In this final article about leader lessons from the movie, War Room, I'm reminded of one of the best scenes in which Miss Clara serves coffee to Elizabeth.
Miss Clara was questioning Elizabeth about her prayer life while pouring coffee. Elizabeth gave the answer many would give concerning their prayer life ... "it's OK, not great." As Elizabeth sipped her coffee, she made a face and cried out that her coffee wasn't hot enough. Of course, Miss Clara was demonstrating a quick lesson about the value of lukewarm anything.
Lukewarm leaders are dangerous to an organization. My definition of a lukewarm leader is that the leader is sometimes hot and sometimes cold. Perhaps the leader is hot and cold on the same day or in the same meeting.
This type of leader acquiesces to about anything. What matters most to this type of leader is the prevailing wind. Somewhere along the way, the leader was taught to "go with the flow." Flow-going is not the path of a true leader.
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Leaders create flow.
A lukewarm leader cannot sustain followers. A team will find an informal leader. Direction will be provided from the grapevine. And the lukewarm leader will be aware of it, OK with it, and even a little happy that someone else stepped up.
On occasion when a lukewarm leader becomes hot about a topic, the credibility to drive the project is lacking. So, the leader settles back into a perpetual lukewarm condition.
I'd like to give hope to those leaders who have chilled over the years. All I really have to offer is to gather heat from increased prayer. Prayer will change the condition of any cup of coffee.
Miss Clara offered a prayer for the lukewarm leader ...
"Raise them up Lord, Raise them up."
Raise me up, Lord, to be the leader you intend me to be.
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth. ... I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire ..." (Rev. 3:15-16, 18).
Dr. Steve Greene is the publisher and executive vice president of the media group at Charisma Media and executive producer of the Charisma Podcast Network. His book, Love Leads: The Spiritual Connection Between Your Relationships and Productivity, is now available.
Leaders, Dr. Greene wants to help you understand the spiritual connection between relationships and productivity. Read his new blog, here.
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Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.
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