by: Max DePree
    
     The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.  The last is to say thank you.  In between the two, the leader must become a servant and debtor.  That sums up the progress of an artful leader. 
     Concepts of leadership, ideas about leadership, and leadership practices are the subject of much thought, discussion, writing, teaching, and learning.  True leaders are sought after and cultivated.  Leadership is not an easy subject to explain.  A friend of mine characterizes leaders simply like this: "Leaders don't inflict pain, they bear pain."
     The goal of thinking hard about leadership is not to produce great or charismatic or well-known leaders.  The measure of leadership is not the quality of the head, but the tone of the body.  The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers.  Are the followers reaching their potential?  Are they learning?  Serving?  Do they achieve the required results?  Do they change with grace?  Manage conflict?
     I would like to ask you to think about the concept of leadership in a certain way.  Try to think about a leader, in the words of the gospel writer Luke, as "one who serves."  Leadership is a concept of owing certain things to the institution.  It is a way of thinking about institutional heirs, a way of thinking about stewardship as contrasted with ownership. 
     The art of leadership requires us to think about the leader-as-steward in terms of relationships: of assets and legacy, of momentum and effectiveness, of civility and values.
 

APRIL'S QUOTE

During Election Time we are faced with the inevitable occurrence of loss.  You may be the one who is disappointed about losing their election, or you may be the one who has to break the news.  Perseverance is a key ingredient to leadership.  It is what separates us from the "one-hit wonders."  This verse from the early 20th century would have appeared in students' McGuffey's Reader. 

The fisher who draws in his net too soon,
Won't have any fish to sell;
The child who shuts up his book too soon,
Won't learn any lessons well.

If you would have your learning stay,
Be patient- don't learn too fast;
The man who travels a mile each day,
May get round the world at last.