissed) and more on issues to do with the credibility, authenticity, integrity and spirituality of the leader. The good in leadership is increasingly being understood qualitatively as well as quantitively. Perceptions of what makes for a good leader are being revised.13 One of Stephen MR Coveys recent books is an example of this emerging theme.14 In it trust is presented as a vital competency without which long-term success will prove elusive. Covey presents the thirteen behaviours of high trust leaders,15 but he insists that these flow from the integrity and authenticity of the leader. Covey describes this as self-trust which he defines as the leaders own credibility or believability. This

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See, for example, Kurt Senske Executive Values: A Christian Approach To Organizational Leadership (Minneapolis: Augsburg Books Paperback Edition 2004) Senske sets out to demonstrate that doing well and doing good are inextricably linked. p.1 emphasis in original. See also H Dale Burke Less Is More Leadership (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers 2004) Great leaders are gleaned from the fields of good people Life is always lived from the inside out. p.47 14 Stephen M R Covey The Speed Of Trust (London: Simon & Schuster 2006); see also Stephen R Covey Principle-Centered Leadership (London: Simon & Schuster 1992). 15 These are: Talk straight, Demonstrate respect, Create transparency, Right wrongs, Show loyalty, Deliver results, Get better, Confront reality, Clarify expectations, Practice accountability, Listen first, Keep commitments, Extend trust.

then issues in behaviour that builds trust with people and avoids behaviour that diminishes or even destroys that trust.16 Studies and material exploring the link between leadership and spirituality (however loosely this may be defined) appear to be increasing exponentially.17 Judi Neale has examined the connection between spirituality and work, including leadership.18 Having made the point that spirituality need not be expressed through religion (religion being an expression of spirituality chosen by some and not by others), she emphasises the importance of self-awareness for those in leadership, particularly a sense of mission or purpose in life and knowledge of core values. You must know who you are, what your purpose in life is, what your values are, and what your strengths and weaknesses are, if you are to fully utilize your capabilities as a leader.19 Similarly Feleccia Moore-Davis states that a leaders spirituality will express itself in the embodiment of spiritual values and that available research indicates that such values (integrity, honesty, care and concern, and humility) have been repeatedly found to be significant elements of leader success.20 Leadership models that are based on self-interest are rejected. The focus is very much on the internal world of the leader21 and how he/she relates out of that to others.

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See transcript of an interview with S Covey at www.masie.com/l6/podcasts/l6_u_podcast-08.pdf (accessed 26-06-07) 17 For example, The Center for Spirituality and Leadership www.spiritualityandleadership.com; The Edge International School for Leadership and Spirituality, www.theedge.nu; Spirit at Work www.fourgateways.com 18 Judi Neale The Four Gateways To Spirit At Work: Transforming People, Leaders, Teams And Organizations For Breakthrough Performance Sample chapters at www.fourgateways.com (accessed 26-06-07) 19 ibid. (from chapter 4) 20 Feleccia Moore-Davis Spirituality And Leadership: Can They Co-Exist? Available at www.mc.maricopa.edu/community/chair/conference/2007/papers/spirituality_and_leadership.pdf (accessed 26-06-07) Four attributes of spirituality are important to leader success: a) innerness or inner resources, b) transcendence, c) purpose and meaning in life and d) unifying interconnectedness. These four qualities are then explicated in terms not inconsistent with a Christian understanding. 21 Viv Thomas refers to this as a leaders inscape. See Viv Thomas Future Leader (Carlisle: Paternoster Press 1999)

Section Two: Christian Ministry and Leadership Eschewing definitions or quantitative measurements of success that focus solely on numbers and figures, Kent and Barbara Hughes emphasise qualities in Christian leaders such as faithfulness, servant-heartedness, love, integrity of conviction, prayerfulness, holiness and attitude.22 Leaders may then be deemed successful (or good) if such qualities are evident and growing regardless of whether or not the graphs suggest success in more worldly terms. Indeed, the latter may be going off the scale, but if the qualities listed are lacking, then from a divine perspective, the leaders may be deemed to be failing.23 That said, the dominant paradigm of successful leadership in churches and Christian organisations appears still to lie with the more traditional models. I have attended for three successive years the Global Leadership Summit sponsored by the Willow Creek Association.24 Without fail each speaker has been hailed as successful in his or her field and that success has been measured by impressive achievement. If the speaker was a church leader, then the exponential growth of his (I dont recall any women church leaders being introduced) congregation or number of congregations has been highlighted. If the speaker was a leader in any other field (secular or Christian), then the appropriate impressive statistics have again been the yardstick used to justify why he or she should be listened to. But no-one who may have served faithfully in difficult circumstances with no apparent measurable success has figured in the list of speakers. This rubric, however, is not confined to Willow Creek conferences. My observation of who is invited to speak at Christian conferences, and events has, over the years, reinforced my suspicions that good Christian leadership is being measured quantitively. The subliminal message has been that success as a

