How importance is intelligence to ministry? Political columnist David Broder wrote a fascinating column recently about presidents and intelligence, called Good Time for a Brainy President. He’s arguing that given the complicated nature of the economic challenges we face, Obama’s intelligence is a good thing.
Yet Broder makes some other interesting points in the article. He says that intelligence is not the most important quality for a president, and the brightest presidents have not necessarily had the biggest impact. More important overall, he says, are: “Self-confidence, curiosity, an eye for talent, the ability to communicate, a temperament that invites collaboration — all these and more rank higher on the list of desirable presidential traits.”
To be a capable leader in ministry, you do need to have some smarts. But the ability to connect with followers emotionally, to work with people, to manage self in relation to others — these are equally important. Broder doesn’t include emotional maturity per se on his list, but I do. And a number of his qualities are an outgrowth of that basic maturity.
What have you noticed in yourself or others about the relation between brain power and ministry?
Margaret Marcuson
Great point, Rebecca. Sometimes “common sense” doesn’t seem all that common, unfortunately.
Rebecca Maccini
I believe there is ‘brain power’ and then there is ‘brain power.’ Someone I greatly respect said about someone who was very bright but was not thinking clearly in a very emotionally charged situation, “Just because you are very smart doesn’t mean you have common sense.” I think that the emotionaly maturity is related to having ‘sense’ in situations. Knowing when to respond, knowing then to hold back or take a different tactic, are all part of using your brain in situations. I think that is especially true in leadership.