Tag: SIBI

Essentials of Leadership…

What is essential is necessary, which moves leadership to a new level.

However, what is essential and what is not?

Character: General Schwarzkopf said, “Leadership is the potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without strategy.”

Passion: Passion involves sacrifice, or what we are willing to give up to achieve the goal.

Vision: Vision is about seeing the unseen, or insight. We might call that faith.

Goals: David Swartz said, “Goals are as essential to success as air is to life.” Goals help us know where we are going. 

These are four essentials to our leadership.

Relationship-Building Conduct…

“Time decides who you meet in life, your heart decides who you want in your life, and your behavior decides who stays in your life.” Unknown

For our purpose in today’s post, let’s focus on the last phrase.

People come and go for many reasons, job transfers, family matters, economic changes, and a host of circumstances.

Have we ever considered the impact of our conduct on those who stay or leave?

Our conduct has the power to create a bond that no distance can separate.

The choice is ours. When our conduct is Christlike, relationships develop a bond that keep people in our lives.

Supporting Leaders…

Support groups are generally associated with some form of recovery. They exist for individuals and their spouses who are recovering from addictions, suffering grief or loss, and various disorders.

Support groups exist to benefit those who use them. A couple of questions should be considered for leadership.

Who makes up the support group for leaders? Wisdom would suggest having other leaders involved in this group would help.

What benefit will they provide? They serve as a reminder that others have and do experience the same challenges.

A support system makes a difference in how we continue to grow and develop our leadership.

The Value of Time…

“Just a second” is usually the catch phrase we use when we are busy and someone requires our attention.

To a child, time is incomprehensible. However, the value of time is priceless.

For adults, we only know and comprehend time, but the value we place on time is usually based on what we earn in the space of time.

Spiritual leaders need to comprehend and place a greater value on time.

A time is coming when time will no longer exist. We really cannot comprehend the idea of eternity, but what we need to understand is that how we use our time now determines our eternity.

Let us make the most of our time.

A Devoted Leader…

The Greek word translated “devoted” carries the idea of “insisting on staying close to someone or something.”

What does that mean for spiritual leaders? It means they will…

…insist on staying close to people. A leader’s devotion to people means they learn their needs and assist them, especially to heaven.

…insist on staying close to the plan. The plan is the map. Leaders must not deviate from the plan, or the goal is unreachable.

…insist on staying close to the Lord. Leaders know the true source of their strength is not in themselves, but the Lord.

A leader’s devotion provides a foundation to great achievement.

Responsible Leadership…

Leadership involves responsibility. The higher one goes in leadership, the greater the responsibility. Others have said, “The greater the responsibility, the fewer the rights.”

We live in a culture where taking responsibility is not always an acceptable practice. We also live in a culture where the common practice is one of blaming others.

The problem is not cultural. This practice has been around since the beginning with Adam and Eve. Leadership must seek responsibility and take responsibility for their actions.

When this kind of integrity exists, when leaders seek and take responsibility for their actions, their influence grows. The result? People will follow!

Life, the Great Teacher…

Life is an amazing teacher. Sadly, these lessons tend to be the hardest and most life changing. An old Cherokee saying claims, “Everything in life comes to you as a teacher. Pay attention. Learn quickly.”

Do we pay attention and learn from what life teaches?

If we only had a method to help us remember from the mistakes so we do not repeat them and use the success we experience to duplicate it. 

Every event, every person, and every second of every day is a classroom that teaches and prepares us for greater leadership. Our job is to pay attention and learn quickly.

The better student we are the more success we experience as leaders.

Childlike Leadership…

The world is a different place when looking through the eyes of a child. Imagine how doing so would help our leadership.

Worry not about tomorrow, it might not come anyway.

It is okay to get angry, but make up quickly and play as if it never happened.

Stop thinking about the clock. The value of time cannot really be measured by it.

Live life with anticipation of what we get to do each day.

Value the security of knowing someone else is in charge. Thank you Father.

We can learn much from children and their approach to life. Jesus said that unless we become like them we cannot enter the kingdom.

A Centered Leader…

What is our center? Who are we at the core?

A spiritually motivated center demonstrates qualities of godliness toward others, rather than simply developing self.

Determining our center is not as easy as it may sound. Learning to be honest about what we seek in life will help us on this journey. Consider these questions.

1) Do we feel inconvenienced by others?
2) Are we motivated by self-preservation? 
3) Are times in prayer and study difficult to work into our schedule? 
4) Where do we find the most pleasure?
5) Are our words and actions self-centered or others-directed?

Honest answers will help us understand our center.

The Walk of a Leader…

Scripture figuratively uses the word “walk” to describe the behavior or conduct of one’s life. 

One of the most powerful descriptions that characterizes the Christian way of life is given by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” 

Leaders must set the example. There is no greater example than a life characterized by continually walking in step with the qualities described in God’s word.

Consider the influence of a leader who lives each day by faith. They walk with God. They put others above themselves. They seek things above, not of this earth.

Leaders, we need to keep on walking.