Tag: Leadership
Happy 4th of July!!
A Matter of Learning
We learn by observation, teaching, personal study, and experience.
We learn from teachers with academic credentials and others who simply have experience.
Learning is not the issue. We learn something everyday. We cannot help it and we cannot resist it. Everything we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, smell with our nose, and feel with our hands creates a learning situation.
However, the importance of what we learn really makes the difference.
Learning matters that are spiritual in nature provides a foundation for lasting leadership. When considering the importance of learning, remember it is what we learn that carries the greatest importance.
Lead Like Jesus
Often, the way we dress, where we live, the car we drive, the way we walk and talk is based on imitating someone else.
Leaders are not followed because they are like someone else, but because they know how to find their own voice. They are unique, a pioneer in their own rights.
Isn’t this what we seek from our leadership?
From a biblical perspective, we are to imitate Jesus. His leadership style set a precedent that revolutionized His era.
It is not popular in the world, but when leaders practice this same leadership style, a revolution will also occur today.
Leading in Two Worlds
A leader must be a student. Obviously, there are many areas to study. From a spiritual leadership perspective, we live in two worlds.
We must know the world we live in physically. We need to know the challenges people face who live in this world. We need to know the struggles and trials encountered.
We must also know the world we live for spiritually. Because we have never been there, it can be difficult. We must rely on the information provided in God’s word. Therefore, we must be a student of His word.
All we say and do now is building a foundation for a world to come.
Flourishing Leaders
Leaders must provide the kind of favorable environment that allows others to grow in a healthy and vigorous way, to flourish. How?
1) Encourage creativity. Enforcing a one size fits all or the cookie-cutter approach to development stifles the minds of those who have much to offer if allowed.
2) Allow others to spread their wings and try. Mistakes may be made and there will be accountability, but we might be surprised at what flourishes when an opportunity is given.
More could be said, but you get the idea. Leaders need to flourish and promote the same in others.
Leading Through Frustration
We all experience frustration. At times it is greater than other times. It is safe to assume that all of us desire to limit frustration to a minimum.
How we do so is the challenge. Here are a few suggestions:
1) Praying for help is not just a cliché.
2) Learn to accept frustration as part of life.
3) Realize that no one else thinks and acts as we do.
4) Talk with mentors we can vent to and seek counsel in our frustrations.
5) Learn from our frustrations.
These are five beginning points, but they will help minimize the frustrations of life.
Problems and Solutions
All leaders will face problems. How we deal with problems makes the difference.
I commonly hear people speak of moving from one fire (problem) to another. When one fire is out, they are racing to the next.
What will help with these problems before they become emergencies?
Address problems when they arise. Problems do not resolve themselves.
Rely on wise counsel. Solomon teaches the value of wise counsel.
Learn to delegate. Get others involved in problem resolution.
Our task as spiritual leaders is to provide a solution from God’s word. Here, and only here, can real solutions be found.
The Rearview Mirror
The review mirror serves several purposes. We can determine if an emergency vehicle is behind us and we need to move over. We can see if someone is coming up quickly and we need to adjust our course. We may even see law enforcement coming to correct our negligence in observing the speed laws.
Figuratively, the rearview mirror allows us to look over the last day, week, month, or year, and reflect. We can determine if goals were met, and make adjustments. We can examine what has worked, what has not, and make course corrections.
A look in the rearview mirror can be beneficial.
What Do We See?
How many opportunities were missed because we could not see the possibilities? Do we fail to see the possibilities because we are wearing spiritual blinders?
God told Abraham to lift up his eyes and look in every direction.
Jesus told the apostles to lift up their eyes and look on the fields.
What do we see when we look at our family, friends, coworkers, people in our community, or brothers and sisters next to us in worship?
It is time for us to lift up our eyes and look. The door is open. What will we see when we look through it? What will we do?