It was not uncommon when my children were younger to tell them “I’m from Missouri.” The statement was usually a follow up to some outlandish, if not impossible, feat they had heard about at school. The kids quickly learned Missouri is the “Show-Me” state and dad was basically saying, “you have to show me.” I wanted proof.

What about our leadership? Can we prove it? The question implies a measure of evidence. The claim of being a leader does not make one a leader. People who follow someone out of compulsion, does not make the one they follow a leader. A title does not make one a leader.

What evidence proves our leadership? Are people willing to follow? An old adage claims: “if you think you are leading and no one is following, then you are just taking a walk.”

The proof of our leadership is also determined by how we answer the following questions.

Do we demonstrate love for those who follow, seeking their highest good?

Are our goals driven by spiritual or selfish desires?

What determines our decisions?

Examining the proof of our leadership determines how we lead.