Spirit of Leadership

WHAT IS A TRUE LEADER? THE ULTIMATE LEADERSHIP MODEL

Born in an obscure, forgotten town in the hills of ancient Judea; raised in a village that, according to archeological research, had only one street and eleven houses; and leaving no record of having had any formal education, this young man introduced his vision of a new world order to simple village people who themselves were considered least on the social strata. Yet his clear sense of purpose, his commitment to the cause, and his unrelenting passion and compassion inspired twelve common local businessmen—among them, four fishermen and a tax collector—to abandon their per sonal dreams, private priorities, and occupations to follow him even to the death. T HE SOURCE OF TRUE PASSION IS THE DISCOVERY OF A CLEAR SENSE OF PURPOSE . He was so passionate about what he came to do that he motivated his disciples to leave behind their old priorities and ways of living in order to discover a new kind of life with him. They had never before met anyone who was ready to die for what he was living for. Moreover, his impact and imprint on the history of the world and on the personal lives of millions over two millennia testify of leadership at its highest and in its essence. As I mentioned earlier, the source of true passion is the discovery of a clear sense of purpose and significance for one’s life. When a person discovers a sense of purpose, it produces a passion for pursuing it, and that passion is what inspires other people to want to join in the pursuit. Then, as people are inspired, their thinking and their lives are

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