News Item: Christianpost.com
“Jerry Falwell Jr. agreed Friday to take an “indefinite leave of absence” from his roles as president and chancellor of Liberty University at the request of the board of trustees. The board’s request came days after Falwell expressed regret over posting a photo of himself at a costume party on a yacht during his family’s vacation that showed him wearing a T-shirt and jeans that were unzipped to expose his abdomen and underwear. His right hand was around the waist of his wife’s assistant who was wearing a tank top and unzipped shorts, exposing her midriff.”
I saw this troubling story just a few hours after reading chapter 3 in John Maxwell’s “Developing The Leader Within You, 2.0” on how good character is the foundation of leadership.
Falwell was one of the first nationally known Christian leaders to throw enthusiastic support behind Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign at a time when many were either hesitating or refusing to support Trump on the basis of his character. “We’re not voting for a pastor, we’re voting for a president,” became the standard line heard as more and more Christians slowly joined Falwell in supporting the future president.
But sending character issues to the backseat has consequences. And perhaps Falwell will take some time during his leave of absence to ponder C.S. Lewis’ famous line, “We laugh at honor then act shocked to find traitors in our midst.” Or to put it another way, dropping character as a matter of importance will in time lead to the dropping of other things.
Because good character is in short supply these days, the first thing a growing leader should want to learn is what good character looks like at street-level. Maxwell doesn’t leave you to guess. Quoting from an essay written by Pope Francis, he identifies 15 specific character flaws often seen in leaders.
The list reminds me of the virtue and vice lists that fill the New Testament where the apostles made it clear what holy behavior looked like in comparison to sinful behavior (e.g. 1 Cor.6:9-10; 13:4-7; Galatians 5:16-23; Colossians 3:5-14).
The apostles left nothing to chance when it came to discipling new believers. (And if the president of a major Christian college is even fuzzy on zippers and stuff, then you just can’t assume anything these days on what people know about good behavior.)
As a tool of self-evaluation, this list is top-notch. Read it through carefully, then work through the questions that are below.
Character Flaws In Leaders
1. Thinking we are immortal, immune, or indispensable—which is the enemy of humility and service.
2. Excessive busyness—which leads to stress and agitation.
3. Mental and emotional “petrification”—which creates heartlessness.
4. Excessive planning and functionalism—which leads to inflexibility.
5. Poor coordination—which fosters independence and lack of cooperation.
6. “Leadership Alzheimer’s disease”—where leaders forget who nurtured and mentored them.
7. Rivalry and vainglory—where titles and perks become the leader’s primary focus.
8. Existential schizophrenia—where leaders live hypocritical double lives.
9. Gossiping, grumbling, and backbiting—where cowardly leaders speak ill of others behind their backs.
10. Idolizing superiors—where leaders honor superiors to gain favor and get ahead.
11. Indifference to others—where leaders think only of themselves.
12. Downcast faces—where leaders treat their “inferiors” with sour severity.
13. Hoarding—which involves accumulating material goods to seek security.
14. Closed circles—where leaders place their clique ahead of shared identity and cooperation.
15. Extravagance and self-exhibition—where leaders seek greater power and recognition.
Questions:
1. Identify 3 or 4 of the traits on this list that you think you would be vulnerable to, if you weren’t careful.
2. How can following Christ, and the message of the gospel itself, help you overcome your leadership character weaknesses?
3. “Sending character issues to the backseat has consequences.” Do you agree with this? And what might some of these consequences be?