Skip to main content

The Myth that all Christian leaders are clever.


IQ, EQ or PQ.



Late last year I had the privilege of lecturing on Emotional intelligence to a group of highly gifted students, in Malaysia, many of them far more clever than I. Over the week it became apparent that one of the students just wasn't getting it.  When interacting with him, he confided in me that he just didn't understand how EQ was going to help him with his particular ministry, dealing with a number of young pastors. "I just don't know how EQ will help me with this" He kept telling me. My telling him to look to his own character, nature, life experience and how he deals with others for the answer just wasn't good enough. I realised that what this man wanted was a scientific formula or process that would help him sort his problem out.

The man was a professional having been university trained. Systems, projects, structures and highly complex issues were no problem to him, he was a highly intelligent person. IQ wasn't the issue. His issues stemmed from his ability to deal with people. He often sorted out problems for people rather than trust them to sort out their own problems. Rather than guide and instruct from experience he tried to put a system and structure in place that was rigid and lacked any personal appeal. His EQ told him to trust himself rather than trust others.


Now while his EQ can be learnt and developed and with time and experience he can overcome such issues, one other thing he lacked and this was perhaps the crux of his particular problem. He lacked PQ or political quotient.

Political quotient or PQ is the ability to influence and persuade people to go in a particular direction, build networks and develop leaders which will not only follow you but have others follow them. It is about building others up to take your place and move your vision forward. It is about helping others through your own life experience to find resources and sort their own problems out.

You do not have to be the cleverest person in the room, it isn't about an intellectual or academic outcome it is about changing lives through our own. It is about EQ and PQ acting in tandem.

Food for thought perhaps.
If you would like to read more about leadership or emotional intelligence why not read my book.
                                                      it can be found on Amazon.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Part One of The myths of following a Christian Leader.

Christian Leadership disconnects. When I look to a Christian Leader to be my covering, I look for four things; are they biblical and scripturally sound? Do they have a vision? Are they good motivators? And lastly, can I trust them? On the face of it you may see, these things are obvious and self evident. I am not so sure though, sometimes I find a disconnect that is not always so obvious. Don't get me wrong, I want to sit under a great leader no matter what size their church. I want to know I am being taught sound doctrine and biblical and scriptural principles. I want to follow a great vision that is full of direction, purpose and passion. I want to be motivated not just by words but action and deeds. I also want to be able to say that the person I serve, I trust. As Christian leaders we have to accept that the world we live in is becoming more and more complex. We deal with issues that our New Testament counterparts say little, if anything about.   It is no longer g...
Post a Comment
Read more

Manifesto of Intentional Christian Leadership.

Manifesto: We Promise to do the following- with intent, when in Christian leadership: 1) People Matter. People are our purpose. People are not a means by which we can create our own ends. When we reach out to people they are our objective. 2) We will help people think. If people are our objective we will not get bogged down in the process. We will help people to think through our process in order to recognise our objective rather than just getting them to do and blindly follow. 3) Create great environments. We need to help people become great, not just fix their problems. We do this by creating great environments by which they can grow and build their relationship with God. 4) Create opportunities for initiative. People need to see and experience a spirit of excellence. They need to see opportunities where they can succeed rather than just avoid errors. 5) Be curious. As a leader you don't need to know everything even though a little knowled...
Post a Comment
Read more

Playing well with others.

Today's rambling. Looking over some of my old school reports the other day and was amused at how some of the comments, that teachers made about me have shaped my life and in many respects made me who I am today. One teacher wrote that I didn’t play well with others, I was 5 at the time maybe I had an excuse. Another teacher in my high school years, the wood working teacher or wood shop teacher for my American friends wrote; “If you value your life you will keep him away from power tools and other dangerous equipment. I can’t remember why he wrote this, obviously I did something that made him fear for his life. Today as an adult I have to say that I don’t do well in committees, for most of my life I have been self- employed. I have steadfastly stayed away from power tools and other wood working equipment, basically anything that can cut something off and is a danger to life and limb. Over the last 10 years I have been looking at and teaching about Emotional Intelligence ...
Post a Comment
Read more