Lately, a term that has sparked fresh interest in me is that of “leadership”, especially of how it is correlated to control, and its amount.
In dictionary.com, the noun “leadership” has the explanations below:
1. the position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group: He managed to maintain his leadership of the party despite heavy opposition. Synonyms: administration, management, directorship, control, governorship, stewardship, hegemony.
2. ability to lead. Synonyms: authoritativeness, influence, command, effectiveness; sway, clout.
3. an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction
4. the leaders of a group.
Point 1 defines the terms in direct relation to leadership, while points 2 to 4 elaborate who does the act, how the act of leadership is carried out, and its criteria. Note the terms of guidance and direction come up in its definition, as well as control. However, it is guidance and direction that are essential to leadership, and not control. Control is merely a tool and effect, during guidance and direction. Confused and lost? Let’s use the analogy of the human body and the condition of epilepsy to get a better idea.
1. the position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group: He managed to maintain his leadership of the party despite heavy opposition. Synonyms: administration, management, directorship, control, governorship, stewardship, hegemony.
2. ability to lead. Synonyms: authoritativeness, influence, command, effectiveness; sway, clout.
3. an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction
4. the leaders of a group.
Point 1 defines the terms in direct relation to leadership, while points 2 to 4 elaborate who does the act, how the act of leadership is carried out, and its criteria. Note the terms of guidance and direction come up in its definition, as well as control. However, it is guidance and direction that are essential to leadership, and not control. Control is merely a tool and effect, during guidance and direction. Confused and lost? Let’s use the analogy of the human body and the condition of epilepsy to get a better idea.
The brain decides how best to proceed in our daily functions, be it learned or natural, consciously or subconscious. We have to consciously learn how to maneuver a pair of chopsticks. It doesn’t come naturally upon birth. However, we never need to consciously learn how much we need to breathe in, it comes naturally. Thus, the brain is the leader in our body, guiding our body parts, which include the heart, lungs, stomach, etc, in performing things all the time. However the relationship of the brain with its body parts is that of an entire team working together. Any amount of inappropriate control to the body would be deemed unhealthy to the body.
What is the criteria of a good leader then? The brain needs to exercise control over the other body parts, in suitable amounts, such that the body stays physically healthy. This exertion of control can be both conscious or unconscious, but it needs to be appropriate. Excessiveness or insufficiency, are both equally detrimental.
In the case of an epileptic, inability to cope with an excessive trigger, which can be physical or mental stress, causes the nerves connecting the brain to the body parts to spark of a “mutiny” or “strike”, with the person doing acts, ranging from that of mildly unnatural to downright harmful and dangerous. The epileptic’s human body suffers physically in such cases.
To cope with this, the epileptic then needs to learn how to cope with the potential of this scenario occurring. This maybe through avoidance of these stress triggers, medication to ease the tolerance level towards these stress triggers, which all work together towards training and conditioning of the epileptic’s tolerance level, such that he or she is eventually recovers, being able to cope with common stress trigger amounts.
This process of training and conditioning depends on the severity of the epileptic’s condition. The epileptic needs to discern wisely how much amount of stress to subject himself or herself to, such that his or her body’s tolerance level neither stagnates without improvement, nor is it such that an attack happens. However, the ultimate direction is that of eventual independence from medication and acceptable tolerance to stress trigger, which is through training and conditioning, under the guidance of past experiences and medication.
A leader needs to know the strengths and weaknesses of his team, tap on the strengths of the team, while guiding the team members to overcome their weaknesses. Thus, appropriate control would be needed. If there is excessive control, like in the case of a hegemony, the team may stagnate in performance with negligible progress towards their direction. With insufficient control, the team may run berserk, with everyone wanting to decide for themselves, losing track of their ultimate common direction. Whichever way, the team is not performing in the optimal standard, being an unhealthy body.
Early on, the knowledgeable apostle Paul had already used the analogy of the body, in the context of leadership and teamwork, specifically in the church. Let’s muse on that Bible verse to end off.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12: 4-8 (NIV)
Romans 12: 4-8 (NIV)
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