Self-Discipline
Leadership takes self-discipline. Here's a cold hard fact: you cannot lead someone else until you first are capable of leading yourself. And you can't lead yourself until you surrender the control of your life to the Holy Spirit. In fact, none of the other qualities of leadership will amount to anything without self-discipline. Someone once said that before you can conquer the world you have to first conquer yourself.
Look at Jesus. The Bible says nothing of his life between the age of 12-30 other than "he grew in stature and wisdom." The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus learned obedience. Obedience begins with a heart fully surrendered to God. Oswald Sanders says that a leader is someone who has learned to obey a discipline imposed from without, and has then taken on a more rigorous discipline from within.
I've seen so many capable and talented leaders crash and burn because huge portions of their life were flying under the radar screen of the Holy Spirit. Those who rebel against authority and reject self-discipline are not qualified to lead. Before you lead others you must first follow the Holy Spirit. Followership always precedes leadership. Too many leaders who desire to lead fail because they never learned to follow.
