I agree. Racism is evil. It is a sin. Period. Whether it happens in Charlottesville or Ferguson or Charlotte or at home. But from the week’s events, plenty of people are declaring that case, so I want to move on to something else, something that we could easily miss in the fray. A lesson leaders can learn in all this.
President Trump was blistered for taking too long to declare that what happened in Charlottesville is the result of racist extremism and to denounce the parties that made it happen. Then he was battered again for back-peddling when he finally made a statement. And he is being criticized for good reason—but maybe not the reason you think. What I am about to say is not about politics. It’s about leadership. So bear with me.
Presidents have one thing in common. Aside from political differences, economic distinctions, style preferences, or competence levels, they are all leaders. Plain and simple. And as leaders every American President works between two constant, and often fluctuating, poles—pro-action and reaction. Leaders tend to excel at one or the other, but they must be capable and aware of both.
Leaders are expected to be proactive. To cast a vision and set an agenda for the organization—whether a business, family, church, or nation—and lead the charge to fulfill that agenda. Proactive leaders must get ownership from the organization before charging ahead, and ignoring that reality has foiled the plans of many pastors and CEOs who failed to grasp that they are not leading an organization. They are leading people. And people will only stretch so far without snapping back unless you prepare them to adjust.
But leaders must also be reactive. This is true for all of us, because every day we are required to react and respond to what happens to us, those things we cannot control. But when leaders react, their reactions cause more reactions, and their reactions can impact the way other people see a situation, commit to a cause, or buy into a program. And, above all, it is the way leaders react that earn their respect far more than the way they pro-act. Our reactions show our character, our heart, our wisdom (or lack of it), and our true beliefs.
When leaders plan and set an agenda that people like, the response is, “Okay, so I can get on board with that. What do we do next?” But when leaders react in a way that demonstrates character, people say, “Wow! Did you see that? That’s the kind of person I want to follow. I can get behind him,” or “I can get behind her!”
Because suddenly that leader has earned respect. People follow people, not programs.
Now, back to Trump. If you can, forget your political preferences for a moment. The point here is that his chair is barely warm, and he is already a living lesson of the impact of a leader who does not grasp the significance of his reactions. Consider that nearly all the bad press he has received since moving into the oval office has been due to reactionary tweets, incendiary comments, thoughtless remarks unveiled in public, or, now in the case of Charlottesville, passivity. All are reactions that demonstrate a lack of the kind of character leaders require, and which we desperately need in the oval office.
But enough about Presidents. What about us? The take away is to be sure we are developing the kind of character that will react and respond when the time comes. And to remember that the people we lead pay attention to our character, revealed by our reactions, before they buy into our agendas. Children watch their parents. Employees watch their bosses. Christians watch their pastors.
Jesus taught that the depth of our discipleship can be discerned by our reactions as well as our pro-action as a disciple (Matt. 5:21-48; John 13:35).
So what do your reactions say about you?