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Kent & Barbara Hughes Liberating Ministry From The Success Syndrome (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers 1987 fifth printing) See also the emphasis upon integrity in Jonathan Lamb Integrity: Leading With God Watching (Leicester: IVP 2006) 23 It is possible to be held up as a paragon of success and to receive the ardent accolades of ones people and be a failure. op.cit. p.36 24 Cheltenham 2005; Exeter 2006 & 2007.

Christian leader is best (if not exclusively) measured by rising numbers both in terms of people, projects and finance. If there is little or no growth in these categories then the leaders involved are easily overlooked. In addition, at many of these events I have noticed that many of my fellow Baptist ministers are also in attendance, along with some of the deacons or elders from the churches they serve as ministers. All this therefore begs the question, How is good leadership currently perceived and measured in our Baptist churches? Are we at the forefront of changing perceptions of church leadership or are we lagging behind?

Section Three: Changing Perceptions of Good Leadership in Baptist Churches Until the 1990s leadership studies was not obviously on the agenda of ministerial training and formation. My own experience of training as a Baptist minister suggests that it had only footnote status.25 My experience was not unique. Bill Allen, in an unpublished doctoral thesis,26 addressed as a major concern the fact that men and women, some of whom have spent decades serving as ministers have not been equipped for the leadership functions that they must carry out.27 He cites a survey of Baptist ministers undertaken by the Baptist Ministers Fellowship (1997-98) which identified the omission in training in the fields of leadership and management in ministry as a cause of concern.28 Indeed, there appeared to be a direct link between ministry failure and inadequate leadership ability. One of the many reasons why so many ministers quit is that they cannot cope with the demands of leadership and the expectations that they face as a leader. Beneath this lies the fact that the omission of

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I trained for the accredited ministry of the Baptist Union of Great Britain at Spurgeons College, London between 1979 and 1983. 26 William John Allen Pathways to Leadership (The Provision of Education and Training for Leadership in the Ordained Ministry) December 1999. A copy of this thesis is held in the library of Spurgeons College, London. A summary of Allens thesis may be found in John Adair and John Nelson (eds.) Creative Church Leadership (Norwich: Canterbury Press 2004), chapter 4 Pathways to Leadership. 27 ibid. p.21 28 ibid. p.65

education and training for leadership is one that is strongly felt by those in ministry.29 Allen went on to make a strong case for the inclusion of leadership studies as a vital component of ministerial training and formation.30 Many have found the case persuasive and leadership studies now constitute a core topic in ministerial training and formation.31 All of this is to the good, filling a yawning gap that existed in ministerial training and formation. But what of others in our Baptist churches? Is there a gap between how ministers may understand their role in the leadership of the local church and what deacons/elders and church members expect of ministers? Bill Allens research indicated that this was also a problem that needed to be addressed. [U]nless the word [sic. leadership] has a common meaning for different groups we are talking at cross purposes.32 He goes on to note that leadership is often confused or conflated with management and that within both Christian literature and between denominations, leadership means different things to different people. 33 Following this up and noting that the introduction of leadership studies to the curriculum of Spurgeons College was done without reference to or consultation with the people who form the congregation of the churches they would be called to lead, Allen researched the qualities and characteristics that such people look for in their leaders.34 Without followers no one leads. In a sense, it is the followers who determine whether someone is a leader or not and what became
29 30

ibid p.61 Allen states that such leadership studies should 1) provide ministers with a proper understanding of leadership; 2) develop the potential of leadership in those called to ministry; 3) strengthen the credibility of Christian leadership; 4) clarify questions of authority, power and leadership style within the context of ministry; 5) develop a theology of leadership; 6) foster an understanding of the role and expectations of the clergy; 7) encourage the development of good practice. ibid. pp.73ff 31 The list of competences expected of those trained for the accredited ministry of the Baptist Union of Great Britain now includes leadership. It is stated as follows: The ability to offer servant leadership of the congregation/mission initiative in such a way that the ministry of the whole church is developed; The ability to lead a church or organization in its mission 32 Allen op.cit. p.83 33 ibid. p.148f 34 The intended outcome of such research was to develop more appropriate training and education.

