In answer to the question, “What is a reasonable expectation of leadership in society, business, or the organizations?” the answer must always begin with truth. If we consider the myriad of ethical breaches in society, at their foundation is a lie: abuse, infidelity, perversion, breach of relationships, and compromise.   

First, visionary leadership must abide by the most essential principle: God is truth, its very source, and fundamental to ethical leadership. One step removed from this truth is one step closer to personal and community moral anarchy. Colson reviews the tragic circumstances of Jimmy Swaggart and Jimmy Baker. He asserts that Baker’s downfall was “violating what should be the most sacred trust of all: to speak for God and to minister to people in their spiritual needs.” [3] He suggests that Baker and Swaggart crossed the line in their departure from truth. They took several steps away from God and in doing so headed down the path toward moral collapse.

Second, visionary leadership must be grounded in the truth. Colson calls for the need of moral consensus. He writes that a consensus must have its roots in Judeo-Christian values for society to exist. These values find their source in the Scriptures. Taking steps away from them is taking steps toward personal and societal destruction.

We may say that these guidelines do not advance anything new. Quite right, they do not. They have all been said before and so why repeat them? We all need reminders concerning truth. Reminders make an imprint on our minds and guide our actions and behavior. Reminders play a continual record of what is right and wrong. Reminders give motivation for doing right. One who forgets is like one who loses a defense. He or she lets down a guard and leaves the battlefield scarred because of lack of practice when the battle was not near.

What is reasonable to expect from our leaders in society? Leadership spans beyond the smallest to the largest organizational unit, from the family to the largest corporation. It can only do so when there is a reference point higher than oneself.

Two sets of leadership qualities exist for the leader – a) internal and b) the expression of those internal qualities. Ranking high on the list of leadership qualities are: integrity, truthfulness, unselfishness, humility, patience, and wisdom. 

Integrity expresses itself in consistency (and not perfection), equal treatment of people, practicing one’s moral core, blamelessness, and faithfulness. People do not expect perfection from their leaders, for they realize they will make mistakes. Rather how a leader responds to mistakes sets an example of genuine leadership. Recognizing and taking action rather than denying or covering up mistakes or shortcomings shows courage and strength – positive qualities people find attractive and willing to emulate.

Truthfulness expresses itself in speaking and acting truthful. One can only speak and act when there exists an inner moral core. Such a moral core does not rest on a “my truth versus your truth” mentality. Rather, as Chuck Colson recognized, truth is normative. [4] There are indeed absolutes, and people look for a moral core for guidance in their personal and professional lives rather than for chaos, confusion, and anarchy.

An unselfish leader does not seek his own way first. Rather a leader’s thoughts and motives are toward those led. Unselfishness does not neglect care for oneself or self-reflection. Such care and reflection means attending to moral, emotional, and physical fitness. In attending to these, one can lead others well. 

Humility shows itself in self-control and not attempting to flaunt oneself before others. Flaunting reveals insecurities and an over estimation of oneself that tends to polarize rather than attract people. Humility does not assume a doormat mentality – permitting people to wipe off their shows on you. Rather, humility integrates inner strength, love and care for people, and standing up selflessly for what is right. Self-control speaks to the inner discipline that recognizes when and where to speak and act.

Patience is humility under control. An impatient leader finds declining followers. An impatient leader tends to vent an uncontrolled set of emotions toward others rather than assuming responsibility for those emotions when confronted with the undesirable. Patience is a fruit having its roots in a tamed spirit. Tame does not assume lack of assertiveness but wears the clothing of self-control during confrontation or disagreeable circumstances.

Wisdom is the cup that draws from all of the above springs of leadership. It rests on the foundations of truth and integrity, does not drink at the well of self-seeking, and finds its home in humility and patience. Above all, it feeds on the fear of God. This fear is a deep respect for Him and all He is and does. When wisdom latches on to the fear of God, it unlocks the door to a strong and abiding faith and hope in His providence. 

Visionary leadership sets its eyes higher than oneself. Selfish ambition takes a toll on a person, because that person must always be watching those whom he or she believes may be attempting to topple ambition. When self steps aside, the need for recognition fades in the background, because the person seeks after benefiting others. 

 Visionary leadership looks beyond the pettiness and squabbles that occur in society. The visionary leader sees these as hindrances to moving groups, communities, and nations forward toward peace and prosperity. Ronald Reagan said,

“Let us go forward determined to serve selflessly a vision of man with God, government for people, and humanity at peace. For it now our task to tend and preserve, through the darkest and coldest nights, that “sacred fire of liberty” that President Washington spoke of two centuries ago, a fire that tonight remains a beacon to all oppressed of the world shining forth from the kindly, pleasant, greening land we call America” (The Annual Conservative Political Action Conference Dinner, February 25, 1982).

