Leadership and Authority, do they co-exist?

Im thinking about this subject rather seriously. I think there is a tremendous difference between Leadership, and Authority. Most people assume a connection, and I think that is underlying some of the more serious problems we have in being together and manifesting God as the Bride of Christ.

A leader is typically portrayed as the guy who directs the show (whatever the show is). He says things, and then people either do them or not. He gets ideas, and then attempts to execute. If people agree all the better. Really cool examples of this are when a leader works with a group, and relies on other input. But ultimately, he calls the shots. Even when there is a "board". Unless of course the board decides they are the leader.

But is that leadership? The world attempts to define leadership, writes books, and has seminars. So does the church. I heard the phrase "Everyone here is a leader". LOL.

I thought about a sports team. The roles of leadership and authority are very different more often than not. But the objective is clear, to work as a unit, and to win. A team captain is a leader, and fulfills a role as an example. The coach has authority. The team owner has ultimate authority, but may not lead at all.

In the military, authority is couple with leadership at every opportunity, but it is not always connected. People make decisions, and they are followed regardless. Their authority defines their leadership, not vice versa.

In business, we see a purer form of the 2 blended, because most of the time the visionary and hard worker gets rewarded with more authority. However this typically has a ceiling, because the more visionary a person is, the less capable they tend to be exercising authority so in reality these people have limited forms.

In Christ, we see both authority and leadership. But look at how they are exercised. God has ultimate authority, and yet it was all diverted to serve and save in Christ.

The other real simple idea is leading implies being followed. Are you really leading if no one is following? You might have lots of ideas, ones that are even legitimate, but if no one is following, you aren't leading. And that's not a big deal.

I guess what I am really struggling with is the disparity between the 2, and the reality that they are necessarily supposed to go together. Im not so sure they do. And the real issue for me is the distinction between:

1. Leading from Vision and Example (and then subsequently being followed)
2. Leading form Authority and Position
3. Exercising Authority regardless.

I have seen mixtures of all these. I think God has shown me that leading is really "exampling". It is heading out and doing something, and then people see that and can emulate it if they want. Telling them to do something, or worse yet demanding or forcing them is RULING not LEADING. Tending a flock looks a lot more like caring, defending, protecting (i.e. serving), and it has a lot less to do with directing and commanding. Sheep are natural followers. They will follow something bad as much as something good. They will follow each other over a cliff.

And this is really important. If you think you are a leader, I would ask you; Are you being followed, or are you exercising positional authority? If you are being followed, is it from your example, or your authority/influence?

Jesus NEVER demanded, He invited. And He NEVER said a directive unless He was asked, or He was confronting religiosity. And when He was followed because of influence (signs and wonders, filling peoples stomachs etc...) He derailed it proactive. And when He exercised authority, it was for one purpose, to fulfill His main work of setting people free, not to gather people, entice them to do something, or develop or perpetuate anything.

And why do those of us who chose freely, want to follow Him and be like Him? Sure we are commanded to (it is a requirement IF you chose to be saved by Him to indentify with Him), but in reality once we experience Him, once we hear Him, we want to be with Him, and to be like Him. We are carried along by Love, not demand. We are lovers, not servants.

This is all choppy and hard to communicate. But I think it is time to confront this in ourselves, and in each other.