“As I learned to accept myself, I began to relate to people on a deeper level and saw that everyone comes with their own pains and struggles. I learned to appreciate them for their flaws as much as their strengths, which in turn helped me to accept myself more.” Amyra Mah

The thought today is a fitting capstone to the various posts this week about leadership. The interesting twist is how it relates to the inward benefit that results from an outward recognition of the pains and struggles of others.

We find ourselves understanding that we are in the same position. We have pains and struggles like everyone else. We have the same need.

The beauty of this discovery is the resulting compassion, sympathy, empathy, and patience as we work together to make our way to the goal.

Self-perception benefits leaders with an awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, along with an understanding of how to help others with the same.

When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, he expanded his application for leaders to practice a list of several key areas. One of these areas includes the necessity of “helping the weak.”

A case could be made regarding an application, both physical and spiritual, when considering who he identifies as weak.

By definition, the idea simply refers to someone without strength. How fitting that leaders are to help strengthen those without strength. Leaders carry a responsibility to fulfill the task of strengthening the hands of the weak.

A few questions may need to be considered to determine how this can be achieved.

What is the cause or source of the problem that left them helpless or without strength?

Can a solution best be reached by providing training to overcome the cause?

Are we as leaders willing to make the sacrifices needed to become a source of strength?

There comes a time when leaders must stop talking about the helplessness that exists among those without strength and develop a strategy to provide the strength to overcome.

Jesus is often characterized in the Gospels as compassionate. Compassion means “to suffer together,” and no one understood this better than Jesus.

The University of California, Berkley claims that something special exists when compassion characterizes a leader: a feeling of sympathy aroused by another’s suffering and the motivation to relieve the suffering.

A compassionate leader is a powerful leader. The guiding hand of compassion considers the suffering of someone else and acts accordingly.

When scripture speaks of Jesus as compassionate toward others, He responds in several ways: He prayed for them, healed them, fed them and taught them. The order of these responses presents an interesting example for us to learn as leaders.

Before taking any action, leaders need to pray about the need, physically and spiritually.

The action first speaks to addressing the need, healing or sustenance.

When these needs are met, an opportunity for teaching exists with a listen ear to learn.

Leaders who follow these three guidelines lay a foundation to build a structure that lasts into eternity.

The world of Facebook is contagious and spreads to every age, nation and gender on the planet. Statistics about Facebook can be staggering, but there are lessons for leaders in this avenue of social media.

Be careful about abusing privilege. Time spent perusing posts adds up; a few minutes becomes a few hours quickly. The privilege of checking in to post or read others’ post should not detract from work or family.

Do not forget to live life. Facebook is not the place to air dirty laundry, express discontent, deal with confrontation, or anything like these. Life was not meant to be lived-out on Facebook.

Use Facebook as a tool. Facebook serves as a great tool for encouragement, edification and education. If used properly, leaders can leverage Facebook to make a difference.

Remember our Christian influence. Above all else, we are Christians. The way we express ourselves influences everyone who reads. Sarcasm, humor, teasing, and such like, do not always translate. Using caution before posting is an understatement.

These are only a few, but if practiced provide an opportunity for leaders to have stronger influence.

The answers to a question of this nature are subjective. Challenges, however, are going to be an active part of leading. Therefore, it serves leaders well to understand how to approach these challenges.

Monday’s posts for the next few weeks will look at a few of these challenges and how to address them.

Communication stands as one of the most challenging areas of leadership. Who is responsible for quality communication and how should leaders address this challenge?

Google articles on communication in leadership abound. Forbes has an online article that shares ten secrets about communication in leadership. Two of the secrets are significant:

1) Speak not with a forked tongue: When leaders have a reputation lacking character or based on poor character, people will not trust them. Communication and character go hand in hand in building trust.

2) Speak to groups as individuals: Leaders who establish a personal atmosphere where people feel they are spoken to directly as an individual builds a rapport where a leader is heard.

Please read the article and learn more ways to face the challenge of communicating in leadership.

