“Todd Phillipy’s answer to the complexities and nuanced crucibles of leadership so common to the present age is one of faith, discipline, excellence, and hope.  He is fearless in his conceptualizations, a writer who illumines what needs to be illumined, a leader of uncommon giftedness.  Read this book and enjoy the processes of life, growth, and healing the leadership culture.” ~Shann Ferch, Ph.D., Professor of Leadership, Gonzaga University

“I highly recommend this book for all those on the journey of leadership. In the search for how to lead, this book offers not only theoretically sound insights, but also practical and digestible insights that will speak to the heart. This book is not limited to one industry, but is applicable to all facets of leadership, whether in a church, a business, or any other setting; all while providing a depth of understanding to all that read.”~Dr. Kathleen Patterson, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies, Regent University

“The Ultimate Leader will make you an empowering leader, while giving you a dramatic view of the greatest leader of all.  Phillipy provides a kind of how-to manual for succeeding as a true servant leader – internally, externally, and for eternity.” ~Dr. Kent Ingle, College of Ministry Dean, Northwest University

“Leaders and those in the business of developing leaders are constantly asking, what is the voice of the emerging generation and what do they expect of leaders.  As a member of the emerging generation himself, Phillipy has an important take on leadership, empowerment, and on what leadership could and should be about.” ~Dr. Robert McKenna, Chair, Department of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Seattle Pacific University and author of Dying to Lead.

Buy The Ultimate Leader at any of these fine book-sellers!

Before you can achieve success and significance in leadership, you must first ask yourself why you aspire to lead. One of humanity’s biggest struggles and weaknesses throughout history has been mankind’s obsession with gaining power and control over others. Whether its political leaders using their public offices for personal gain over the good of the people, corrupt CEO’s stealing money from their employees pension-plans, or religious leaders using their platforms to judge and condemn rather than spreading a message of faith, hope, and love. Countless people have been compelled to lead with impure motives and selfish agendas. On a more positive note, many people have aspired to lead for the right reasons. Robert Greenleaf beautifully states, “The servant leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.” Leading from a pure heart is fundamental to servant leadership and Christian values. Therefore, your first step to becoming a more effective leader is admitting you have an innately sinful heart, responding to this reality by kneeling at the redemptive cross, and allowing Jesus to take complete control over your life and leadership. Once you allow Christ to rule and reign in your head and heart, you will begin to lead for the right reasons.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 1, Heart: Leading for the Right Reasons

]]> http://www.theultimateleader.org/?feed=rss2&p=103 0 http://www.theultimateleader.org/?p=98 http://www.theultimateleader.org/?p=98#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:32:57 +0000 toddphillipy http://www.theultimateleader.org/?p=98 “Everyone can be great because everyone can serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Far too many people have a skewed idea of what leadership truly is. Some believe a big salary, fancy job title, powerful position, prestigious education, and massive following makes them a ‘successful’ leader, but Jesus painted a completely different picture of leadership. In fact, Jesus defined leadership as service:

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28).

Jesus was fed up with the Pharisees pompous, self-centered and positional style of leadership. The leaders of Jesus’ day were focused only on themselves rather than the needs, dreams, and aspirations of the people God had called them to serve. Jesus brilliantly said they “flaunt their authority over those under them.” Servant leaders do not exercise their power and authority at the expense of others. Instead, servant leaders gently and humbly use the power entrusted to them to empower and strengthen those around them. Never oppress, manipulate, or coerce people into following you. Simply lead by serving and allow people to choose their own destiny. Furthermore, servant leaders do not parade themselves as leaders and power figures. Leaders who aspire to live and lead like Jesus assume the humble form of a servant not needing to be seen and admired by people. However, when servant leaders do receive recognition, they humbly and thankfully accept it, yet without allowing the ‘praise of man’ to consume them.  Servant leaders find strength by turning to quietness, solitude, contemplation, and prayer. Begin leading people by serving them through a heart generated by love. The time to lead like Jesus has arrived, the time is now. Therefore, start immediately by rolling up your sleeves, humbling your heart, and graciously serving those around you.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 2, Service: Leading by Serving

