Perhaps the title of the post is really an answer to the question, “Why do we lead?”

A number of answers could be given to the question, and we must all examine the answers that one might give. Here are a few possibilities:

There are those who lead for the power. They simply want authority over others to direct and guide their movement.

Some lead out of a crisis. When crisis strikes, individuals are often forced into a position of leadership.

Others lead because no one else will. Sadly, when good and godly leaders do not rise up, others will lead, but it is not always in the right direction.

Still, there are those who lead for the joy of it. They recognize the need, strive to develop godly and Christlike character, and desire to see souls led to Christ. When we combine these three spiritual thoughts, great blessings will follows.

Even Paul referred to those who led with the wrong motives. The challenge for us is to examine why we lead, and learn to lead for the joy of an eternal outcome that is worth the effort.

How many times have leaders been in a position that no matter what decision was made they were condemned? We call this: Catch 22 Leadership.

The result leaves leaders feeling as if they are being shot at from both sides, in front and from behind.

Leaders must be decisive, and they will always have to face attacks from the enemy in front them. However, they should not have to deal with attacks from followers behind them.

Herein lies the challenge of leadership. These situations have caused many spiritual and godly leaders to step down from serving. Sadly, it has also prevented many leaders of the same character from ever stepping up to serve. What can be done to change the direction of this situation?

Pray with and for these leaders.

Always speak well of leadership to others.

Make it a habit to build them up publicly.

When a problem arises, speak to leaders privately.

Encourage those who are godly to lead.

Begin preparing future leaders among the young now!

Good leadership does not happen by accident. We must work to direct the future today.

This common phrase changes everything about how a situation, project, plan, or goal is approached.

When an individual has “skin in the game” there is a level of commitment that moves one to greater action in achieving the desired result.

Skin in the game might involve money, time, ability, or even life itself. When a leader knows they must be invested, their commitment increases because failing to accomplish the goal will cost them something.

Leadership in the Bible seems to follow this line of thinking. David understood the need for skin in the game as he offered sacrifice to God in 2 Samuel 24:24. He would not offer anything to God that did not cost him something.

The beauty of this thought is that if leaders will invest some skin in the game, they will find followers willing to do the same.

Leaders will also find it is a little more difficult to just simply walk away from their charge when they are invested.

Leadership will cost us something. What we must recognize is that with God, it is worth the investment.

A principle indicates a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.

Perhaps a more relevant application, or simplified approach, involves a rule or belief governing one’s personal behavior.

As leaders, several questions are important to consider regarding this thought.

1) Why should we have principles to govern behavior?

2) What rule or belief governs our personal behavior?

3) Do we have a rule or belief in place for this purpose?

4) Are these rules or beliefs based on humanistic or biblical foundations?

5) Will others see consistency between our principles and behavior?

A life lived by biblical principles will always influence others. Principles that are consistently lived will also directly relate to the integrity needed for powerful leadership.

When leaders answer these questions in relationship to principles and behavior, the steps to harmonize them will develop a leadership worth following.

Endurance is never needed when life is good. We need endurance during the times when life does not deliver up to our expectations.

During those difficult times, we experience a range of emotions and thoughts. The initial mindset moves us to consider how we can abandon ship. We begin to think that if we could just quit, somehow everything would return to normal or get better. However, you and I both know it does not work that way.

Although the author is unknown, an interesting thought was expressed in the following statement, “The past is where you learned the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson. Don’t give up in the middle!”

The idea is really simple: endure. When leadership experiences those moments of trial and difficulty, hang on and do not give up. Think about the adage, “If God brings us to it, He will see us through it.”

Never lose sight of that middle section. In the future, we will apply the lessons learned in the past, but between the past and future is where we need to endure.

Optimism projects hope and confidence about the future or successful outcome of a specific area.

The contrast between leaders who are optimistic and those who are not seems to be associated with age and experience. As leaders age and encounter negative experiences in life, it can hinder optimistic leadership.

