“The future is not a place we get to go, it’s a place we get to create.” Nancy Duarte

The direction of this thought takes numerous paths and the majority of them carry significant weight.

At some point in time, we all experience the uncertainty of the future. Perhaps a crystal ball would be nice to have on those occasions, but maybe not.

Considering the future as something we get to create changes everything about how we view the future. We can never know with certainty the unpredictability of events associated with tomorrow, next week, or next year, let alone five and ten years from now. We can, however, establish goals and make plans we get to create as each day unfolds.

Imagine the nature of our approach to leadership when we create a future that others are excited to participate in creating.

Working together enables us to build momentum that strengthens growth and development. When we relate this to the church, the magnitude of what can be paints a picture of the future that others desire to share. Now that is a place worth creating.

Businesses generally offer a raincheck for out-of-stock merchandise that is “on sale.” This process allows customers an opportunity to buy the merchandise at the sale price when restocked.

The benefit of this process builds loyalty between the customer and business.

Loyalty is one of the most vital characteristics of leadership. Leaders must be loyal to those they influence, but how do we build the kind of loyalty needed in leadership?

1. Demonstrate trust: The trust we have in God must be exemplified in our service. We must also learn to trust in others. Perhaps this is why Solomon taught of its importance.

2. Develop consistency and integrity: The decisions we make in leadership must be made on a standard of consistency and integrity. Without them, loyalty will be impossible.

3. Dedicate the heart: Dedication involves the highest level of commitment. We must be dedicated to God, others, and reaching the goal.

These are only three steps of many, but if we use them we can build a solid foundation for loyalty. There is no raincheck when it comes to leadership. Establishing loyalty is priority #1.

We seem to like the idea of rating performance, looks, ability, etc. Generally, we have a scale of 1 to 10. Somewhere in between we are able to communicate to others how well someone is doing based on a scale that reflects our opinion.

Consider the following: Who determines the scale? Does it differ from one person to another? Is there a consistent standard that allows for accurate evaluation?

We know the answers, but when we consider our leadership, how would we rate on a scale of 1 to 10?

Perhaps it would do us well to establish a consistent standard of evaluation to determine our leadership.

Until then, we should realize a couple of factors:

1. People are going to rate our leadership (whether we like it or not).

2. Our rating will be gauged by ability, decisions, relationships, and previous success.

3. We will give an account to God for our leadership.

4. The final measuring device will be God’s word.

Changing our rating is up to us. When we use God’s word, on a scale of 1 to 10, how will our leadership measure up?

The heart of a leader is more than an organ located in the chest cavity responsible for pumping blood throughout the entire body.

The heart is regarded as the center of one’s thoughts and emotions, connected to mood, feelings, courage, as well as, enthusiasm.

Another area, as it relates to the heart, involves the central or innermost part of something. The idea is identified as a vital part or the essence of something.

Building on this understanding, the heart of a leader shapes a completely different picture. Consider the growth of the early church. Leadership was central, a vital part, and the essence of this growth.

Discussions often center on why the church today does not grow the way it did then. There are numerous answers and the validity of these answers is not in question.

However, if we really want the church to grow today, maybe we need to pay attention to the heart of leadership. Perhaps leaders need to take a greater role in fulfilling the God-given task of being the innermost part of the church.

When this happens, we will see a revival to the truth.

The third leadership habit builds on previous posts. Silence and reflection aid leaders in developing the third essential to successful leadership: organized planning.

The choice of these two words is intentional. Several articles speak to the need for leaders to be organized and others address the importance of planning ahead. Few, however, really look at the combination of an organized leader who uses organizational skills to plan ahead.

Peter Economy touches on this idea in an article that highlights 10 Powerful Habits of Highly Effective Leaders.

He identifies the challenges associated with the thought required in planning ahead. Consider what might happen when spiritual leaders think through the possibilities and plan in a way that brings passion alongside of thinking.

As the phrase is commonly used, leading with the head and heart is critical to leverage the habit of organized planning. Leaders who develop the habit of planning ahead with organized methodology can seize opportunities that produce successful and lasting growth.

