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Leaders: Born or Made?

TITUS 2:7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: In leading showing uncorruptness, integrity and sincerity, (NIV).

Leadership has always been an important component to any discussion of spirituality and/or sports. A common misconception is that leaders are born and not made (developed). Our scripture states that if a person is to lead they must strive to be the example of the place that they wish to lead. We can all lead by example and not merely by words. We have all heard the term “our vocal” leader which in the proper circumstance may be very true and appropriate. The problem with the leadership being vocal is that the words are very hard to sustain throughout the contest or situation. The individual who can motivate and stimulate with words may very well be born with this ability but this is only a portion of what it takes to be a leader. There has been many a coach or player who has had the God-given gift to excite another person or group of people to pull together for a common good. Pre-game speeches, time-out huddles and the infamous half-time talks are sometimes legendary but far too many times just as temporary. The best leadership is the consistent, everyday good pattern of work that every single individual has the ability to strive for and achieve.

Most people will follow a leader who consistently does the right thing the right way. Let your manners and actions be uncorrupt, or without any improper conduct. The following verse in Titus (2:8) states that if a person can find no fault and/or criticism they have no choice but to follow your example. Undoubtedly that is what most people in general, and teammates in particular, are searching for -- somebody or something to believe in. Ideally that something is a teammate, who may or may not be the most talented. They come to practice everyday with the attitude that I will always try my best and work to improve everyday. This will produce leaders. Now to be perfectly honest the best teams I have coached and played for, the high integrity people were also talented but that is not a prerequisite to leadership. Please don’t believe that you must be biggest, strongest or fastest to be a good, check that, great leader. Your teammates know your character and integrity. They will respect your ability over a more talented player who lacks character and integrity. One of the worst things in sports and ultimately life is when a person waste God-given ability because of a lack of sincerity and seriousness, and their talent is misused or abused. It is a fact that when the leaders out number the “slackers” the elusive but highly important team chemistry is exceptional.

Many people have argued that team chemistry is not only unimportant but a term created to explain why teams are bad. They cite teams in the past like the Oakland A’s and New York Yankees who won championships but literally despised one another. What these people have done is historically proven my point about leadership. These two examples show teams that on a personal level were not the best of friends but as they went into contests they could be lead by a person or persons who they may not even like. You do not have to be liked to be an effective leader. The chemistry comes from daily observations of the right way to go about preparation. A good friend recently compared a less talented high school football team’s accomplishments with a more talented team that returned the next year. The former team went 10-0 and only lost one important player. The latter team upgraded every position but the one. The returning team lost three or four games and my friend, before now a non-believer in the power of leadership and chemistry, could witness the importance first hand.

In a recent physical education class there were two students, one male and one female. They were leaders in the school and leaders in the class as well. Both were highly competitive and worked hard everyday in class. Their integrity and sincerity spread throughout the class everyday. In a subject which traditionally, on the high school level, struggles with a type of student who does not see the importance of sweating and getting tired. Leaders were developed in the class so that even when the aforementioned students were absent the other leaders in the class were always trying to do their best. We can all become great leaders if we understand how to show patterns of good works. Don’t believe the old saying that it is bad when “everybody wants to be the Chief and nobody wants to be the Indian”. We can all be great leaders by our daily examples. This will greatly increase the impact of our vocal leadership and how we are able to influence the people who need to be lead.

                                                                                           Fred Tudor

Fred Tudor is a eighteen year employee of the Cincinnati Public Schools as a Health and Physical Education teacher. He has been coaching at the high school level in Greater Cincinnati since graduating from Wittenberg University in 1979. His coaching stints includes stops at his alma mater Walnut Hills High School, Hughes Center High School, and from 1990 until present coaches at Wyoming High School. His church home is Cincinnati Bibleway Church in Madisonville, Apostles James and Grace Blue Pastors.

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