Real Leadership is dangerous

They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
Exodus 14:11-12

I have enjoyed the opportunity to address some doctoral students in seminary regarding leadership this week. It's been great to engage in some rich dialogue about leadership in the 21st century. What is the profile of a great leader? Would you include Moses on your top ten list of great leaders? The Bible provides a substantial historical biography of Moses. What does it take to be a great leader? The list of virtues is long. But, do not forget to include "courage". Leadership requires courage. No matter how noble the quest, how clear the need for change or how large or small the team, the life of Moses shows us why leadership is dangerous. Leadership involves asking people to change. Movement toward a promising future requires a departure from the familiar present. In the words of Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky,

“You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Although you may see with clarity and passion a promising future of progress and gain, people will see with equal passion the losses you are asking them to sustain.” (Heifetz and Linsky, 2002, Leadership on the Line)