How to be influential and worthy of followership 2

In the first article, we learn 2 important principles that will increase our influence and leadership in the community: We must seek first to understand, then to be understood. Secondly,we must deliver on the promises that we have made. In today’s article, we explore 2 more principles that are vital to effective leadership.

Honesty and Integrity.

A person of integrity is one who lives in harmony with his conscience and with all aspects of his life. He is not divided, living between two worlds of distinctly different value systems. His life is governed by one set of principles. He is in public what he is in private. He doesn’t allow his mind to entertain fleeting moments of sin and pleasure but is loyal to the Word of truth. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a writer of moral stories said this, “No man for any considerable period can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude without finally becoming bewildered as to which may be true.” To put it plainly, his true colors and weaknesses will be revealed. King David of the Old Testament said, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.” Yet again in another Psalm he says, “So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands.” (Psalm 78:72). David, before he became king, when he was pursued by King Saul, spared his life twice when he had opportunity to kill him (1 Samuel 24, 26). No wonder God said David as a man after His heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

A person of integrity is not perfect, but he is brutally honest about his true character and state of emotion. Jesus, at the funeral of his good friend did not hold back His emotions, but wept openly displaying his affection for Lazarus (John 11:35). A person of honesty has a clear perception of his identity and self-esteem. He does not hide his failings nor is he ashamed of his weaknesses. He is willing to put his integrity and honesty above pride and the natural desire to hide mistakes to avoid embarrassment.

A person of integrity is one who lives with perpetual peace of mind, with self-honesty and self-unity. Integrity is the greenhouse for psychological health and passions of life. Many problems of life and disharmony of the soul are the results of ignoring and violating the conscience which creates a loss of integrity and personal guilt. A person of integrity has strength of character, authenticity and a fiery passion for life.

The secret to keep one’s integrity and honesty is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as himself. Leave no part of your personality or thoughts to the grey areas of life but hold firmly to high standards which are able to prosper us and keep us from stumbling.

Do unto others what you want done unto you.

In Matthew 7:12, Jesus taught, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

This is usually referred to as the golden rule of loyalty and success. It is also commonly known in negotiations as the win-win attitude. The underlying motion of this attitude is to try to champion the other party’s goals as much as your own. This is a massive shift away from the usual win-lose thinking which comes from society’s scarcity mindset, and which says the more the other party gets, the less there is for me. Often the game is how to manipulate to gain advantage over the other party to get him to concede as much as possible. This golden paradigm raises all parties to a new level of trust and synergy which is truly liberating. It also requires vulnerability, courage and kindness.

We must learn to suspend our own interests long enough to understand what the other person wants most, and why. When people sense our desire to bless and not to deprive or manipulate, they will start to open up to find creative ways to cooperate and help each other succeed. Philippians 2:3-4 teaches us:

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)