As someone who has spent many years studying management in all its multitudinous permutations and combinations, at university and in a number of professional institutes, it is only relatively recently that I have realized that there is a fundamental difference between management and leadership. In the years I studied the discipline academically, I don't recall there ever being much distinction, if any, made between the two.

The study of modern management theory probably begins with Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 19th century, with names such as Weber, Likert, Mayo, McGregor, Maslow, Drucker and Blanchard, to name but a few, holding the management stage at various times since. I recall there seemed to be as many theories as there were managers, and as many different definitions of management. In those days, I don't recall reading much about leadership, certainly not as a separate concept. At most, it was a vague synonym for management—maybe a softer, "fuzzier" and nicer word.

The Oxford Dictionary defines management as "The process of dealing with or controlling things or people". One I liked that was short and to the point was: "Getting things done through people." But through it all, leadership was only a vague concept that meant much the same as management—you "manage" people and you "lead" people. You get things done through people.

Management Versus Leadership

As a Christian, I started to look at a different kind of leadership profile, and it contrasted starkly with the management profiles I had been studying for many years. I looked at Jesus, for instance, and read in the Bible about the concept of "servant leadership," and "stewardship." Leaders sought to serve those they led, rather than using them to "get things done."

Much of the best current writing on leadership actually seems to emanate out of Christian sources, whether overtly or covertly, with names such as J. Oswald Sanders, John Edmund Haggai and John C. Maxwell looming large. I am currently reading "The Maxwell Leadership Bible," with the Scriptures interwoven with teachings and commentary on leadership principles by John C. Maxwell, so the topic is "top of mind" for me at the moment.

Dr. Maxwell, in his justly famous book "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership," talks about the difference between management and leadership: "A widespread misunderstanding is that leading and managing are one and the same. Up until a few years ago, books that claimed to be on leadership were often really about management.

"The main difference between the two is that leadership is about influencing people to follow, while management focuses on maintaining systems and processes ... Managers can maintain direction, but they can't change it. To move people in a new direction you need influence."

While leaders influence to get results, a major difference is that managers normally direct. They use formal managerial authority rather than influence, and therefore are less dependent on the quality of their followers. Leadership, as someone once said, is a lot about followership. To be a good leader, you must have the trust and respect of your followers—they follow because they want to. Once you have to start demanding compliance based on hierarchical authority and rules, you move from leadership to management.

The Bible is replete with great leadership examples—look at Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul and of course, Jesus Himself. In his Introduction to the "Maxwell Leadership Bible," Dr. Maxwell says: "The best source of leadership teaching today is the same as it has been for thousands of years. If you want to learn leadership, go to the greatest Book on leadership ever written—the Bible.

"God is the ultimate leader, and He calls every believer to lead others ... He has called us to lead others as we follow Him ... The call to leadership is a consistent pattern in the Bible.

"I wholeheartedly believe that everything rises and falls on leadership. By that I mean that, more than anything else, the leadership of any group or organization will determine its success or failure ... If you are a follower of Christ, then you recognize that you are called to influence others. Jesus said it this way: 'You are the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world ... Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven' (Matt. 5:13-16).

"It doesn't matter if you are a CEO or a stay-at-home mom; if you call yourself a Christian, then you are called to influence others. That's why it's important for you to learn to become a better leader—whether you are the parent in a family, the pastor of a church, the president of a company, or a potential leader for the next generation."

The Example of Joshua

In my opinion, one of the most effective leaders in Scripture, based on his success in influencing others, is Joshua. Mentored by the mighty Moses, and always trustingly obedient to God, Joshua managed to gather a prickly bunch of rebellious and ungrateful renegades, lead them into a series of bloody wars, and ultimately settled them more-or-less peacefully in the Promised Land.

What an achievement! Yet this is the same Joshua who couldn't influence the ten spies to give a positive report after their spying trip into Canaan, and who also failed to influence the Israelites to go up and take the Promised Land, and only narrowly avoiding being stoned by them. The influence of the "giants" in the land was greater than the influence of Joshua and Caleb (Num. 13:27-33; 14:6-10). The lesson here is that leadership is a skill that can be learned and developed, if we are willing to keep obeying God in true humility.

