25 May Understanding the Role and Need for Leadership
Many believe that leadership has to do with being at the top of an organization.
This is not true.
Leadership has to start with a simple desire to make life a little better for someone else. It is the ability to influence others for their good and the good of the society at large. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Many problems in the world today are opportunities for leaders to step in and make a difference. Sadly there are not many leaders prepared for the challenges we face.
You do not need a title to operate leadership principles. Everyone’s level of leadership will impact the level of success they can enjoy in their lives. Leadership principles are life transforming principles that will enhance your life and the lives of people around you. Everyone needs to be developing in areas like time management, goal setting, and cultivating work ethics that not only work hard but work at the right things. This will enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The personal development industry is full of good stuff that can help us set goals and stay motivated to achieve them. Mark Sunburn’s book titled ‘You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader’ is a good one along these lines. In it Sunburn lists out 6 principles of leadership:
The Principles Are As Follows:
- The Power of Self-Mastery,
- The Power of Focus,
- Power with People,
- The Power of Persuasive Communication
5. The Power of Execution, - The Power of Giving.
You cannot lead others if you do not master yourself by keeping the promises you make to yourself and exercising the necessary discipline over your words thoughts and actions. You don’t give what you do not have. To lead is to start by leading yourself to do what you know is right. The more you expose your mind to developmental principles and apply yourself to practise; you will begin to take your life to new levels of fulfilment and achievements. Your life will be focussed and you will have something to pass unto others as you learn to communicate and develop others for their good.
Servant leadership will be very fulfilling as you learn to maximise the impact your life is making in the lives of those around you. “Serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord not men” (Ephesians 6:7). You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.
Some problems and pitfalls in falls in leadership
The foremost problem in any developmental process is the problem of Pride. It is the downfall of many. It acts as a blind spot in many lives. Insecurity, inferiority complexes or superiority complexes are all effects of pride in people’s lives.
Not recognising other people’s roles and Potentials: Others were designed by God to contribute into your life as well as those that receive from you. When you do not recognise their role in your life you short change yourself. Presumptuousness: When we do not think through on issues either through laziness or carelessness we tend to become presumptuous. Many people fall into this pitfall when they stop listening to constructive criticisms and continue to develop themselves. Life is meant to be lived by keeping our perspectives right, our relationship with God and people healthy and keeping our feet on the ground.
Maximise Your Leadership Potential
Leadership is your God given ability to influence other people for their good. Maximising it starts by recognising that you have it; then you can guard and protect your potentials. The potency of God in you is His wisdom, presence and power in you. How you steward these and make them available to bless others as God helps you is the key to maximising your potentials. Guard this treasure in you from critics and all who may want to make light of your potentials in leadership.
Cultivate and feed your potentials by feeding on good literature that can build leadership principles firmly in you.
Be one who acts on what they learn. Through your lifestyle cultivate an environment that is conducive for your growth. Stay in the place of intimacy with God and live by faith as you seek to be a blessing to others. Seek to serve others with what God has given you.
To maximise you must read, study and have clear goals and objectives that will challenge every potential in you. Through your words and actions based on God’s Word, create an environment conducive for healthy growth. Give yourself to the challenges you face and decide to be a winner not a loser, a victor and not a victim of your circumstances. Your decision and power of choice is your key to turning things around in your life. Christ did not die to give God more failures as children so whatever you are facing in life, with the help of God, stay positive and be victorious.
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