The leader draws followers into a story that frames and affects all of life.

Have you ever noticed that the most important truth in all of life, come alive through well told stories, and faithful leadership, cannot be separated from the power of a well stewarded story. The most successful leaders, know how to lead out of the power of the narrative, and frame the identity of the mission, always including their own story, into the main body of the larger story. Unlike animals, we are story tellers, lovers of stories, and the keepers of stories for posterity.

Experts often stress the importance of organisational vision and mission, but truth be told, these vital realities, mean very little, apart from the story, that explains why the mission is being planned in the first place. Any organisation that exists for itself only, is not worth leading, as true leaders want organisations to make a lasting difference, filling needs, healing hurts, and solving real problems. The life of the organisation is framed by a clearly articulated and lived story, and this will be read by the target audience, without exception.

Leadership comes down to the stewardship, and protection of the story, bringing others into the story, the story being retold, refined, updated, and finding a place and home. Leadership that really matters, grows out of the leader’s own belief, that the story is true, matters, and that it must expand and continue. The story must be believed with conviction, told with conviction, and stewarded with conviction. The leader’s whole life in essence, becomes an extension of the story, and if the story is not worthy of the leaders and others lives, then the cause is not worthy of the effort. The story is central to the success, and your own identification with the story is vital, and you cannot delegate it.

We are therefore, not only the stewards of the story, we are the stewards in the story. The leader also knows that the story is not our possession, it possesses us. The story is so important, with so much work to do, battles to be fought, needs to meet, people to be served, the enthusiasm and drive comes directly from the story, and the leader must be convinced that convictional leadership, knows the story is powerful, and true, and must be told.