As Dr. Maxwell says: "Joshua's success would eventually grow in proportion to his leadership, but he needed time to deepen his influence. Moses personally mentored him, and eventually Joshua became the obvious leader to take the Israelites into the Promised Land ... (He) continued to be faithful to God and to learn as much as he could from Moses."

Some of the character traits of Joshua that ultimately allowed him to develop into one of the greatest leaders of all time included:

• His innate integrity and good character—he would not compromise his convictions even if it caused pain.
  
  
• His humility and submissiveness, which allowed him to accept mentoring from Moses; he maintained a servant attitude, and modeled the Biblical "servant leader."
  
  
• His patience and self-discipline—he was not headstrong and demanding.
  
  
• His ability to prioritize and put first things first.
  
  
• His overarching vision and purpose—to take the Israelites into the Promised Land—which gave all his actions meaning.
  
  
• He was a man of action and was "results-focused."
  
  
• He was bold and courageous (Josh. 1:7).
  
  
• He was a "man of the Word" —He realized the important of God's Word, in which he "meditated day and night" (Josh. 1:8).
  
  
• His total trust in and obedience to God.
  
  
• He was able to keep a good balance between "divine guidance and human strategy" —between faith and works.

According to Dr. Maxwell, what Joshua shows us is that influence (which is what leadership is all about) comes from character and conviction. These characteristics were innate in Joshua, which allowed him to learn and develop and grow into an outstanding leader.

"Only emerging leaders themselves can provide some things. You cannot give them the right attitude or the will to learn and obey. When Joshua came to Moses, he had already demonstrated a conviction to follow God, the courage to fight for his beliefs, and the willingness to obey both God and his mentor. That made him a good candidate for further leadership development.

"Joshua represents and encourages every second-generation leader. He didn't establish the free nation of Israel—Moses did. But Joshua succeeded Moses ... he finished the work Moses could not complete and led the people of Israel to victory in the Promised Land.

"Joshua challenges us to lay hold of God's promises and walk in His victory, despite adversity ... God challenges Joshua not to swerve to the right or the left, but to do all that He commands. Joshua must compromise nothing, but fulfill everything."

The Fruit of Leadership

Dr. Maxwell draws seven lessons in leadership from the life and times of Joshua:

• Difficult times demand a different style of leadership.
  
  
• Good leaders help their people remember past blessings and divine victories.
  
  
• Leaders must be willing to take risks and pay the price; courage elicits commitment.
  
  
• Compromise on your methods, but never on your convictions or principles.
  
  
• Leaders cannot afford to be indecisive; they must give clear and specific directions.
  
  
• God will work on behalf of leaders who surrender their hearts completely to Him.
  
  
• Good leaders do whatever it takes to get the job done.

"Joshua provides a superb example of a leader whose faithfulness prompted God to raise him up. Over the three divisions of his life (40 years in Egypt; 40 years in the wilderness; and 30 years in Canaan) God gradually moved this trustworthy man into leadership," Dr. Maxwell concludes.

In commissioning Joshua, God was very specific and told him what was expected of him. God would do His part, as long as Joshua did his. Joshua's job was to be obedient and bold, faithful and humble. God's job was to do mighty miracles and open stupendous doors of opportunity through which Joshua could choose to walk.

Joshua was not a puppet—he always had the option to choose not to obey God's will. It was, ultimately, the integrity of his character that brought Israel into God's destiny for the nation. Even at the end of his life, settled in the Promised Land, Joshua is still challenging and prodding the people into faithfulness: "Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness ... Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:14 and 15).

Ultimately, as the Bible tells us, the Israelites served the Lord all during Joshua's lifetime, and during the lifetimes of the elders who succeeded him, such was the impact of his leadership. His leadership outlived him, which is a rare thing, and proof positive that he listened and took to heart the Words spoken to him by God after the death of Moses:

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land ... Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the Law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Josh. 1: 5-9).