This quote elevates visionary leadership above the bickering and slanderous atmosphere that becomes destructive to society and its liberties. Visionary leadership has its eyes firmly on the liberty that sets people free, because it is a leadership of service to humanity.

[1] Black, David Alan, It’s Time to Abolish Art Welfare, http://www.daveblackonline.com/ it's_time_to_abolish.htm

[2] Colson, Charles W., The Problem of Ethics in Christian Ethics Today: Journal of Christian Ethics, Spring 2004, Online Edition.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Colson, Charles W., The Problem of Ethics in Christian Ethics Today: Journal of Christian Ethics, Spring 2004, Online Edition.

   The title of this blog heralds from Proverbs 29:18 and rightly defines Conservatism.  It integrates two important principles for defining Conservative thought and philosophy: vision and restraint.  These are the drivers of Conservatism.

   Vision provides access to the landscape of Conservatism.  Landscapes are broad, beautiful, and scenic.  The landscape gives the traveler serenity, joy, and happiness on the journey.  It opens opportunity and encourages creativity.  But more important, it shows the traveler that there is more to life and living than for oneself.  The landscape extends beyond what the eyes can take in and motivates the traveler to explore with all the gifts given to him or her.  This is the definition of enterprise - exploring, creating, building, and exchanging with others on the road where people make discoveries and become creative with those discoveries for the benefit of all humanity.  Not all landscapes are the same.  Some are barren but bear great beauty, like Arizona or Nevada.  Some are flat and floral like East Texas where wild flowers bloom and flourish.  Other landscapes are mountainous and craggy like the Rockies or Appellations.  Each has its own beauty and richness.  The same holds true with individuals and communities.  Each has uniqueness, because individuals are unique and possess different and varying gifts from the Creator.  Vision permits individuals to enjoy the wonders of creation and to freely make use of the resources this creation yields. 

    However, freedom comes with a price.  Those who came before us yielded their lives for the cause of freedom and liberty and embedded in our Constitution the precious words of "inalienable rights, that among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  Therefore, freedom must be thought of in terms of sacrifice.  Just as liberty requires sacrifice, so also does vision.  Both imply that to pursue one thing, a person gives up pursuing another that would be contrary to the one pursued.  Consequently, both vision and liberty restrains one to a set purpose rather than to divided and conflicting purposes.  The mark of Conservatism, then, is having a single purpose for the benefit of others. In this sense, Conservatism is self-restraint rather than forced restraint from a governing source. 

   This is not to deny government, for government has a purpose. Its purpose is to govern those who cannot and will not govern themselves. Those who exercise self-restraint by the vision of the Almighty do not require government restraint. Therefore, in Conservatism, government becomes limited to those who require it without partiality.

   Vision is also about leadership.  It assumes that leaders are capable of casting a vision large enough for all to contribute and principled enough to provide the discipline necessary to give direction. Leadership’s vision inspires and motivates, because it frees those led to pursue their dreams and hopes. Consequently, Conservative leadership does not seek to control the dreams and hopes of others by meaningless platitudes of “hope and change” or “change you can believe in.” Such leadership does not force on others a belief system. 

   From freedom to hold one’s own belief system arises free speech. These two freedoms stand as foundations of our Constitution.  Conservative leadership encourage these two fundamental liberties but not without restraint. Our founding fathers did not dismiss restraint regarding free speech. We are not free to slander others or to bear false witness of them. However, we are free to render dissent, to be negative, to create satire, to criticize, or to speak as contrarians. Conservative leadership has the wisdom to realize the difference between speech that harms and speech that motivates, encourages, or renders dissent or an opposing viewpoint. Consequently, visionary leadership encourages freedoms and discourages oppression.

 

The founding fathers of our great nation knew that liberty would be short-lived if vision and restraint did not stand as fundamentals for guiding it.  That is the reason they wrote it into our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.  Jefferson's opening words ring out vision and restraint:

"When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

 

This statement swells with vision in speaking of "the powers of the earth," "separate and equal station," "Laws of Nature and Nature's God," and "respect to the opinions of mankind."  Jefferson spoke of patience, constraint, and "repeated petitions."  These words represent constant restraint toward separation from England.  Yet time and patience ran its course against tyranny until restraint could no longer be held back.  As visionaries, the signers of this declaration determined that it was time to take another journey toward liberty and to leave oppression behind.  They sought restraint in another way - by the Constitution - for governing them, and placed this document at the feet of the people as both the authors of government and the governed.   Therefore, this Constitution became their living will and the will of a free people by which to live and govern their lives.  They were true Conservatives not willing to engage in this task whimsically but with great thought and enduring patience, looking down the centuries that would follow them and forging a document that would guide generations to come.  This took vision and great restraint on their part and provided a great blessing for us.  Let us not forget what they left us.