Leader or Manager?

One of the very fortunate things about being a Cadet in the Australia Southern Territory is that you have access to one of the world’s greatest leaders – General Eva Burrows.  General Burrows was a significant leader not just for The Salvation Army, but her influence was used worldwide – not in spite of her being a woman – but because she was a woman.  I know many non-Salvationists, and indeed non-Christians who admire General Burrows and the way in which she was able to achieve for Women and as a woman.

General Burrows ran our Christian Leadership A class last week at College.  I took copious notes, and will gladly share those if you email me or ask me for them.  But I want to focus on one thing that she talked about, which challenged, affirmed and inspired me in my leadership.

She quoted a retiring Admiral from the American Navy who said:

“The Trouble with the American Navy is there are too many managers and not enough leaders.”

General Burrows stated that the difference between a leader and a manager is that a leader sets a vision and inspires and influences people to follow that vision, whereas a manager aims to maintain and control.  She said that Stephen Covey states that:

“Managers are people who do things right, Leaders are people who do the right things.”

That got me thinking – I have served under many Officers who are “managers” in The Salvation Army.  Even some who felt as though they were setting a vision, were in fact actually just managing their team to an outcome.  True spiritual leaders have been harder to come by.

True leaders are servant-hearted.  They look to Jesus for an example of how to lead, and find that Jesus in modelling leadership to His disciples, got down on His knees and washed the feet of His followers.  Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer. To be a true leader, we need to follow Jesus. We need to pray, we need to humble ourselves and serve others.  And we need to trust that God who places a vision in our heart will equip us to bear fruit through that vision.  

I believe, that the trouble with The Salvation Army today is that there are too many managers and not enough leaders.  But I truly believe that is changing.  I believe there is a renewal of spirit in the Army and that God is refreshing the vision for The Salvation Army. 

I believe our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. 

I believe that the Emergent view – that focus not on God being found in the Corps building, but in serving our community with the love of God, actively spreading the Good News (not to grow our Corps Sunday meetings, but to grow the Kingdom of God )– is going to bring about a  new revolution in The Army that takes us back to the numbers of transformations seen in early days. 

Why do I believe this? Because each day I am in community with 25 other Ambassadors of Holiness and a Training College filled with staff who are challenged, challenging and inspired to bring about God’s Kingdom on earth – and the early vision of The Salvation Army – To Win The World For Jesus! 

37 people have come to know Christ as a direct result of Ambassadors of Holiness & College Staff being motivated by that vision, and following Jesus’ model for leadership since we started College this year.  But we’re believing for more.

Are you going to be a leader? Will you buy into this vision? Or are you happy to continue managing?