Category: Daily Leadership

Confident Character

Confidence is connected to both the words and actions of an individual. Thus, there must also be a strong consistency in one’s character.

The lesson for leaders is nothing new.

For leaders to build the type of relationship with followers where trust exists, their character must be defined by consistency, which lays the foundation for their confidence.

This may be one of the truest approaches to defining integrity for spiritual leaders.

Leaders need to position their words and actions in such a way that their leadership portrays the confidence of someone whose life is consistent.

Truthful

The opposite of truthfulness leads in one direction: deception.

Leaders need to not only be truthful in relationship to followers, they need to be truthful with themselves.

Leaders are challenged to be honest enough with themselves to make the kind of decisions that demonstrate integrity.

Being truthful with the direction we should take may not always align with our initial choice.

Being truthful with those invested in following will not allow us to be self-centered.

Being truthful with God will always lead in paths of righteousness.

Be careful not to allow good intentions to validate pretentious actions. Be truthful with yourself, others, and God in all areas.

Hungering and Thirsting

The various qualities, principles, axioms, and requirements for good leadership all carry a significant weight in leadership development.

In the arena of spiritual leadership, the key is based on one’s hunger and thirst for God.

The idea of hungering and thirsting involves a need, want, craving, an insatiable desire. We understand the idea as it applies to a drink of water when dehydration exists, or food when hungry.

However, do we also understand the application in a spiritual setting?

When a relationship with God is characterized by hungering and thirsting, leaders are strengthening every area of their leadership.

Godly Confidence

Nothing is more powerful than knowing we have the greatest Ally defending us. Paul asks,“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Our challenge is living out the reality of this thought. When we hold to this truth it can change the direction of our leadership.

Leaders need to demonstrate confidence: the type of confidence that is not based on one’s own abilities, but a confidence built upon a relationship with God.

Paul understood there was no need to fear anyone or anything. God will defend us and fight for us. This is how we lead with godly confidence.

Hope in God

In Psalm 42, David appears to question his own despair and why his soul is disturbed within him. The response is one with great application for leaders. “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.”.

Note that our the hope is only found in God. When we place hope in our own abilities, or the abilities of others, disappointment results and we are often let down.

When our hope is placed in possessions, we are left with discouragement when those possessions deteriorate or are stolen.

Therefore, the only source of hope that will never disappoint or discourage us is God.

Prayerful Communication

A key characteristic of spiritual leaders is prayer. The avenue of prayer is significant to leaders for a couple of reasons.

First, leaders understand the need to communicate with the One who is in control of all things. To have an audience with God yields the greatest power in every situation.

Second, understanding how communication works with God also helps leaders understand the need for effective communication with others. In leadership, others need to know their voice is heard.

Communication is a noteworthy subject in every relationship. It applies not only to leaders, but everyone.

When leaders effectively communicate, issues are resolved more quickly and progress results.

Portion

The psalms point out that God is our portion forever. The word translated portion is often translated as reward.

Realizing that God is our strength gives us confidence, but knowing that He is our reward gives us hope.

Spiritual leaders must always portray the confidence of God given strength. However, one of the most powerful components to great leadership is the ability to instill hope in others.

When leadership provides hope, no matter how high the mountain, how low the valley, or the size of the obstacle, people will endure and overcome.

Emotionally Intelligent Leaders

Based on their book Primal Leadership, Learning To Lead With Emotional Intelligence, Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee examine five discoveries needed to make an emotionally intelligent leader.

These discoveries involve the following questions:

Who do you want to be as a leader?
Who are you?
Do you work on developing who you want to be, or what someone else wants you to be?
Are you willing to form new habits of practice?
What emphasis are you placing upon developing relationships?

Developing a new mindset and implementing the necessary changes to grow in our leadership is key to reaching goals. Strong relationships help build confident leadership.

Think BIG

What could happen if leaders knew how to think big? The passion that drives greatness, especially from a spiritual perspective, must be nothing short of global.

Do we think that God will not do something because we are convinced we can’t do it?

The “grasshopper syndrome” of the spies in Numbers 13-14 orchestrates our own defeat. The problem was not how the Israelites appeared in the eyes of the giants that lived in Canaan. The problem was in how they saw themselves––grasshoppers in their own sight.

Leaders must not fall prey to this mindset. There must be a passion that is driven by and for greatness.

Primal

Do leaders think from a primal perspective? Before we drift into the early stages of evolutionary development, primal carries the impetus of something that is essential or foundational.

Nothing could more essential and foundational to eternity than spiritual leadership.

How does the idea of primal apply to the surroundings of leadership?

The idea relates to the beginnings, first things, primary, essential, and foundational elements of all that is connected to life intellectually, physically, emotionally, and physically.

These elements are the building blocks of all leaders and include integrity, honesty, strong work ethic, passion, confidence in God, discipline, and balance.