The challenge is how to overcome the pessimistic tendencies and keep hope and confidence alive. Among the many possibilities, here are a few suggestions:

1) Remember, “everyone” is not against us.

2) Stop trying to live in or change the past, because we cannot.

3) Be surrounded by optimistic people who cast a vision of hope.

4) Be realistic about personal expectations.

5) Learn to accept who we are as a person.

6) Express gratitude for what we have physically and spiritually.

7) Reflect more often on the positive areas of life.

The internet is loaded with ways to develop a more optimistic focus in life. As leaders, it is worth the time we take to share optimism with those who follow.

Try it and see how contagious it becomes.

Substance is a particular kind of matter with uniform properties. However, having a technical definition does not adequately describe the power behind this word in relationship to leaders.

Substance also involves a quality of being important, valid, or significant. Simply stated, substance is the stuff that makes up leadership.

What is the substance that makes up the character of our leadership? Integrity? Work ethic? Core values?

Is there something significant that stands out giving credibility to leadership substance?

Can others see the substance of our leadership?

Only you and I can answer these questions for ourselves. The substance of spiritual leadership must not be ego-centric, but people-centric. The quality that validates the importance of leadership is not built upon “I,” but “you.” The substance of great leadership uses “we.”

When our leadership is evaluated, we need to take advantage of the opportunity to ask ourselves hard questions to determine the substance of our leadership. This is where the true character of leadership is found.

As important and needed as leadership is today, it is worth our time to focus on the substance.

The midway point is always a point of evaluation. As we near the midway point, we need to reflect on the goals established for 2017 and determine where we are in reaching those goals.

This period of evaluation provides a critical step in our approach to the remainder of the year.

Now is the time to make necessary corrections, adjusting either our plans or goals. At least three areas require consideration.

One, do we have the necessary resources to complete our goals for the year? If we are not half-way toward our goals, then it is possible we need additional resources.

Two, are the right people in the right positions to implement our plans? At times, we need to determine if the right people are in the right positions. If not, we may need to make changes.

Three, have we communicated appropriately the vision and essential steps to achieve it? Communication cannot be overstated. Unless everyone understands the vision and the steps needed to reach it, any attempt to reach our goals is hindered.

Let’s make sure we do not miss the opportunity to evaluate accordingly.

To this point, we have considered three questions that all great leaders ask. There is a fourth question these leaders ask that is also significant to consider: “What might be missing?”

Mike Maddock, who writes for Forbes online, claims “great leaders are open to the fact (and it is a fact) that they are missing something.”

We do not have the space to list all the possible answers to this question. It should be noted that what is missing can range from the most simple of ideas to the most complex of leadership teams.

The value of asking this question, and for leaders to impress upon others the need to answer this question, demonstrates the kind of humility great leaders need in their leadership.

When humility is part of the leadership equation, along with an openness to the possibilities, then followers will provide answers.

A sense of creativity, innovation, and motivation will exist to provide a stronger morale in achieving short and long term goals.

We cannot underestimate the power of humility seen in God’s leaders.

Is this urgent or essential? What should we stop doing? These two questions provide the foundation for the questions that great leaders ask.

The third question Mike Maddock contributes in this Forbes article is another step in leadership development: “What makes you feel strongest?”

There is no doubt when it comes to great leaders needing to understand their strengths and weaknesses. They know the areas where they are weak and how to find the individuals who have strengths to complement those areas.

By doing so, great leaders continue to focus on their strengths. Numerous sources claim that leaders should focus 80% of their time in areas of their strengths and only 20% in areas of weakness.

While this may sound opposite to what we consider the right approach, great leaders tend to prove the theory.

Focusing on the areas of passion and strength makes a good leader great, and makes a great leader outstanding.

The challenge for us is taking the time to ask the right questions and make sure we provide the answers to deliver what is needed to reach our greatest potential.