Leaders have the important role of being keepers of unity in organizations and communities. When quarrels and strife erupt in our groups, we find that it is the leaders that must step up to bring unity back to the team.
No one can build and keep unity more effectively than CEOs, managers, directors and pastors. Here are five ways that leaders can fix disunity in communities.
Build a vision
Proverbs 29:18 (ASV) says, "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; But he that keepeth the law, happy is he." In the absence of vision, there is no restraint with words, actions and decisions amongst large groups of people. As a result, people's actions get into a conflict with one another.
But when a strong and compelling vision is built and inculcated in an organization, people can come together to attain that one vision. That is why a vision is extremely vital to groups and why leaders have to master becoming visionaries.
Don't demand uniformity
Everyone has their own way of doing things, and they will always do things best when they are allowed to do so. When we start telling worship leaders to sing a certain way, finance officers to account for money one certain way and administrators to manage tasks in one certain way, we start favoring one specific group and putting another in a bad position.
As leaders, we must learn to stop demanding uniformity in producing results and start trusting our employees and staff to deliver even if their methodology looks a whole lot different from our own.
Magnify Jesus
Ephesians 4:13 tells us that we are to work together "...until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
The knowledge of Jesus brings great unity to organizations. There is no power more unifying than the power of the name of Jesus.
Be led by the Spirit
In Ephesians 4:1-3, the apostle Paul, one of the most influential Bible leaders, says, "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Build culture
A culture is a set of habits that is done over and over over a long period of time. As leaders observe a culture and direct it, we build a healthy culture that will value unity over individual interests. The cultures we build will determine the strength of the unity our communities and groups will have.
