Some leaders have long histories of failing to use their authority to accomplish important work.
These ineffective leaders start poorly. They either have an idea and rush off headlong without considering what circumstances await them, or they procrastinate waiting for perfect conditions.
The first type of leader that rushes to start is the “ready, fire, aim” leader. They don’t stop to think about the business climate, the weather, competitors, product supply, or anything else. They charge ahead.
The opposite of the “ready, fire, aim” leader is the procrastinator. The procrastinator tries to think through every possible circumstance before starting. They delay starting because they are waiting for perfect conditions.
Because of their rushed or delayed start, these ineffective leaders are inevitably faced with delays. Workers are not staffed or trained. Product supplies are not available. Weather impedes construction. Delays come in every direction.
A poor start and the ensuing delays bring out detractors who try to kill the project. Detractors who were never sold on the project are now saying, “I told you so.” Some are spreading lies and falsehoods to impede progress further. Some detractors are even attempting to start an organizational mutiny.
Finally, amidst all the confusion, these leaders lose their focus. What was a key priority only days ago is now just another failed project. These ineffective leaders throw up their hands in surrender, and work on the project grinds to a stop.
These leaders don’t even realize their own ineffectiveness caused this downward spiral and failure.
Three leaders in the Old Testament that demonstrated how to manage an immense project effectively were Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah.
Recall, Ezra and Zerubbabel were among the Jewish exiles allowed to return to Jerusalem by Cyrus, King of Persia. Ezra was a priest, and Zerubbabel was a descendant of David. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king of Persia. They all assumed a leadership role in rebuilding the Temple of God and the city of Jerusalem.
Leaders Act
When the exiles arrived in Jerusalem, they faced the difficult task of rebuilding the city despite a shortage of supplies and hostile neighbors (Ezra 3). But Ezra and Zerubbabel rallied the people and initiated the rebuilding effort.
Recognizing the people needed to be connected to God, Ezra and Zerubbabel focused their initial efforts on rebuilding the Altar of God so the people could celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. After enjoying the celebration, they started the work of rebuilding the Temple.
Leaders know they must act using whatever tools and resources are available despite the dangers surrounding them. They know waiting for perfect conditions will cause unnecessary delay!
Leaders Persevere Through Delays
As work on rebuilding the Temple began, hostile neighbors harassed the exiles in Jerusalem for six years, trying to stop their work. Finally, they sent letters to Artaxerxes, the King of Persia. They implored the king to stop the Temple’s construction, saying that the people would rebel against the king (Ezra 4). Ultimately, Artaxerxes ordered the rebuilding of the Temple to stop.
Work on the Temple stopped for ten years until Darius, the new king, ordered work to resume.
Leaders know that adverse circumstances may cause delays, but they remain determined to complete the work God has called them to do.
Leaders Ignore Detractors
As work progressed on the Temple, Tattenai, the regional governor and some ruthless men who opposed the Israelites, attempted once again to stop the work on the Temple (Ezra 6-7). This time, however, the Israelites ignored the intimidation tactics and kept working on the Temple.
Leaders know that, sometimes, it is necessary to ignore detractors and carry on the work of God.
Leaders Focus on Priorities
Recall, when Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, the Temple of God had been restored by Ezra, but the walls and gates of the city were still in ruins. Some 14 years had passed between Ezra and Nehemiah without the work on the city walls and gates being completed.
Nehemiah organized, worked, and began reconstruction of the city walls and gates. This displeased local leaders, who opposed the work (Nehemiah 6-7). They tried to trap Nehemiah, kill him, and stop the work. Nevertheless, Nehemiah saw through their ruse and continued to lead the people completing the work.
Leaders need to stay focused on God’s priorities and not be distracted or intimidated by those that attempt to interfere with the work God has called them to complete.
4 Traits of Leaders Who Use Their Authority Effectively
Leaders who use their authority effectively expect difficulties and opposition—four traits of such leaders include:
- knowing when conditions are right and acting decisively,
- anticipating adverse circumstances and delays but staying focused on completing the work,
- ignoring opposition and detractors who will try to delay or stop the work, and
- staying focused on the priority of completing the work of God.
More Articles
I have written several articles on commitment. You can find them by typing “Commitment” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are several of my favorites.
- #336: His Success Was on The Other Side of His Failure
- #233: Christian Leaders Need to Read Their Bible!
- #189: Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho! It’s Off to Work We Go!
- #090: Are you Peter on Monday Morning?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you known leaders who used their authority effectively to complete the work they were called to do?
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Category: Personal Development | Commitment
There were always a few voices in the police department that complained or tried to stop the direction of the work we were doing. By staying on course and working with like minded achievers, the “negative Nellies” were drowned out and marginalized themselves. Eventually, they either got onboard or left the department.
Ah, the curse of the negative Nellies! They could suck the oxygen out of a room and demoralize a team in nothing flat! It seems they are in every organization. I avoided them as much as possible when pulling teams together.
[…] Ezra has a whole book devoted to the story of how he led a group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the Temple of God. (You can read an article about Ezra’s leadership here.) […]