Thousan Admiration: Gideon's Team

The leader must be sure to take the group dynamics into consideration. It is important to make everyone involved feel that their needs are important. For the project to be a success, everyone participating must feel as if they are contributing and that they are being valued equally.

I have shown leadership many times while working in a group project or in an activity. I assign parts of the project to others and myself and share my ideas in the group. I try my very best to include everyone and try to incorporate their brilliant ideas in the project or activity as well. I make sure that everyone has a contribution

When I think about leadership, Matthew 26:36-45 always comes to my mind. In this passage, Jesus unpacked the roles and responsibilities of a true leader. A true leader leads by sample without looking back. The scripture states, “…My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little further, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed…. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.

My favorite quote that I have found is "Real leaders don't produce followers, they produce more leaders". Although I have just recently found this quote, it applies directly with my time in Job's Daughters. I have been a member of Job's Daughters (referred lovingly to as Jobies) for nearly five years and have risen through the bethel (chapter) level ranks to Honored Queen, which is the highest position in a bethel. Although I had learned a lot in those first four years from public speaking, memorizing long speeches and how to organize a group of girls, I hadn't really learned how to be a true leader. That changed this past May and June when one of my best friends, Andi, was going to be installed as Grand Bethel Honored Queen and I was to be installed as Grand Bethel Guide.

The Groups Dynamics of a team can be effected if the category of leadership is not in place. Leadership means “the activity of leading a group of people or an organization or the ability to do this.” In order to be a good leader you must have a strong value that you can give to your team. A good leader must have strong values to pass on to their team. At the top of the teams hierarchy is a leader, so that the leader can put input towards everything the team does, so that the team would be successful because the leader controls and guides the team.

The documentary Gideon’s army was about 3 new public defenders, two from Georgia, one from Mississippi. This documentary was very interesting. It showed the side of court that is usually frowned upon. Instead of being on the “good people’s” side it showed it from the “bad side.” It showed the people that put in countless hours of work each week knowing the people there trying to help has a small chance of coming out of the courtroom without handcuffs on.

To inspire and influence others, a leader must possess many skills and abilities. As motivational speaker Peter Northouse, states, “a leader should be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant” (Northouse, 2013) Moving an entire group of individuals toward a singular goal is a considerable undertaking. Without effective communication skills and a clear vision of what needs to be accomplished, one will feel like they are trying to herd cats rather than leading.

group effort and, therefore, leadership and followership” (p. 13). We must know how to follow before we can be effective leaders.

While the sheep are busy eating the grasses in the field, the shepherd must search for green pastures. Just like the shepherd in the fields, a leader in the business world must know where his team is headed, aligning their strategy with the group’s goals. They must step up in order to lead their group. In this chapter, it was also emphasized that just like the gentleness of the staff, a good leader must use persuasion and not coercion.

If we were randomly asked to define the word “team” many of us would have numerous variations of this multifaceted word; some would proclaim it means helping others, backing one another while others might define it as unanimity or culpability. The French associate the word team, with the slogan “Esprit de corps” a majestic word that was adopted by the United States Marine Corps. This matchless catchphrase means: “a sense of unity, of enthusiasm for common interests and responsibilities.” As early as childhood it has been ingrained into us that teamwork is congenial and effortlessly achieved. When in fact it wasn’t until society was introduced to Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, written by Patrick Lencioni, did civilization start to realize that teamwork is hard to measure and even harder to achieve because the has been loosely used as well as misinterpret. Lencioni understands that teamwork is a difficult thing to measure and achieve, his book reminds us that the power that comes from teamwork cannot be denied. It would be hypothesized that through the authors’ comprehensive exploration and methodical examination, he reveals ways for civilization to comprehend the term as well as employ each other successful; conversely this can’t be done until the dysfunctional factor is properly identified and controlled. Hence the reason for his in-depth plunge in explaining the five dysfunctions and method that can be utilized by teams to overcome the dysfunctionalities.

My first thought is that your inner circle matters. One can look at my leadership and see a considerable amount of time has been placed in making sure the right people are influencing my most inner thoughts and beliefs. For example, the criterion that governs my inner circle is simple, they have to be smarter, faster, and more like Jesus than I am. As I have begun to place people like this in my inner circle (some call this their “board of directors) I see the value of carrying both buckets. I am keenly aware that one must calm situations that are out of control and sometimes dump gasoline on those that need a fire under them. Once we are able to identify this person we must

Accordingly, we have Gideon in the book of Judges, chapter 6. He is an ordinary, under rated man trying to keep his wheat from the Midianites when ‘the Angel of the Lord’ appeared to him in Judges 6:12. Though Gideon had this encounter with God through the angel, he still wanted to confirm this was God calling him for enormous task as recorded in Judges 6:36-40. That is like us today, When God puts His call into the life of one of His people, we want to confirm that He is calling us for the lifelong task. Gideon was an ordinary man called to do an extraordinary act.

Leadership is the process by which one person can influence an individual or a group into the completion of a goal or an objective. The ability to inspire and motivate others stems from his or her capacity to efficiently manage time and people. I was recently placed in a leadership position, where I facilitate a group of clients who are low-functioning schizophrenic adults at a mental institution. My role as a group facilitator, which I sometimes view as teaching, is to guide and teach members the different coping skills for their illnesses. It is also my responsibility to make sure that members participate and are able to achieve their desired goals. My greatest challenge as a leader is understanding the importance of group dynamics.

Psalms 23:1-3, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” (NKGV) In this scripture, God views himself as the leader of the sheep and guides them. God shows how a biblical leader should be envisioned. Biblical leaders are chosen by God to lead others through their Christian influence to guide them down the right paths. What is biblical leadership? According to Todd Engstrom, “Biblical leadership is meeting someone where they are, and taking them where Jesus wants to go.” Biblical leadership is therefore intensely personal and at the same time intensely biblical. The definition provides a basic foundation for leadership, but also expands to a more biblical meaning. Leadership is not about position, authority, or who knows the most information but more so about one life influencing another. A good leader seeks leadership from God, Proverbs 16:1 “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.”

Being able to lead a group or someone is a very powerful action. Being a leader in general is very powerful. Leadership is an art that is painted, sculpted, and displayed in all sorts of ways. There are many different styles of leadership that correspond with different tasks. From transformational leadership to laissez-faire leadership, there are various styles throughout the continuum. A transformational leader is one of the best, more successful leadership style. When going down the continuum, the leadership styles only become less effective. Everyone also falls in distinctive categories when it comes to leading others. The leadership style that is displayed depends on the person leading and those who are being led along with the task.