]]> http://www.theultimateleader.org/?feed=rss2&p=98 0 http://www.theultimateleader.org/?p=93 http://www.theultimateleader.org/?p=93#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:30:24 +0000 toddphillipy http://www.theultimateleader.org/?p=93 “Lord, grant that I may not seek so much to be understood as to understand.” ~St. Francis of Assisi

One of the biggest reasons Jesus was able to lead and influence so many people, can be attributed to his amazing grace and innate ability to meet people where they were at. Jesus was an approachable, likable, and loving leader. People were magnetically drawn to His message and mission. In contrast to the uptight, rigid, and self-righteous Pharisees; Jesus was down to earth, loving, accepting, and full of grace. Jesus spent His free time hanging out sinners and partying with tax collectors and prostitutes. The Bible records Jesus saying, “I came feasting and they called me a lush, a friend of the riffraff. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating” (Matthew 11:19, MSG). Like Jesus, servant leaders care more about the condition of people’s heart’s than their outward appearance. Grace enables leaders to see past people’s sins and shortcomings to see what they can become, not just what they are. When a leader is only focused on what is wrong with people, they will blind themselves from seeing their potential. Every person has the capacity to grow and develop. As a result, grace is the catalytic force enabling leaders to transform their followers from good to great. Grace seeks to embrace and empower, while judgment and condemnation only leaves people in their depravity and brokenness. Therefore, servant leaders who seek to lead like Jesus should seek first to understand and then to be understood.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 3, Grace: Practicing the Art of Forgiveness

There are many common qualities successful leaders share, but perhaps none more than a driven spirit and goal oriented attitude. Some leaders are driven by greed, ambition, material wealth, power, or affluence. However, contrary to many small-minded and self absorbed leaders, Jesus was driven by giving rather than gaining. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage” (Matthew 20:26-28). Jesus was driven by a godly desire to give rather than take. As a result, Jesus was able to influence the masses, empower lives, and transform society. In short, Jesus’ life and leadership was driven by God and for God.

Leaders are driven either by intrinsic (internal) or extrinsic (external) forces. Jesus was intrinsically driven by an inward desire to serve God and people. As a result, Jesus’ leadership success and significance was contingent upon fulfilling this inward thirst to add value to people.  Adversely, leaders who are driven by extrinsic forces tend to long for praise, power, control, money, promotions, and temporary things. Externally driven leaders often battle with feelings of insecurity and insignificance because their joy and peace is contingent upon external forces rather than internal. The Old Testament says, “A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree” (Proverbs 11:28, MSG). Servant leaders are driven internally, not externally. Legitimate and lasting peace, power, and purpose are found through serving God and people, not oneself. Robert Greenleaf beautifully stated, “Joy is inward, it is generated inside. It is not found outside and brought in. Servant leaders focus first on God, secondly people, and lastly themselves. Leaders will reach and impact more people if their focus is pointed outward instead of inward. Human relations expert Dale Carnegie wrote, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Servant leaders shift their drive from serving themselves to serving others. The key to achieving a rich and meaningful life starts with the conscious choice to serve rather than being served.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 4, Drive: Driven by God and for God

Relationships affect and shape every realm of life. From whom a person decides to become friends with, date, marry, or work with. Relationships are a fact of life and leadership. As a result, leaders must learn how to effectively handle and manage their relationships. God is all powerful yet personal, and He has created all people to be personal. In the very first book of the Bible God clearly states the need for human relationships, “It is not good for man to be alone…” (Genesis 2:18). In other words, leaders should not isolate themselves from others and view themselves as the lone ranger. Rather, leaders should seek out meaningful and beneficial relationships with like-minded people who share a mutual love for serving God and people. Wisdom Literature says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (Proverbs 27:17, NLT). People can sharpen or dull, strengthen or weaken. Subsequently, it is imperative that leaders surround themselves with people who are positive, uplifting, and edifying. Adversely, when leaders are surrounded by unethical, shady, and immoral people, their character and integrity may be called into question.

