I am conducting a leadership perception survey. I have been in leadership positions for over 20 years, but in the early part of this time I also had a leader to whom I reported. Recently I have been working with some churches and businesses facing leadership issues and problems. From my observation, many times the problem is the different perception between leaders and followers of what leadership is and how one should lead. It makes it difficult to lead in an environment where the leader and follow do not even agree on the principles of leadership. I decided to illustrate this diverse thought through a blog survey.
Please understand, I am not trying to make a statement by any of these questions. I realize some of the questions may seem odd and on some of them you will wish for more options, but I am trying to gather opinions that are diverse and get more general feedback rather than specific, to make some general observations about leadership perceptions. On yes and no questions where you feel there is an in between answer, either pick the one you lean closer to or skip that question. According to the results of my recent blog reader survey, some respondents will be in leadership positions and some will not. It will be interesting to read the various opinions.
Click here to take the LEADERSHIP PERCEPTION SURVEY.
All responses will be anonymous of course, but I will post results in weeks to come.
dear Ron,
I am university undergraduate and I would like to use your survey to compare the perception of leadership amongst adult company employees and university students..Can I have you approval to use this survey?
Absolutely. If it's helpful.
Ron – Fairly new to the blogospear.
So I Googled “pastors and leadership” and a whole bunch of sites came up.
The “leader” comments were left on over 40 sites.
Thank you for responding.
I have seen the dangers of “Titles,” of “Pastors,” and of “leaders.”
Spiritual abuse for both the “leader” and those “being led” by a man.
It seems the word and position of “leader” is very dangerous for both.
I’m not not new to “ministering healing” to those who have been abused
by those who “thought” they were “Pastors” and “leaders.”
Folks who’ve been burnt, burnt out, kicked out, or crawled out of “the religious system”
with it’s leaders, spiritual authority, and other “heavy weights” put on folks shoulders.
I also spend a fair amount of time with pastors,
“so called leaders,” who can’t do it anymore.
Trying to run the show, please so many masters and
realizing they didn’t even qualify to be an elder.
Trying to please the denominational leaders,
the congregation and it’s leaders,
and of course Jesus.
Who is often relegated to last place. Hmmm?
Serving three masters, that’s tough; Yes?
Preaching every week… and it better be good, being the CEO,
the team leader, councilor, smiley face. etc. etc.
If “pastors” and “leaders” (as we see them today) are of God?
He’s not taking very good care of His shepherds; Is He?.
Hmmm? Wonder why?
This is info from a website helping “burned out Pastors.”
PastorCare offers support and encouragement for pastors and their families.
At PastorCare we care about YOU and we want to help.
http://www.pastorcare.org/PastorCare/About_Us.html
According to the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership (2007)
• 77% say they do “not” have a good marriage.
• 71% have felt burned out or depressed.
• 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend.
• 40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month.
• 38% are divorced or seriously considering divorce.
According to the Ministering to Ministers Foundation…
• Over 1600 pastors in the U.S. are forced out of their positions each month.
• Nearly 1 in 4 pastors experience a forced termination at least once during their ministry.
•Only 54% of pastors go back into full-time church related positions.
Think we might have a problem Ron?
70% of pastors are depressed or burnt out. Don’t have a close friend. Hmmm?
That’s who is running the show. “Servant-Leadership?”
That’s who is abusing God’s sheep.
I have been both abused and the abuser. It’s not pretty.
1600 pastors a month, that’s 19,000 a year, leave or are pushed out. Wow!!!
That’s a lot of broken hearts, disappointments, feelings of failure, pain, abuse.
Hmmm? Pastor, is this a “Title” or “position” in the scriptures?
Where in the Bible does it say “pastor = leader?”
Have you done your own study on pastors?
I mean in the Bible? What does the Bible say about pastors?
Makes an interesting study.
Here’s some questions to ask
as you check out pastors.
1 – In the Bible, How many people… have the title pastor?
2 – In the Bible, How many people are… referred to as pastor?
3 – In the Bible, How many people are… ordained as a pastor?
4 – In the Bible, How many congregations are… led by a pastor?
Once again, How do “you” reconcile leaders
with “Jesus” telling His disciples “Not” to be called leader.
And none did…
Ron, I do think the word “Pastor/leader” is dangerous.
It creates “honor” whether we want “honor” or not.
Jesus said, “I receive not honor from men.”
“If I honor myself, my honor is nothing.”
