I had a wonderful opportunity to be part of a leadership development series facilitated by Dr. David Ireland (Senior Pastor, Christ Church, Montclair) some years ago and I was intrigued with the conceptualization of his 5 Stages of Leadership presentation. With his permission, we’re going to examine each of the 5 phases for the next few issues and widen our understanding of the growth process of a leader and what you can do to identify and seize the opportunity to lead, purposefully. Remember, not only are we shaping the leader but we are establishing the framework for the leader to operate from, in an effort to inspire those they serve. So let’s get started. Phase I, The Beginning Stage. We’re going to use two great leaders we should all be familiar with; Martin Luther King Jr. and Moses (yes, arguably the greatest biblical leader second to Jesus). During the Beginning Stage, something occurs between birth and our formative years that indicate something special about us or in us. For instance, Michael Luther King, Jr. (later to be known as Martin Luther King, Jr.) evidenced different rules and standards for blacks versus whites. He saw his white friends quickly fading away. In fact, his best friend was a white boy until they reached school age and then the segregation laws created barriers that would keep them from going to school together and playing together even though they lived in the same neighborhood. All this because people thought they were superior to others (I call it fear). Moses, on the other hand, a Hebrew baby, didn’t have a clue what was going on in the world. His mother had to put him in a wicker basket (papyrus if you like) and send him down the Nile River for his own safety because Pharaoh wanted all Hebrew babies killed. However, Moses would be discovered and loved by the very daughter of the man that wanted him dead! You can’t beat Devine intervention. Moses escaped death as a baby! But more importantly, his escape from death would later position him to give life to God’s people by freeing them from being slaves under Pharaoh’s warped sense of leadership (I call it fear). These examples would be considered beginning stage indicators for King and Moses. King, because the separation from his best friend based on racial hatred and fear would leave an indelible impression on him and what I call “residue for change” in him that would lead him in the direction of serving others. Moses, because his fortunate survival through the Nile River in a tar coated basket was an extraordinary sign that he was covered by a higher power Who had already ordered his steps. As my students say “You feeling me??” I want to leave you with a few footnotes to consider while driving home, teaching a class, or being a Dad. Michael and Moses had common threads in their extraordinary lives. They both escaped death (yes, Michael escaped death and we will talk about that next month). They shared a love for people. They fought for justice…peacefully. They were passionate about their vision. They displayed a sense of humility. They took the first step even though they didn’t see the staircase. They led purposeful lives. Can you think of something from your formative years that identifies the beginning stage for you? What does it mean to you now? What will it mean for others later? Next month, Phase II. Thank you for allowing me to give you a piece of my MINDS. Feel free to give me a piece of yours. A noted author and motivational speaker, Darryl C. Walls is CEO of MINDS, a leadership consulting firm based in New Jersey. He is the co-author of the book titled “Leadership Defined,” and the Curriculum Developer of The Access2Success Educational Program. Contact him at dcwminds@verizon.net.