Tag: SALT

Moment of Truth

The moment of truth is not measured by what a leader hopes, desires, or thinks might be needed.

The moment of truth is measured by what a leader does, the stand that is taken, and the demonstration of character when it is unpopular with the majority.

The time comes in every person’s life when they must decide how they will act or react to the environment or circumstances before them.

In that moment, the decision they make determines the effectiveness of each leader.

No pleasure, monetary prize, popularity, or status of prestige is worth compromising the truth and the principles of character that stand behind it.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving
May your hearts always be filled with gratitude.

The Right Leader

A study of leadership reveals a plethora of information that presents a daunting task of determining what is right and who is the right leader to follow. God revealed information sufficient for both.

Dedicating ourselves to learning the truths provided by God and studying the example of Jesus will result in a godly leader.

There is no better way to honor and glorify God than by leading with our eyes focused on Jesus and our hearts devoted to following the depths of His word.

When followers have this example in earthly leaders, they will follow the right leader.

Culture

Culture was originally connected to cultivating, or gardening.

Among many technical definitions, basically, culture is the way things are done around here.

Our world is a multi-cultural place, even sporting cultures within cultures: work cultures, educational cultures, religious cultures, age and gender specific cultures, etc.

Leaders can work to understand the culture, but changing the culture is far from easy, if not impossible. The idea has been presented that leaders must create new cultures to draw people into a new way of thinking, believing, or behaving.

Jesus followed this approach to a first century culture, leaving us to consider how we will lead in a twenty-first century culture.

Potential

Potential often describes the possibility of something occurring if the right conditions or circumstances are in place.

Potential also relates to the capacity of someone to become or develop into something in the future.

Three basic areas exist when considering ways to determine potential.

Actions: What has been done over the past five or ten years that lays a foundation for the future?

Abilities:
With training and practice, abilities can change. What exists that can be built upon?

Attitude:
When a positive attitude and determination exists, potential is unlimited.

Potentially speaking, leaders can examine these three areas and set powerful goals for the future.

Choices, Chances, Changes

What kind of change is needed for our leadership to thrive?

Zig Ziglar refers to the 3 C’s of life: “Choices, Chances, Changes. You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change.”

Leadership factors into every area of life. How will we use our influence to help others?

Leading others to reach their potential ceases to exist when protecting ourselves is all that matters.

However, we can choose to take a chance. When this paradigm shift occurs, the focus is on a values-based leadership that invests in what is best for others, developing them to reach their potential.

Practice Makes Perfect

Regardless of the application, the idea is to do something over and over again, until perfect.

Olympic athletes are trained from a young age. Drills, routines, and exercises are perfected through hours of practice every day. Their life is dedicated to one purpose: perform perfectly without yielding to pressure.

Doing, action, application, and preparation are all terms associated with practice. This is no longer about theory, but method. Details are worked out for implementation.

Developing the ability to lead is a work in progress.

We need to be focused, dedicated, diligent, and steadfast to the one purpose we are called to do, and lead others in that cause.

Excellence

Whatever happened to the mindset of excellence, the desire to go above and beyond, to do something well because it is the right thing to do?

The answer is subjective, but still we wonder, “Why?”

Why is it allowed?
Why is it easier to go with the flow?
Why are we comfortable with the status quo?.

It is time leaders set a better example, to live consistent with their expectations of others, and to motivate followers by working beside them instead of lording over them.

Anything worth doing is worth doing right, and anything worth doing right is worthy of excellence.

Bad Things Happen

No one is immune to the negative, discouraging, or “bad” that occurs, even if we chalk it up to perspective.

However, regardless of perspective, the choice we make when these events happen is what makes the difference.

It has been said, “When something bad happens you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you.” Author Unknown

If difficulties define us, we tend to focus on the drudgery of life.
If difficulties destroy us, then life becomes little more than existence.
If difficulties strengthen us, we are better prepared to help others face the same challenges.

Dependence

Spiritual leaders are dependent upon God’s guidance, direction, strength, and provisions. Spiritual leaders are also aware that followers are dependent upon them for the same.

Guidance involves advice and instruction for the conduct and behavior of life.

Direction shows the way, primarily the way to the final destination.

Strength is needed to get up and keep moving toward the goal.

Provisions are given to continue the journey, even when all else seems to fail.

The role is never taken lightly. It is critical to building a solid foundation that supplies the basic components for growth in relationship with God.