Leaders possess disproportionate leverage to advance a positive agenda or to impede progress in their corporations, communities, churches, and nations.
For Good or for Bad
President Bashar al-Assad, an egomaniacal leader with access to chemical weapons – wields far more power than a volunteer group that works tirelessly to lift up oppressed Syrian women. Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s reckless chairman who inherited his father’s unbridled power, holds nations in anxious limbo while a faith-based team in Pyongyang seeks peace without much notice.
Nelson Mandela’s singular influence released a nation from oppression. And Steve Jobs’ foresight. changed the way the whole world listens to music.
Histories of human societies chronicle consistent narratives of a few leaders whose disproportionate leverage brought either harm or healing to the masses. Today billions of people’s lives and futures are in peril because of a few tyrants. And billions of others have hope because of a few influential visionaries.
The Story of Civilizations
This is the story of civilizations since the dawn of time. Leaders have more power than others, and their behavior is exponentially more consequential than followers.
Every life is impacted by leaders. No one is immune from their disproportionate power. Since we’re all vulnerable to leaders who can either catalyze generous and durable communities or leave a wasteland in their wake, the challenge of cultivating competent leaders with impeccable integrity may be the most important task of our time.
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