Excerpts from “In Search of a Leader: Occasional Paper #2”, W.J. Phillips, (The Centre for Study of Church and Ministry: Vancouver) pp. 7-13
Vision & Inspiration
“For [a group, committee or congregation that is] passive, unresponsive or unaware of the potential for ministry, and with little initiative for the work of ministry there is a need for VISION and INSPIRATION. Someone, perhaps the minister, will have to symbolize and articulate the “more” that suggests a wider view and a deeper engagement with ministry and mission. To lead in this context is to encourage vision, and to so portray the opportunity in a way that will inspire an openness to growth and service. It is for want of this kind of leadership that ‘the people perish.’
To be a Visionary is to imagine new, creative and sacrificial responses to the dilemmas of our day. It is to risk being considered illogical, unrealistic, and a dreamer. Such leaders often have an infectious optimism, but it is that optimism which is the subject of caution and even ridicule among their detractors.
An effective Visionary does not know the details of the vision and admits to searching for clarity. It is that stance that encourages others to join in the process of seeking a vision. That openness suggests there is room for more on the same path of vision and hope. It is as if one is calling, ‘I don’t know precisely where this will lead, but I trust the guide.’ ‘I know that in God’s wisdom we were not meant to be uncreative, but rather we have been called to go forward.’
Part of the task of the Inspirer and the Visionary is to point to the emptiness and the disenchantment which result from a review of the unresponsive, unrepented past. The Visionary does not dwell on critique, but uses it only as an example of the need for new vision.
Neither the weak committee member nor the passive congregation will be “enabled” into deeper commitment. Nor can they be “taught” a more intentional ministry and passionate engagement with the issues confronting the church. Such people will need to be led by those who inspire through example and provide a glimpse of the hope of vision.”
Engagement & Interpretation
“For those who are catching a vision and beginning to reach beyond themselves to a sense of purpose in ministry and mission, a different leadership need becomes evident. In most congregations there are a few people who are opening to the possibility of risking involvement and personal ownership of some of the gospel’s claims. Such people will continue to need the leadership of visionaries and [i]nspirers, but they will also need the services of ENGAGERS and INTERPRETERS.
Engagers are the people who care enough to listen to the first inklings of an idea, the subtle questions that suggest intention and interest, the early comments that indicate a growing openness to a wider view. The Engager knows who else in the congregation is thinking some of the same thoughts, and hesitantly putting forward a careful step.
The Engager brings together people who need the assurance that they are not alone in their new quest and that they will not be abandoned as they open to the risk of involvement. The Engager is neither pushy nor indifferent. He or she is likely to be heard saying, ‘I think you’d enjoy meeting so and so. They’re talking about some of the same kinds of things that I hear you raising.’ The Engager is likely to be surrounded by people because there is no threat there. What people appreciate in the Engager is her or his interest in them and in their early questions and requests for insight and information.
The Engager is committed to the formation of ‘communities of inquiry,’ ‘clusters of interest,’ ‘relationships of support’ and links that bring people together at the level at which they are seeking leadership.
The Interpreter carries on with the work so well started by the Engager. The Interpreter helps those who are struggling with various dimensions of purpose and direction. The Interpreters are appreciated because they help others to find the language to define their feelings, emotions, attitudes and needs. The Interpreter also finds ways of bringing different people to discover the common ground on which they stand and to value the unique qualities of people around them. When words, images, metaphors, and symbolic actions are needed to sharpen understanding and perception, the Interpreters provides essential leadership.
When men and women are beginning to feel some ownership and to risk involvement in early stages and with cautious steps, the leadership of Engagers and Interpreters is essential.”
Enabling & Teaching
“[A] third group needing leadership know what they believe God is calling them to do either as individuals, committee members or as entire congregations. They are enthused and willing to contribute energy and to offer time to respond to a clear call. They are willing to rearrange their priorities to provide more time if necessary.
These people need leadership of a different sort. What is needed is a TEACHER to help clarify the roots – historical and theological – for the growing commitment. Teachers help to find the biblical and denominational foundations for what will eventually be identified as ministry and mission initiatives.
Had the leader functioned as a Teacher earlier, when people were struggling to decide whether they would risk initiative and take some ownership, the Teacher would have been rejected as a manipulator. Now, however, when the ownership and initiative is higher, one who knows the historical and theological precedents, and the biblical and ecclesiological traditions upon which the vision builds, can provide not only information, but the affirmation that comes from the knowledge that we are part of a continuing story.
Now too, there is need for the leadership of an ENABLER. An Enabler is one who assures others of their gifts for service, who offers to assist in the working out of a sense of direction and purpose. The Enabler contributes to the clearing of the structural impediments, and thus empowers the process and provides a climate for experimentation and exploration.”
Supporting & Monitoring
“As the effect of the Teacher and Enabler makes possible a more complete ownership and mobilization of the ministry of many, there is still a need for leadership, but now the qualities of our leaders are those of the MONITOR and SUPPORTER.
Someone has to care for the loose ends, the many parts of a process that need to be filled, or connected. This may be one of the most important leadership functions in situations where those benefiting from the leadership have the momentum and the vision that pushes them forward.
Often the leader who only cares for the process, the structures and the details, is least appreciated by those who think their imagination, activity and enthusiasm are the principal factors in the success of a project. Yet they only need a few days or weeks without such monitoring leadership and things begin to fall apart.
The Monitor nurtures the flow of information, protects the rights of people in the process, understands the need for clear directions and good communication and cares about inclusiveness.
When others are deeply committed to a vision, an action or a goal there is always need for the person or persons who will provide support.
Support is not a passive role where it is a function of leadership. Active support assures that energy is maintained, it encourages persistence and protects against burn-out. The Supporter values those who are not as clearly engaged in projects and programmes, but does not join them in the criticism or cynicism which is so often the defence of inactive people. The Supporter is frequently called upon to be the Interpreter of one group to another and does so for the benefit of both.
The Supporter knows the problems, weaknesses and foibles of a project but does not use them for self-aggrandizement nor to propel him or herself into a position of power on the basis of subtle blackmail. The Supporter can be critical, but only where that function can serve to strengthen those who are criticized.
It may be one of the most difficult of human leadership tasks to support the work, vision and progress of someone else. Only people of humility, breadth of vision and depth of commitment have the grace to be the Supporters of another’s vision and the nourishers of another’s dream. Those who have benefited from the work of the Supporter know they have been in the presence of a true leader.”