evident from the research is, that in the local church, followers have very clear views about what they look for in, and from their leaders, when they are asked to articulate their views.35 The basic question posed by Allen was What makes a minister a good leader?36 The answers threw up seventy-seven key attitudes, qualities and skills which could be categorised as falling within six core areas: spirituality, personal qualities, leadership, management, communication skills and interpersonal skills. Allen concluded from this that Credibility comes, not only through the quality of the leaders persona but also through the leaders capability in performing the ministerial role competently.37 But a fundamental issue still waits to be clarified: To what extent do the people who make up the congregations of our Baptist churches share a common understanding and expectation of leadership with those they call to lead them? How far have the changing perspectives of what constitutes good leadership influenced their thinking and expectations?38 I suspect that the differences in perception of what constitutes good leadership in Baptist churches will be very marked. Indeed, there may be those for whom the very concept of leadership in a Baptist church presents a difficulty in and of itself. 39 The spectrum of leadership theories noted at the beginning will surface here and there. And a lot will depend on the context, size and history of the church: Is it traditional, charismatic, urban, suburban, rural; large, medium or small etc.?40

35 36

ibid. p.273 No indication was given to participants in the survey as to how good may be interpreted. 37 ibid. p.279 38 Such questions are not unique to Baptist churches. Gayle Avery points out that it would be a serious error to assume that everyone in a given organisation or society shares a common understanding and experience of leadership. While recognising that finding a definition of leadership acceptable to all may be a nave expectation, she nevertheless asserts that effective leadership requires a high degree of alignment between both leaders and followers ideas about leadership. Effective leadership involves aligning ideas about what leadership is among the members of the affected group or organization. Gayle Avery Understanding Leadership: Paradigms & Cases (London: Sage Publications 2004) p.10 39 This arises from Baptist ecclesiology where leadership is seen as the preserve of the church Members Meeting. See, for instance, Ted Hale, Down with Leaders, in The Baptist Ministers Journal (October 2001). 40 For an exploration on how the size of a congregation dictates appropriate leadership style and competences see Malcolm Grundy Whats New in Church Leadership? (Norwich: Canterbury Press

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Other questions spring to mind: Is the understanding of leadership in our churches predominantly shaped more by the prevailing culture than by biblically informed theology?41 When churches call a new minister, how much time and effort is given to thinking through the style of leadership that that church needs at that particular moment in its history? And how informed is that discussion if it does take place? Are there tools that can help them to tease out the issues? To the best of my knowledge, however, research in this area is thin on the ground. Bill Allens pioneering work needs to be revisited and supplemented. His conclusions rested upon a conflation of his research findings into a composite whole. Seventyseven diverse expressions of opinion were summarised in six distinct though interrelated categories. This is fine as far as it goes, but it fails to highlight the differences in perceptions of good leadership that may exist in different churches in widely varying socio, economic and demographic contexts. The approach adopted may also run the risk of perpetuating the myth of the omnicompetent leader/minister. Further research into how good leadership is understood and perceived in our Baptist churches needs, therefore, to be undertaken. Revealing such diverse detail, will allow the issues that are uncovered to be addressed and so inform not only the settlement process (contributing to a better match between church and minister and helping prevent future misunderstanding), but also enable others to consider how best churches as a whole may be better informed about the spectrum of appropriate leadership styles and abilities.

And finally Given the crisis in leadership noted above and the search for credible models of leadership it continues to generate, Christians in leadership (whether in churches,
2007) He makes the point, for example, that The type of sensitive leadership needed to nurture the small congregation is a specialism in itself. (op.cit. p.144) 41 All expressions of Christian faith are, of course, shaped to some extent by the culture in which it takes root. Christian leadership is no exception. The critical question is whether or not it has been shaped in ways incompatible with the gospel.

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Christian organisations or in the secular world) have potentially much to offer. But this will only be the case if our understanding and modelling of leadership has a coherency and integrity worthy of a wider audience. Researching perceptions of leadership in our Baptist churches is a vital piece of the jigsaw.

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