Education Leadership Development

by | Oct 7, 2024 | developement

 

Historically, there has been a debate over whether leadership is learned (i.e. it can be taught) or innate (i.e. like personality, something you’re born with). Typically, whether on one side of this debate or the other, it is generally agreed upon that leadership can be developed in every person. The belief that leadership can and should be developed. has been embraced in corporate America, government departments, and the U.S. Military.

This week, we looked at key principles of leadership as presented by former military Chaplain, Dr. James F. Linzey, and those historical principles of leadership used by the U.S. Marine Corps (and adopted by other services). These are examples of the types of traits organizations encourage leaders to develop within themselves.

In Chapter 7, Kouzes and Posner state, “If you are to learn to be a better leader, you must first believe that you are capable of leadership and that you can be a positive force in the world” (p. 165). Kouzes and Posner then offer five fundamental strategies to becoming a better leader:

Fundamental One: Believe you can
Fundamental Two: Aspire to Excel
Fundamental Three: Challenge Yourself
Fundamental Four: Engage Support
Fundamental Five: Practice Deliberately
We can even find the concept of leadership development within Scripture. Paul, during his ministry, also sought to give advice to his young pastors on the development of their own ability to lead others to Christ. This advice is found in his Spirit-inspired letters to Timothy and Titus.

Using Paul’s pastoral epistles 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, write 500-750 words500-750 words identifying the essence of Kouzes and Posner’s Five Fundamentals of Leadership Development. In other words, show how Paul’s words to his young pastors (and anyone else reading the letter) coincide with Kouzes and Posner’s points on leadership development. Your narrative must incorporate both Scripture and Kouzes & Posner’s points. It should also interact with the leadership principles from the other reading for this week when appropriate.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

The concept of leadership development has been a subject of interest and debate for centuries. While some believe that leadership is an innate trait, others argue that it can be developed through education, experience, and intentional practice. This week, we explored the principles of leadership as presented by Dr. James F. Linzey and the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as the five fundamental strategies for leadership development outlined by Kouzes and Posner.

The concept of leadership development has been a subject of interest and debate for centuries. While some believe that leadership is an innate trait, others argue that it can be developed through education, experience, and intentional practice. This week, we explored the principles of leadership as presented by Dr. James F. Linzey and the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as the five fundamental strategies for leadership development outlined by Kouzes and Posner.

In his pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus, Paul offers valuable insights into leadership development that align with the principles articulated by Kouzes and Posner. Let’s examine how Paul’s advice to his young pastors corresponds to the five fundamental strategies:

Fundamental One: Believe You Can

Paul encourages Timothy to “stir up the gift that is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6). This suggests that individuals must believe in their own abilities and potential to lead. By recognizing and cultivating their unique gifts, leaders can develop the confidence and self-belief necessary to inspire others.

Fundamental Two: Aspire to Excel

Paul exhorts Timothy to “be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). This emphasizes the importance of setting high standards for oneself and striving for excellence in all aspects of leadership. By embodying the qualities of a good leader, individuals can inspire others to follow their example.

Fundamental Three: Challenge Yourself

Paul reminds Timothy to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). This suggests that leaders must be willing to face challenges and persevere through adversity. By pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones, leaders can develop resilience, adaptability, and the ability to overcome obstacles.

Fundamental Four: Engage Support

Paul encourages Timothy to “train a faithful man who will be able to do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 2:2). This emphasizes the importance of building a strong team and seeking support from others. By working together, leaders can achieve greater success and overcome challenges more effectively.

Fundamental Five: Practice Deliberately

Paul advises Titus to “devote yourself to the public ministry, and the practice of piety” (Titus 2:2). This suggests that leadership is a skill that requires practice and development. By actively engaging in leadership activities and seeking feedback, individuals can improve their abilities and become more effective leaders.

In conclusion, Paul’s pastoral epistles offer valuable insights into leadership development that align with the principles articulated by Kouzes and Posner. By believing in oneself, aspiring to excellence, challenging oneself, engaging support, and practicing deliberately, individuals can develop the qualities necessary to become effective and inspiring leaders.

 

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