“Leader” becomes a position of honor.
Warning, Warning, Warning.
“Titles” become idols and
“pastors” become masters.
Leaders = lord it over = abuse = always
It’s always a heart issue; Isn’t it?
Are you a “servant of Christ,” or
are you “the leader?
“Multitudes in the valley of decision.”
Yes!!! Be blessed in your search for truth… Jesus.
In His Service. By His Grace.
I’d like to question the use of the word “leader and leadership.”
The word “leader”seems like a “high place.” Yes?
Jesus always took and recommended the “low place.” Yes?
Jesus humbled Himself, made himself of no reputation
and took on the form of a servant. Php 2:7
Jesus in Mat 23:10 told His disciples “NOT” to call
themselves master/“leaders”
for you have one master/”leader” the Christ.
King James Version –
Neither be ye called masters:
for one is your Master, even Christ.
The Interlinear Bible –
Nor be called leaders,
for one is your leader the Christ.
Phillips Modern English –
you must not let people call you leaders,
you have only one leader, Christ.
Today’s English Version –
nor should you be called leader.
your one and only leader is the Messiah.
The Amplified-
you must not be called masters ( leaders )
for you have one master ( leader ) the Christ.
Jesus told His disciples not to be called “leaders” and none did.
Ro 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ,
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ,
Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God,
Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant
His disciples all called themselves “servants,”
none called themselves “leaders.” None? None.
None called themselves “servant-leader.” None.
If someone calls themself a “leader”
or thinks they are a “leader;”
Are they a “disciple of Christ?”
Just wondering. Be blessed.
I appreciate your comment and thank you for that perspective. As one that God has humbled many times over the years, I certainly would never want to set myself up as anything more than I am. I disagree with your here, however, and think you are getting hung up on terminology. The real truth is in the heart, not in the terms we call each other, in my opinion. There are humble, God-honoring servant leaders and there are those who lead to build their own self-worth.
As I commented earlier, I don’t think the concept of leader or leadership was much in the vocabulary of Biblical days. I would ask you to consider, however, that many of the men God called to “lead”, as we would term it today, fit every definition of leadership, even servant leadership, that would be taught in schools of leadership today. Consider even the words of God to His servant Moses:
“The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.'” Exodus 32:33-34
Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ Exodus 33:12
Or what was said about Joshua:
“But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.” Deuteronomy 1:38
I think there are probably other references, but those are the first to come to mind. Again, I don’t want to get hung up on terminology, but what would we call Nehemiah. Obviously he was God’s servant, but was he not also a leader of the task God called him to?
Good thoughts. Thanks for making me think.
Ron
Yea I just took it too. I’m with Jim. The electric current in that survey was low… I was practically dumping the water in the socket and still didn’t feel anything… could be a problem with the ampage, but then again if it were completely ampage then the result would probably be a little less of a conductor, and a little more of a contractor. Although that particular explanation could be confusing to the less educated, but more cultural due to the fact that typically contractor is used in the context of building and carrying out architectural and engineerical plans and designs. I think what you have to keep in mind is that the ultimate goal was the amount of current being passed through the survey. Very little current, Ron. I just didn’t feel anything.
I just took your survey. No big shocks in there.
.-= Jim´s last blog ..Jud Wilhite on #thenines Conference today =-.
These were hard questions. For instance, on #17, I don't believe that education and experience are both necessary, but one or the other is critical.
Good post and good survey, Ron. I appreciate what you’re doing.
God bless you!
.-= Tom Estes´s last blog ..Christians Attacked Via Mike Warnke =-.
Ron,
Interesting survey – I will be interested in the results, and even more interested in any conclusions that are drawn. I do a great deal of leadership work with organizations as well and am always interested in ways of assessing leaders and the organizations.
Thanks Bill. I haven’t decided how many conclusions I will try to make or whether I will just post the results and let others draw conclusions. I’m open to input.
Peter, I so much agree, which is part of the motivation here.
Thanks Nathan
The difference in the leader’s perception of what their job is and the followers perception of what the leader’s job is can be one of the biggest stumbling blocks for churches.
The congrgation and pastor so often have differing views of what the pastor’s job is… and it causes strife and eventually splits.
.-= Peter P´s last blog ..Blogiversary – fiction day =-.
Some very good questions. I’ll be interested to see the results.
.-= Nathan Edwards´s last blog ..A Quick Survey =-.