The Vine News

In repeated Biblical passages, God refers to the Eagle as a metaphor for grace and giving; compassion and care; tenacity and loyalty; faithfulness and excellence; strength and stability. Wise church leaders know that to be effective they must seek out, recognize and nurture the rare people among us who are eagles.

I have already written about some of the characteristics of eagles including the ability to seize opportunities and to make things happen and to influence other. Here are some more:

1. Eagles equip other eagles to lead. As former PepsiCo CEO Wayne Calloway puts it, “[Eagles] take [other] eagles and teach them to fly in formation.”  Four essentials for equipping eagles are respect, added value, significance, and application.

2. Eagles provide ideas that help the organization. The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. Studies suggest that the biggest single variable of whether or not employees will be creative is whether or not they perceive they have permission.    The only true bad ideas are those that die without giving rise to other ideas. When all of your ideas are added together, the sum should represent your breakthrough.  It doesn’t matter if it ain’t broke; it can probably still use fixing.  Great ideas are nothing more than the restructuring of what you already know.

3. Eagles possess an uncommonly great attitude. In his book, The Winner’s Edge, Dennis Waitley writes, “It is not in a gifted birth, a high I.Q., or in talent.  The winner’s edge is all in all attitude; not aptitude.

4. Eagles live up to their commitments. Another way to characterize success is follow through.

5. Eagles show fierce loyalty. They are loyal to the organization and the leader.  The biggest challenge a leader faces is finding trustworthy people.

St. Clair Mitchell is senior pastor of Evangel Assembly of God, and founder of the International Ministerial Network. You can reach him at (301) 899-5940.