Tag: Colin Powell

Making Choices

One of the most frustrating challenges in relationships is reflected in a statement by Colin Powell, “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”

When leaders make choices for others, the potential of resentment exists.

When leaders make choices for others, a certain expectation can be created.

Making choices for others can also lead to an unhealthy dependency.

Leading is about relationships and leading others involves helping them make the right choices, not making those choices for them.

Leadership has the potential of influencing others for a greater purpose. Let us always lead with the desire to help others see the choice of Jesus.

Choices in Leadership

Colin Powell once said, “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”

It would be easy to make choices for someone else. After all, a leader is supposed to have the answers, right?

However, if leaders made decisions for others, wouldn’t others be positioned to make choices for them?

When we make choices for others there is always a possibility of resentment, and certain expectations are often created.

Making choices for others can also lead to an unhealthy dependency.

Leadership involves helping others make the right choices, not making choices for them.

A Choice of Leadership…

Colin Powell once said, “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”

When leaders make choices for others, it can lead to resentment. An increase in certain expectations develops when leaders make decisions for others. Making choices for others also leads to an unhealthy dependency.

Leading is about relationships and leading others involves helping them make the right choices, not making choices for them.

Leadership has the potential of influencing others for a greater purpose. Let us always lead with the desire to help others see and make the choice of heaven.

Solving Problems…

No one likes problems. We tend to shy away from a place where we must deal with them.

Colin Powell says, “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

The thought of followers reaching a point where they do not bring their problems because they lose confidence or feel we do not care is frightening. Leaders should consider why problems come their way.

Learning how to resolve conflict and solve problems brings credibility to leadership.