As a Leader, How Bold Should You Be?

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Boldness builds leadership, but rashness destroys it. Discerning between the two is critical! Optimistic people are generally bold people! The late Zig Ziglar says it this way,

“An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartar sauce with him!”

When Jesus told the disciples to feed the five thousand (Mark 6:35-37) it was among His boldest leadership moves, but it wasn’t rash. He knew he could make it happen. It was His shortsighted disciples who saw only the crowds but forgot about their Master, who had already worked miracles far more amazing than feeding a few thousand hungry people. (Quick – which is harder, feeding the hungry or raising the dead?)

By saying, “You give them something to eat,” Jesus did three things every leader must do at some point:

He imparted vision that only he could see.
He delegated full authority to his subordinates to accomplish the task at hand.
He allowed them to share fully in the fulfillment of the vision.

When Jesus said He was going to feed the people, His was a BOLD, not rash statement. This is bold leadership.

In our homes, in our churches, in our businesses, and in our communities, people thirst for bold leadership. People will follow bold leaders, eventually becoming bold themselves. The feeding of the five thousand contributed to the boldness displayed by the disciples as they faced and conquered every obstacle they encountered in their quiet spread of the Gospel. The benefits of bold leadership continue even after the leader has disappeared from the scene.

Jesus is the greatest and boldest of all leaders. His followers, particularly those in positions of leadership today, need to view boldness as the norm, not as an elusive, extraordinary leadership style.