What or who determines failure? Why is failure seen as negative in our society? How can leaders deal with failure, learn and benefit in ways to improve their leadership?

The first step is to recognize failure is inevitable. No matter who you are or where you are, failure takes place.

Second, acknowledge and take responsibility. Do not ignore, deny, or cast blame when failure occurs. John Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

Third, failure is not fatal. Winston Churchill is credited with saying, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Fourth, do not hesitate to act. Hesitation comes with a high price. Waiting to act creates a perception of apathy.

Fifth, take appropriate steps to learn from failure. Study the strengths and weaknesses of the present circumstances. Determine and implement the changes needed to overcome the circumstances and prevent the same mistakes.

Making the necessary adjustments to move beyond the circumstances will help build confidence in others toward leadership. Work to build a series of successful events or programs to reassure the strength of the leadership.

The lost parts of leadership include a number of areas related to character, style, and activity. As we continue this week to look at another component in this series, we find the need to restore genuine joy.

The stress of leadership usually saps the joy right out of most decision making. The challenges facing leaders become foundational reasons why many choose not to lead.

Where is the joy that needs to exist among leaders?

As long as the negative side of leadership prevails, attracting good leaders with the qualifications and abilities to do the job right becomes increasingly difficult.

Additionally, as long as leaders spend their time dealing with problems of conflict resolution, personality differences, and resource management, then the emotional depletion levels will exceed the ability and desire to continue.

There is a joy in leading and there are positive areas to support the future development and growth of any organization. When leadership receives encouragement to create, innovate, initiate, and motivate, the possibilities are endless for success.

The combination of a vision, goals, and plans, coupled with the authority to lead excites joy in leading.

Two simple letters, but they are rarely used by leaders from a spiritual perspective. We struggle with learning to say “no” to people.

The result tends to leave leaders overloaded, panic stricken, stressed out, and at times, burned out.

There is probably an unending list of reasons why leaders refuse to use these two significant letters, but here are few that must be overcome.

1) Pride: the issue here is the mindset that no one else has the ability to do the job as good as “I” can do it. Therefore, the job gets placed on a stack of “to-do” items that becomes an abyss of work.

2) Selfish: when leaders become so inwardly focused and only see their own agenda or desires, saying yes creates an appearance of being busier than they really are and pads their ego.

3) Apathy: once a leader reaches a point where they are no longer concerned about others, they might as well say yes because it does not matter whether they get to it or not.

There are obviously more reasons, but these are critical to address if we intend to succeed in leadership.

Messages communicated by leaders can often leave people wondering where on earth are they coming from or where are they headed?

The convoluted approach to accomplishing hidden agendas rarely achieves what was originally intended. We are living in a time that needs clarity.

Providing clarity, however, begins with knowing where we are coming from on a personal level.

This means three important components need to be in place.

One, leaders need a clear understanding of the past, present, and future. In other words, how did we get here, where are we now, and what direction are we headed?

Two, leaders must prepare a strong defense as to why they are communicating this specific message at this specific time.

Three, plan the details of how the destination is to be reached and place it before others all along the way just to make sure no one forgets.

The majority does not really know where leaders are coming from and the primary reason is because leaders often fail to communicate that information clearly.

It is time to make corrections and get everyone on the same page.

“Far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person.” Gloria Steinem

Truth, no matter where it comes from, is still truth. This is certainly the case regarding today’s thought. How many times has it been said or implied in relationship to a spouse, political leader, preacher, friend, and the list goes on? If only we could find the right person.

If we are not careful, we can spend all our time searching for the right person, when all we are really capable of doing is to focus on being the right person.

The greatest leadership in the world today is born out of individuals who lead from “being,” rather than simply “doing.” People may know all the right actions to perform, but if it does not originate from the inner being, eventually their influence will crumble.

Our life needs to be spent with a focus on being the right person and allow that pursuit to direct every attitude, decision, action, and word.

When it does, we will discover the “right” people will find us.