Leaders are called to build relationships with people and engage culture, not withdraw and isolate from the real world. Servant leaders are relational in nature and look to befriend people of diverse views, opinions, and schools of thought. Jesus demonstrated the importance of reaching out to all people, not just like-minded people. Jesus went so far to say, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do… For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13, NLT). Jesus was a relational leader who was motivated by a genuine love for God and people, nothing more and nothing less. Jesus’ relational approach to leadership enabled Him to influence the masses, transcend societal barriers, and transform people’s lives from the inside out. Therefore, this chapter discusses the importance of a servant leader being in relationship with God, anchoring their relationships in love, reaching out to all types of people, making time for people, and being real and authentic with people.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 5, Relationships: Moving from Positional to Personal Leadership

Power and leadership go hand and hand. In other words, leaders must learn how to properly handle power and use it to empower their people. It has been said, “The measure of a human is what he does with power.” This truth has been proven truth throughout history. Countless leaders have misused and abused their power to the detriment of others and their followers. From Satan being cast out of heaven for his lust for power, Adolph Hitler slaughtering millions of people in his evil attempt to acquire absolute power and control, Joseph Stalin using his platform of power to build one of the biggest and most feared dictatorships in history, or controlling cult leaders abusing their power to manipulate followers into blind obedience and submission. Leadership is not about wielding power and control for personal ends and agendas, but rather leaders are to use the power God has entrusted them with to empower people and help followers reach their full potential.

Power does not have to be a dirty word or come with a negative connotation. Power can be a strong force used for good, but history has also proven that power can consume leaders from the inside out. Nevertheless, acquiring power and learning how to effectively use it must not be overlooked. Consequently, this chapter’s mission is to help leaders use their authority to liberate and strengthen their people, not tyrannize and weaken them.  By examining and discovering the origins of power, dangers of power, purposes of power, sharing power, and how to empower followers into leaders. This section will equip leaders with the essential wisdom and understanding they need to help their people grown into the people God created them to become.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 6, Empowerment: Sharing Power and Authority with People

Vision and leadership go hand and hand. Even the Bible addresses the value of vision, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV). Vision is essentially a dream and hope for the future. Vision is what drives leaders to lead and press onward into the unknown future. Leaders must be able to sense the unknowable and foresee the unforeseeable. Vision enables leaders to see into the future and act on the unknown. It is the catalytic force propelling them forward despite the fear and doubt which holds most people back.

Jesus was an innovative and inspiring leader who mastered the ability to rally people around his vision. Jesus dedicated his entire life and leadership to reconciling people back to God. Jesus’ vision is summed up in Luke’s Gospel, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (19:10). Jesus knew why He existed and likewise, leaders everywhere must understand their purpose in life and leadership. The mission of this chapter is to discuss the importance of dreaming big, casting a vision, rallying people around the vision, defining the mission, and accomplishing the mission by formulating a strategy and executing it.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 7, Vision: Casting a Compelling Picture of the Future

The very heart and soul of leadership is a leader’s commitment to growing and developing his or her people and furthermore, this is accomplished when the leader acting as a servant uses their words to convey faith, hope, and love for their followers. Conversely, when leaders communicate fear, hostility, jealousy, and doubt to their people, confidence, morale, and productivity will plummet along with the spirits and emotions of the people. The Bible explains the power of communication this way, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose” (Proverbs 18:21, MSG). Leaders can use their words to build their people up or tear them down. Every leader communicates, some better than others and as a result, this chapter offers practical steps and suggestions for leaders who are passionate about bringing out the best in their people.

*Excerpt taken from chapter 8, Communication: Using Positive Words to Empower and Develop People

The ability to draw people to oneself and a cause is one of the most important traits a leader must possess. Charisma is the force, which magnetically attracts followers to leaders. Charisma has been defined as “A fire that ignites follower’s energy and commitment, producing results above and beyond the call of duty.” The Bible refers to charisma as an anointing and divine gift of power given to leaders. Charisma enables leaders to transcend barriers, connect to people, and cast a compelling vision for the future. When charismatic leaders speak, people listen and believe. Their words are persuasive, inspiring, and enthusiastic. Charismatic leaders are catalysts of change and refuse to accept the status quo. Rather than remaining in the rut and succumbing to uniformity, charismatic leaders tend to look for new ways to do things and seek to transform rather than conform. In short, charisma is a vital ingredient to successful leadership. Therefore, this chapter seeks to discuss the topic of charismatic leadership, how Jesus used charisma to attract people to Himself and His cause, and how you can increase your level of charisma.

*Excerpt taken from Chapter 9, Charisma: Attracting People to You and Your Cause