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Everyone knows that leaders must demonstrate a level of competence in order to gain the trust and respect of followers. No one chooses to follow an incompetent leader over a competent one, regardless of personality.
Competence goes beyond words. It’s the leader’s ability to say it, plan it, and do it in such a way that others know you know your business—and know that they want to follow you.
Competence must be sought at every organizational level. Incompetence can’t be tolerated anywhere. John Gardner once wrote, “The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.”
Let’s look at an example of Competence from the life of Joshua in the Old Testament:
Joshua Got the Job Done (Joshua 11:16-23)
Competence rarely happens overnight. Even the great Joshua had to be prepared over many years to handle the enormous task given to him. Consider this:
- God used Joshua over two generations.
- God called Joshua to spy out the Promised Land.
- God allowed Joshua to accompany Moses up to Mount Sinai.
- God trusted Joshua to lead the military campaigns from the wilderness into Canaan.
- God replaced Moses with Joshua when it came time to lead the people into Canaan.
What Made Joshua the Right Leader at the Right Time?
1. He was a warrior (Exodus 17:9-11)
Joshua was born to be a warrior. His first opportunity at leadership came as a military leader. God was preparing him for a much larger role, but it all began there.
2. He was a spokesman (Exodus 17:14)
Joshua received a prophetic word from the Lord concerning his lifetime ministry, illustrating how God works in each of us. First, we receive a personal word from the Lord; then we become bearers of His word to others.
3. He was a servant (Exodus 24:13)
Joshua was first known as “the servant of Moses.” No one called him a servant of Yahweh until the time of the conquest. He proved his willingness to serve before asking anyone to serve him. Each of us must undergo the same process.
4. He was a faithful worker (Exodus 32:17)
Moses took Joshua with him to meet with God on Mount Sinai, but when ordered to stop, Joshua halted halfway up. He experienced no glory, no cloud, no voice, and no presence, yet he remained faithful to the big picture.
5. He was an apprentice of Moses and God (Exodus 33:11)
For 40 years, Joshua served as an understudy. His competence grew from Moses’ tutoring to his own observations. He would not leave Moses’ tent because he wanted to get everything he could from his mentor.
6. He was a zealot (Numbers 11:29)
One day when God’s presence came down upon the camp and the two men began to prophesy, Joshua grew concerned. He forbade them to continue, but Moses said to him, “I wish all God’s people were prophets.” Joshua’s passion later became an asset when it combined with his experience.
7. He was a transformed leader (Numbers 13:16)
Moses gave the name Joshua to the young man formerly called Hoshea. With that name change came a transformation in identity and character. Joshua became a man ready to delegate, organize, and lead the nation of Israel.
May you continue to be transformed in your journey to Out of This World Leadership…