What makes a leader inspiring?
Unlock meaningful conversations with the teenage boys in your family – our weekly question explores PAGE (purpose, awareness, good grades, and emotional intelligence) through a God-centred lens.
What makes a leader inspiring?
Why ask?
God willing, it will help your boys:
Identify inspiring leaders - learning from the most loving and courageous people in the room. (Love and Courage)
Contribute with sincerity - striving to be leaders with private lives that are just as, if not more, impressive than their public lives. (Public and Private)
Solve problems in society - addressing local community issues that impact people’s everyday needs. (Problem Solvers)
How to ask?
Relationship with vision. (How important is it for a leader to be a visionary?)
What makes a person inspiring? What kind of effects do they have on their environment? What would it feel like to sit next to them in a gathering? To walk in their company? If inspiring leaders help us see the world differently. And help us think ambitiously about what our future could be. How important is it for a leader to be a visionary? How important is it for them to have conviction in their core beliefs? As God’s representatives in society. What vision do we have for our local community? In 10 years time or 20 - where would we like it to be? God willing, if we strategically serve our communities with sincerity. If we played a key role in addressing people’s everyday needs. How might that shape our neighbours’ beliefs? What might British society’s relationship with God be like in 2050?
Relationship with people. (Why might leaders focus on being effective rather than efficient?)
What does it take to lead a team? What people skills and character traits are necessary? How crucial is communication? How essential is empathy? How do inspiring leaders share their vision - so that other people also believe? One powerful technique is storytelling. Ask your boys/younger siblings. When you hear someone inspiring speaking. What kind of actions or words make them convincing? How does the person make their message sound interesting? How does the person try to keep hold of your attention? When inspiring leaders confront challenges. Rather than being selfish. Why might they strive for an outcome that is a win-win? We know that humans have a deep need for respect and recognition. So when managing relationships - why might leaders focus on being effective rather than efficient? What does it look like to treat other people’s time and attention as valuable and precious? How do strong relationships help inspiring leaders spread their message?
Relationship with self. (Why might an inspiring leader do good deeds secretly and openly?)
What does it mean to act with sincerity? How do we know when we’re doing something for God primarily? And not just our own pleasure. How do we know when we’ve acted with our best efforts? If inspiring leaders strive hard towards their goals - whilst recognising that God determines ultimate victory. How might signs of success increase their humility? Why might potential setbacks be viewed as beneficial opportunities? How might they strike the balance between complacency and a mindset of defeat? As believers, we testify that God’s help is guaranteed. For those who truly believe. For those who serve God’s cause, privately and publicly. Why might an inspiring leader do some good deeds secretly and some openly? How might private deeds protect our sincerity? How might private deeds demonstrate conviction in our beliefs? Why is it so inspiring to watch a person do a good deed when they think nobody else sees?
What next?
Inspiring Speeches. (Listen/read an inspiring speech and analyse it together)
Select an inspiring speech from history. A notable example is the Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him. Take a few minutes to read the speech. Then, ask yourselves the following questions collectively. What’s the key message? How does the author use story-telling elements? What words/phrases do you both find most thought-provoking? What kind of actions/behaviours is the person advocating for? What vision of the future is being portrayed to us all? To take this even further. Ask your boys to prepare a 2-minute speech of their own. As if they were speaking to the whole country and it was going to be live-streamed on TV. What inspiring message would they share as a top priority? How would they present their message clearly and creatively?
Inspiring Emails. (Send a cold email to an inspiring leader and seek advice)
Ask your boys to think of a person alive that they consider to be an inspiring leader. In the arena of religion, sports, business, politics, or art. If they had 15 minutes to meet them in a coffee shop. What 3 questions would they ask? With your supervision - find the person’s email address online and then use their questions to form the basis of an email draft. Encourage your boys to view this as an opportunity to develop their effective communication skills and writing style. If they hear no response after a while - send a follow-up email so their message is at the top of the person’s inbox. Here’s a 3-sentence framework that just might work.
1st Sentence - Specific request for a 15-minute Zoom call.
2nd Sentence - Line that highlights common ground and/or specific experience where they benefitted from the inspiring person’s words/actions.
3rd Sentence - Description of your boy’s specific life aspirations and how this conversation would practically benefit them in achieving their goals.
Inspiring Neighbours. (Brainstorm good deeds to help people living on your street)
Listing out problems is often an easier task than listing out solutions. So ask your boys to think of 10 things about their local area that need improvement. From issues around safety, community facilities, and litter management, to a lack of prayer spaces and good restaurants. Tell your boys to put their leadership cap on. If they were mayor of the city for a day. What 10 things might they try to fix straight away? For each problem identified - think of a practical action that might achieve some progress. Then think of 5 people they know who live within a mile radius. What are small deeds they can do for them - to invest in their community relations? From meal preparation to grocery support, volunteering to help with revision or using public transport. Each offer of assistance has the potential to create a culture shift. To facilitate further acts of service - each with its own ripple effects. Identify issues in your local community. Then ask your boys - ‘what’s next?’
Thanks for taking the time to read this piece.
Feel free to get in touch and share any suggestions/feedback on how this newsletter can be made more useful.
At your service,
Muslim Boys United (MBU)