Tag: Sunset

Ability vs Character…

John Wooden once said, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

We have all seen people with great ability, college and professional athletes, musicians, and others in the entertainment field. However, ability does not equal character.

Without character, regardless of the ability, it is impossible to have lasting leadership.

Nothing is more significant for spiritual leaders than humility. When spiritual influence is guided by a humble spirit, character naturally follows. When combined with ability, we find the staying power of Christlike leadership.

Positive Leadership…

Is it possible in our culture to avoid negativity? No! We cannot completely avoid negativity. Sadly, we are surrounded by it. We often face so much negativity it becomes difficult to see anything positive.

What can we do to limit negativity’s influence?

Why not begin at God’s throne and seek guidance in overcoming the issue.
A good dose of optimism from friends is another place to help.
Limiting social media is a positive direction.
Commit to saying at least five positive things every day.

These few steps will move us in a positive direction.

Reasonable and Rational…

Insanity – “doing the same things in the same way and expecting different results.”

We often practice a level of insanity when approaching leadership, we do the same things the way we have always done them, yet we expect different results.

Culture has changed. Demographics have changed. We have changed.

We need a little sanity. By definition, sanity speaks to reasonable and rational behavior.

The thought involves making sure we investigate all the facts, consider the pros and cons, and implement change with a reasonable and rational approach for what is best.

Sanity or insanity? That is the question.

Preparation…

Great leadership knows how to address matters of greater importance.

Jesus was masterful at directing one’s focus toward the spiritual. One example involved the disciples’ concern over the destruction of the temple, the sign of His coming, and the end of the age.

Jesus addressed their concerns, but He then took them further into events surrounding judgment.

He wanted them to know something greater than the destruction of the temple was coming, and the reason for teaching this truth was to encourage preparation for that day.

Our leadership is the same. It’s about preparing others for that day.

Leading on the Right Track…

Will Rogers once said, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

Some people are on the wrong track, and whether they sit still or move in the same direction, if it is the wrong track there are consequences.

The implication involves movement and an intentional movement in the right direction.

Sitting still assures destruction, which is not an option.

Even if we are on the right track, immobility creates a negative impact on the morale of others.

Think about how this powerful thought impacts your leadership.

The Heart and Mind of Leadership…

Continuing education is beneficial for personal growth and development. The drive behind the educational process is to dig a little deeper into the storehouse of knowledge to gain a better understanding of the wisdom others have gained.

The challenge is learning how to balance knowledge with application.

The thought of application should move us to dig deeper in order to understand the implications of what we have learned.

The information we gain will increase our ability to lead and help others reach our heavenly home.

The heart of leadership must be connected to the mind of leadership.

Multicultural Leaders…

Denying that we live in a multicultural society does a great disservice to our leadership. It is not about when it happens, it already has.

If we are not knowledgeable about and preparing more fervently to address it, we are way behind.

How should we lead in a multicultural context?

1) Stop procrastinating and gain a better understanding of multiculturalism.
2) Get immersed in developing relationships across those cultural boundaries.
3) Remember, we get to participate in what God continues to do in our world.

The future of our leadership depends on what we do now.

Responsive Leadership…

Spiritual leaders must respond readily and with interest or enthusiasm. Situations may occur where a quick response is inappropriate due to a lack of or the wrong information. However, when leaders are responsive, it builds confidence and morale.

Responsiveness means being well informed (do not hide from what is going on, be knowledgeable), being well read (be a student, read material for growth, leisure, and wisdom), being open to feedback (it is surprising what others see we may not see ourselves), and being patient (new skills in leadership are the result of development, and it takes time).

Compassionate Leaders…

One of the qualities Jesus demonstrated, instrumental in drawing others to Him, was compassion.

Mentioned several times, Jesus was compassionate to both those physically and spiritually in need.

His compassion was more than sympathy about someone else’s distress, it moved Him to act in ways that met the need.

An awareness of pressing needs is an important component, but compassionate leaders seek ways to get involved to help meet those needs.

I pray God will give us all the compassion to be aware of our environment and help meet the needs.

Life-changing Perspective…

Events experienced in life can be categorized as good or bad. It’s all about perspective, and perspectives vary from one individual to another.

Robert Tew said, “It doesn’t matter what happens to you. What matters is, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to complain and shrink or are you going to step into your greatness?”

One choice seems easy enough, complain and shrink. This choice, however, hinders our influence and character development.

Stepping into greatness motivates us to see beyond the present circumstance and consider the power of changing lives, including our own.