Developing this habit requires more than a few minutes each day, but a lifetime committed to reflecting on improving organizational skills and using those skills to plan accordingly.

“You can’t have a Million Dollar DREAM with a minimum wage work ethic.” unknown

It is interesting to consider how often we want to achieve great things, but are unwilling to do what is necessary to make those dreams come true.

The same is true in every area, not just the secular.

The reality of how small we think should frighten us. Before we make excuses, shackle ourselves with our own inabilities, or blame someone or something else for our small thinking, maybe we need a reminder of who our God is.

We must not fall prey to the old 60s mentality that “if it is meant to be, it is up to me.” We need to start thinking that it can be because our God is great.

Do we remember the ten spies who brought the bad report and received the consequences for their actions? Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who knew it was God who would make it happen.

This did not eliminate the need for Israel to fight the battles, but God gave the victory. Why would it be any different today?

Only a few people never think about what happens when they let someone else down. Generally, we all have that voice inside that moves us to the core when we think that we might potentially let someone down.

Sadly, the desire to not let someone down leads us to try and please everyone, which is impossible to achieve. Even though we know this truth, we still try to achieve it.

Our challenge is we often spend time and effort to please people. Granted, nothing is harder to face than realizing our decisions, words, or actions let someone down.

How often do we consider how our decisions, words, or actions let God down? Spiritual leadership carries some of the greatest responsibility on earth and we never want to let those we are leading down. Above all, however, we never want to let our God down.

If we focus on Him and pursue His will, we may let someone else down, but our relationship with God remains secure. Putting that relationship on hold to insure we please people comes with great consequences. Let us focus our priorities on Him.

What we learn from children is amazing. Among all the qualities that set children apart is their ability to use their imagination.

They possess the ability to take a stick and a handful of rocks and become the greatest baseball player of all time.

Children can take a few boxes, cushions from the couch, along with a bed sheet and create an outdoor adventure to another land.

Somehow, when we get older our imaginations seem to lose their luster. Remember the movie Hook. Peter Banning (Peter Pan) grows up and, as an adult, he forgets his youthful spirit and imagination.

As leaders, we can get so caught up in the daily grind and routine that we fail to allow our imagination to take us to another level of thinking. We get blinded to how things have always been and often refuse to consider how things can be.

The worst part is the fact that opportunities may only come once and if we do not use a little imagination and get outside the box, we may lose the opportunity God is giving us to grow to heights beyond our imagination.

The phrase is coined often about being “present in the moment.” Not to take away from the significance of that need for every leader, but the idea behind this word takes a variety of directions.

When leaders are present, they exist now, in this very moment.

Spiritual leaders also present themselves to the Lord. The idea is based on an Old Testament reference to sacrifices. When one of God’s people brought their sacrifice, it was presented to the priest as an offering to the Lord, meaning they were surrendering all rights of ownership and any plans for future use.

Consider the idea as it relates to Paul’s instruction to Christians in Romans 12 that we present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice.

When leaders understand what they present to the Lord, the entire perspective changes concerning how they stand before God’s people to lead.

If we could all wrap our minds around the significance of this one practice, the culture of the church would change and our influence in the world would be immeasurable.

May we all present ourselves to the Lord!

Building on the need for silence as a leadership habit, this week we turn to reflection. Out of the depths of silence, we find the power of developing the habit of reflection. Reflection allows leaders to think deeply and carefully about their leadership.

Reflecting on areas of our leadership increases out ability to learn from the past, gain perspective for the present, and adjust for the future.

Every decision deserves careful reflection as to the implications and consequences of making that decision. Reflecting on the consequences of any decision brings a different level of clarity before the decision is made.

At the end of the day, a time of reflection helps give perspective to the work that was done and what was left undone. Reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of our leadership in the interrelationship with others also promotes growth.

Just to accompany our 21 days of silence, end the day with 10 minutes of reflection. Notice how the time of silence takes reflection to another level for decision making and relationship building in our leadership.