Tag: Leadership

Successful Leaders

Leaders do not succeed alone. Although the author is unknown, perhaps one of the most significant thoughts on successful leaders claims, “Successful leadership is your ability to direct and challenge the very best that is in those whom you lead.”

Since leadership depends on followers, it only makes sense to understand the need to draw out the best in others.

Adjustments may be required for leaders to achieve this goal. However, the ability to do so makes the difference between success and failure.

The Right Plan

Planning is vital to achieving goals. The challenge before leaders is developing the right plan.

A few questions that must be answered include:

What goal are we trying to reach?
Why is this goal important to the overall program, or is it?
Who will carry out the plan?
Are adequate resources available for each step? If not, can they be obtained?
When will we evaluate the progress?
How can we achieve maximum involvement?
Once the goal is reached, where do we go from that point?

Answering these questions provides the proper foundation for the right plans.

Creativity

Creativity can be frightening. Creativity brings change, and change makes people uncomfortable. 

While change is Biblical, people do not always understand it. Thus, creativity is stifled.

Can leaders encourage creativity without the fear of change? Yes.

Create a “safe” environment. People need to know it is okay to discuss, and even disagree, where there is no violation of Scripture.

Equip people with the right tools. When the right tools are provided, creativity soars.

Give heed to personal advice. Be cautious when promoting your own ideas. 

Remember, you are trying to help others achieve success. Creativity can make the difference. 

Encourage it!

The Time is Now

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Now is the acceptable time.

It is time…

It is time for leaders to stand up and lead.
It is time to be men and women of God.
It is time to fulfill your role and responsibility in the home.
It is time for Christians to speak up about their faith.

All you have is right now, and it is time. Do not waste what God has given you. Take advantage of the time you are given and begin now!

It is time to make a difference.

Try Again

We’ve all heard, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

The idea is to persevere, never give up.

Regardless of the goal, or task to reach the goal, facing difficulty or defeat can dishearten anyone from running the race with endurance.

If the goal is worth the effort, then we need to persevere.

If we have the needed resources to succeed, then try again.

If there is an opportunity, then keep working at it.

When we think we have reached the end of the line, perhaps giving it one more try will change it all.

Important or Urgent?

In spiritual leadership, matters of importance are usually set aside for what appears urgent. It is often referred to as the “tyranny of the urgent.”

These matters become a distraction, often in the form of emails, texts, phone calls, PMs, and more.

We place immediacy, a sense of urgency, prioritizing these less important matters when, in reality, they are not important.

When we examine our spiritual leadership, what is important or urgent? What requires our immediate attention and action? Do these matters distract or aid us in what is most important?

We need to take what is truly important and make it urgent!

Seeing the Unseen

This statement deals with more than just “seeing” God. What exactly is involved? Consider a little background.

We must consider where we have been. Consider the past year. What mistakes were made? What successes were enjoyed? Was God part of the equation?

We must also consider where we are right now. Are we where we need to be at this time? Will this place provide a basis for where we need to go? Is God part of the equation?

Now we can formulate plans on where to go from here. Seeing God’s part in our past and present allows us to see His hand in our future.

If God is not part of the equation, we do not have a clear vision!

Leadership Greatness

Leadership is often viewed as influencing and instilling greatness in others. However, true leadership brings out the greatness already inside of them?

John Buchan said, “The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.”

Consider how we can achieve this:

Believe people have greatness within. 
Arrange opportunities to be responsible and accountable.
Allow them to fail.
Provide support when they do.
Create a team atmosphere.

These are just five suggestions, but when applied, they highlight leadership greatness.

Appreciation

When businesses host a “Customer Appreciation Day,” they offer special pricing to express their gratitude to customers.

Appreciation is best summed up in the depth of our gratitude. Cicero claimed, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” (Cicero, ‘Pro Plancio,’ 54 B.C.)

When was the last time you expressed gratitude?
What actions or qualities move you to be thankful?
How often do you express your gratitude?
Have you considered why you are thankful?

Express your gratitude for the physical and spiritual ways God has blessed your life. To Him be the glory.

Approachable

We all know that feeling of timidity when approaching someone in leadership. Leaders, however, must be approachable, but how?

Here are a few tips:

Close the laptop. Any time someone stops by, even for a few minutes, we need to close the lid on the laptop and give 100% of our attention.

Make good eye contact. Looking others in the eye demonstrates interest and engagement. If we constantly look down or seem distracted we communicate the opposite.

Watch the body language. We communicate a great deal through nonverbal language. Body language expresses that we are either approachable or unapproachable.

When leaders are approachable, we learn how to lead better.