Have you considered or studied biblical leaders? Each one was a leader chosen by God. Each one was different. Each had different personalities, different characteristics, and different leadership functions.

While each of the following had more than one leadership roles, consider these;

Moses – Guide/Navigator

Joseph – Visionary

Abraham – Influencer

King David – Pacesetter

Paul – Leadership Enlister

Peter – Equipper

Leadership at times requires each of these characters and more.

To be a guide/navigator a leader must set the course. This does not mean a leader acts alone. Moses had his team that he consulted with and of course he consulted with God to set the course. Other biblical models include Joshua and Jacob.

An influencer is a person causing a change in behavior, character, thought, or action of another.

The enlistment part of leadership is to engage the support or cooperation of others. To actively engage in an enterprise. Biblical examples include Barnabas and the apostle Paul.

A leader must always be an encourager. Being an encourager is to inspire with hope, courage, or confidence. Paul was certainly an encourager. What other biblical leaders demonstrated this characteristic?

To keep an organization moving forward a leader must at times demonstrate pacesetter qualities. A pacesetter is an innovator, a person leading the way to new horizons. Be sure not to go alone. Pacesettters bring others along without coercion. Biblical examples include Boaz, Peter (Acts 2), Paul.

Visionary leadership is not about dreams and wishes. It is more about being a creative thinker with future-thinking, inventive design utilizing God-given gifts of the organization. Some of God’s visionary leaders include Noah, Abraham, David.

While these six are certainly not all-encompassing character traits of leaders, they represent vital character traits every leader needs to continually improve and upgrade.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.