“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” Franklin P. Jones

As we near the end of the first week in the new year, several thoughts could be shared to help us approach every situation, relationship and decision, but one word encompasses the whole of our leadership for the year ahead: love.

While we often hear that love makes the world go round, this is little more than a nice saying. The thought by Jones only adds to the expression with another nice saying, but the commonality of both statements is the whole of perfection.

Love is the perfect bond of unity.

Love is the greatest among faith, hope and love.

Loving neighbor as self is the fulfillment of the royal law.

Perfect love casts out fear.

Love covers a multitude of sins.

Love is to be demonstrated above all to God, toward friend, spouse, brother and enemy.

There is much more that could be said about love, but suffice it to say; when love is the foundation, formation, and finishing of our words and actions, godly leadership is exemplified.

How well are we keeping our resolutions? Yes, it is only the second day, but surprisingly, many do not make it past the first day. How are we doing?

The focus of this question is more concerned with spiritual matters than physical.

The idea of a resolute heart involves five thoughts for keeping our resolutions throughout the year.

Spiritual leaders must be determined, unwavering in the course that has been decided.

A second thought shows leaders to be purposeful. Nothing is done by accident. This thought indicates exactness to every word and action.

Leaders are adamant. They cannot be persuaded by error or distracted by trivial matters that keep them from focusing on the goal ahead.

Courage is not a quality of a resolute heart, but the decision made by leaders when needed in the moment they must be courageous.

The final thought identifies leaders as unshakable. Leaders can be pulled in many directions. However, the heart of a resolute leader is one that cannot be shaken from its foundation.

Let God’s leaders possess and apply these five thoughts as we move into 2014.

Happy New Year is appropriate for today’s post. The start of a new year is exciting as a freshness of new beginnings exists.

An evaluation of the past year results in resolutions to improve. These areas may include physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual needs.

The first step is recognizing the need to improve. Unless we are able to see the need to improve, the steps that follow have no value. The urgency of the need changes the approach to the next step.

The second step is a resolution to make the improvements. The stronger the resolve, the higher the chance of achieving the improvement. Without the desire to make changes, recognizing the need is only a wish in disguise.

The third step is implementation of the resolution. Many people make resolutions each year and often times throughout the year. However, the difference between those who fail and succeed with their resolutions is a plan to implement the resolution. How will we accomplish the goal?

If leaders in the Lord’s church will approach 2014 with these thoughts in mind, God will make great things happen through us.

Five words are associated with the word of the week: organization, arrangement, design, forethought and groundwork. These components occupy a key role as leaders look at the year ahead.

Forethought: When planning for the future, forethought includes vision, goals, mission, core values, people, and obstacles.

Groundwork: What foundation must be prepared and laid before successive steps? The groundwork needed will be based on the forethought given to the specific nature of planning.

Organization: How is the organization structured for the new year? Are changes needed to achieve the plans for organizational success? An organization cannot outgrow the strength of its leadership.

Arrangement: The arrangement of each component is critical for development. Have the pieces been arranged to logically move from one stage to the next?

Design: The design stage in planning is where the dreams unfold into direction. Does the design provide the proper layout of steps that insure success?

When leaders in the Lord’s kingdom stop to give thought to planning based on these five components, the reality of success occurs at the right time and the right place.

An interesting place exists between one point and the next, a position of assessing what has been and determining what is yet to come.

This place is a deciding junction. Between yesterday and today is where leaders dream about the future, envision the possibilities and plan for ways to achieve greatness in the Lord’s kingdom.

One day remains in 2013.  Another year will be history and a new one begins. We cannot return to change the words or actions of yesterday. We can only look to the year ahead and make the appropriate changes to insure the mistakes of the past are not repeated.

As we consider the best approach to directing the steps of a new year, may we all remember three simple principles.

1) No matter where the road leads, God is with us. This is the beauty of Immanuel.

2) Our influence is worth the price paid to provide an example to emulate.

3) The strength to achieve any task is measured by the desire to succeed.

Time is a valuable commodity, and that moment between yesterday and today is an opportunity to direct the future to make a difference.