Merritt - 9 Keys to Successful Leadership

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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Cover by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates.

9 KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP

Copyright 2002, 2008, 2011 by James Merritt

Previously published as How to Impact and Influence Others

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Merritt, James Gregory

[How to impact and influence others.]

9 keys to successful leadership / James Merritt.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-7369-6564-4 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6565-1 (eBook)

1. Leadership. 2. Influence (Psychology) I. Title. II. Title: Nine keys to successful leadership.

HD57.7.M47 2016

658.4'092dc23

2015028549

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To my mentor and hero in the faith,

Dr. Adrian Rogers

Contents

There are so many people to thank when one writes a book. Even though there may be only one author, good books are collaborative efforts with great teams standing with the author. I want to acknowledge that team.

First of all, I thank my agents, Robert and Eric Wolgemuth at Wolgemuth and Associates, for believing in me enough to represent me. I love that you are not only professionals, but also men of integrity and great character. It has been an honor to work with you, and I look forward to more collaboration.

I thank my editor, Rod Morris. You have a gentle yet firm way of telling me when things are badand I gave you many opportunities to tell me that! Thank you so much for working with me and being honest. It was a pleasure.

I thank Harvest House Publishers for allowing me to become a part of your family. Everyone has been a pleasure and joy to work with. You do things right. I am honored to entrust this project to the Harvest House team.

I am grateful for the church I pastor, Cross Pointe, and the staff I serve with. Ministering alongside great men and women of God has sharpened the virtues I describe in this book. I am grateful to the Lord to be both your pastor and fellow-worker with God.

This book would not even have come to pass had it not been for the urging and encouraging of my precious son, Jonathan. It is one thing to have ordinary people believe in you, but when your own son believes in you to the extent that Jonathan does, it humbles me beyond words. All three of my sons are my best friends, and I love them all, but I especially thank Jonathan for believing in his dad, admonishing me when I got discouraged in this project, and helping me to make this book as sharp as it could be. He is a writer far greater in ability than I ever hope to be, and I have learned so much from him. Jonathan, with all my heart, son, I love you and thank you for getting me to this point.

Finally, the greatest decision I ever made in my lifenext to trusting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviorwas marrying my wife, Teresa. Humanly speaking, you are the light of my life. I cant imagine a minute without you. You really are the finest person Ive ever known. I am glad that God brought you into my life, and I will love you now, forever, and for always!

I know before you say it: Not another book on leadership. Trust meif this were one of those books on leadership, I would not only say the same thing but also tell you not to buy this book, much less read it. Search leadership on Amazon, and you will get more than 300,000 matches. Yet as prolific business and leadership author Jeffrey Krames plaintively asks, Where on earth are all the leaders? I think its safe to say we dont have 300,000 truly great leaders in America!

I want to ask the question a different way: Where are all the leaders who lead by example and inspire emulation of their character? In many ways, one could argue that Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, and Adolf Hitler were very influential leaders. But do we admire their methods or their manners and would we want our children to grow up to be just like them?

I believe that leadership is measured not just by how much you can accomplish through followers or how many followers you have. I believe that the highest level of leadership is measured by the person you are and the virtues you display. Great leadership begins with who you are , not what you do . Simply put, the level of your leadership will never rise above the content of your character .

Like the iceberg, there is far more to leadership than meets the eye. The greatest impact truly great leaders have comes from the personal qualities you cant see on the outside, not the productive qualities you can see. I am convinced that 90 percent of our leadership comes from the values that form us and the virtues that flow from us. In other words, character ultimately trumps competency.

Inherently and instinctively, we know this to be true. Authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner surveyed almost 1500 managers from around the country as part of a study sponsored by the American Management Association. They asked this opened-ended question: What values, personal traits, or characteristics do you look for and admire in your superiors? Put differently, they were asking, What characteristics apart from title or authority would make you want to voluntarily follow a leader?

More than 225 values and traits were identified, which were then grouped into 15 categories. The number one thing respondents said they wanted most from their leaders was integrity . The categories that immediately followed were is truthful, is trustworthy, has character, and has convictions. These qualities ranked above competency, intelligence, and is inspiring. These responses focus on the hidden 90 percent of the iceberg.

I have read and collected leadership books for years. Time management, conflict management, staff management my head swims from all the advice and practical suggestions that I have gleanedand yes, used successfully. These books greatly enhance the 10 percent of the iceberg and make it shine, and some may have a chapter or two on the 90 percent. But almost all of these books focus on the leaders head. Very few focus on the leaders heart.

Im reminded of the story of a hot-air balloonist who had drifted off course. He saw a man on the ground and yelled, Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?

Yes, youre in a balloon, the guy replied.

You must work in IT, the balloonist said.