May God help us to not lead from insecurity, through manipulation, or for personal ambition! Here are 25 practical examples that indicate when someone is leading from their dark side:
1. You inwardly celebrate when a colleague or fellow minister falls.
2. Your spirit of competition causes you to inwardly celebrate when other organizations or ministries in your field aren’t doing as well as you.
3. You are more concerned about your local church or organization than the good of the kingdom of God and cultural transformation.
4. You manipulate people to promote yourself and try to make things happen instead of allowing God to open doors and promote you.
5. You look for opportunities to backstab other leaders in your region or field of work.
6. You are driven to succeed to counter your insecurity, poor self-esteem and a sense of insignificance.
7. You thwart the emergence of other strong leaders in your organization.
8. You are closed-up relationally and have no open, transparent relationships in which you share your weaknesses and fears.
9. You do not share power and work on your own in regards to major decisions that impact your organization or ministry.
10. You are shifty in relationships, taking sides with those you are presently with, then taking another point of view when with another person when there is a conflict or controversy.
11. You will sacrifice the future for the present in regards to debt financing and risk taking instead of leaving a legacy of financial sustainability.
12. You do not receive correction kindly but always get inwardly defensive.
13. You are constantly blaming others when things go wrong.
14. You constantly justify yourself instead of facing your failures.
15. You have no deep relationship with God and lead out of your flesh and soul life.
16. You don’t lead out of sound biblical principles unless it is convenient.
17. You view yourself more as a pragmatist than a principled person.
18. You are loyal to people only until you have used them to get to the next level.
19. You avoid confrontation and walking in the light according to Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 John 1:7.
20. You only care for those who care for you and serve your agenda.
21. Your greatest desire in life is to make a name for yourself.
22. The bottom line in regards to organizational effectiveness is more important to you than people.
23. You have a hard time forgiving those who offend you.
24. You carry resentment and baggage from the past that you refuse to let go.
25. You don’t walk in the peace of God but in the stress of the world.