Italian TV dinner, Fazoli’s, Macaroni Grill, Massimino’s Cucina Italiana: there is a difference.

Arapahoe Community College, _________________ State University, Harvard, Oxford: there is a difference.

Church on the Move, Church of Body Modification, Foothills Bible Church, Crossroads church of Denver, Church of Christ: there is a difference.

Regardless of where we eat, receive our education, or worship, we all know there is a difference.

The same is true in leadership. We see it on every front politically, corporately, educationally, and spiritually. There is a difference.

When it comes to spiritual leadership, are we really making the difference? Has the mindset of complacency been allowed to hinder our leadership? Are we victims of an apathetic world and allowing indifference to control the direction of our leadership?

Just as there is a difference in all of the areas above, there is a difference we can make if we choose to do so. Let us provide the leadership needed today for a better tomorrow and eternity because, in the end, it makes all the difference in the world.

Continuing to walk the path of investigation concerning the lost part of leadership takes us into areas relating to the core of any leadership: balance.

Balance is almost a forgotten term by many in our world today. A sense of balance is not about walking a fine line, tight rope, or “balance” beam without falling to one side or the other, even though there are figurative similarities.

The cultural challenges with balance are weighed in the extremism of our society. A quick glance through Facebook posts or any social media outlet reveals the incredible extremes that exist.

Worse still is the fact that extremism has been carried over into the church. The thought of balance may be mentioned, but rarely is it applied.

The terms, or perhaps titles, we tend to ascribe to one another range from the “left” to the “right,” from “anti” to “liberal.” We most often use the term “conservative” in reference to those who agree with us. Here is where we tend to believe balance exists, but not really.

Until leaders get a solid grasp on the art of balance, unity may be occur.

Briefly, the definition of respite involves a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.

We have discussed numerous times the idea of leadership challenges. The role of leadership has and will never be easy. These challenges or difficulties can come from without and, sadly, from within.

The worst part is difficulties pile up and leaders reach a breaking point, a time where decisions are made that affect the direction of their leading. To say it is critical in these times to see the need for respite, is an understatement of galactic measures.

The type of rest or relief needed in these times is not a weekend get away, although such is helpful along the way. This type of rest or relief involves time away from all responsibilities associated with these difficult or unpleasant situations.

The greatest challenge is recognizing when this period of rest or relief is needed. Identifying those times in our lives can be subjective and may require assistance from others who are close to the situation.

Regardless, it is vital for leaders to identify these times and take respite.

One of the most common phrases used when people cannot come to common terms or agreement is “we will just have to agree to disagree.” What exactly does this accomplish in the realm of spiritual leadership?

If agreeing to disagree allows both expressions to be correct, then we are headed for a train wreck in the religious realm.

Interestingly, we generally agree that the Bible is “the” standard given by God on matters of salvation, worship, church organization, and how to live, but when applying the principles and lessons taught in the Bible, we often wander into the realm of agreeing to disagree.

Imagine the difference in the church today if leaders applied the same principles of interpretation and agreed to work together until unity could be achieved.

Imagine if the pride of self-righteousness were put aside with the intent of seeking to truly listen to God’s word and simply follow it…only.

As long as we hold to the desire to be right or drive our own personal agendas, agreeing to disagree may rule the day, but it will never work in the end with God.

“If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” J. K. Rowling

The study of leadership will always carry powerful principles and a bit of subjectivity when dealing with others. The various styles of leadership continue to find value depending on the setting, situation, individual, and the followers.

When looking for a way to measure the true success of someone’s leadership, Rowling’s thought provides us with at least one way to determine the strength of a leader.

We would all like to think that the conduct of a leader is the same with everyone, but in reality it is just not that way. Often, the treatment of others depends on factors such as agenda, character, purpose, worldview, and more.

Therefore, if we want to determine the type of leader we want to follow, or if we want to become the type of leader others want to follow, then begin with an examination of the way others are treated who might be considered inferiors. Here is where we see the true character of an individual.