TIME-TRAVEL LEADERSHIP

You are the salt of the earth . . . (Matthew 5:13).  You are the light of the world . . . (Matthew 5:14).

Among counselors there is a saying: 'Things work out as they should.'  In other words, when all things are considered, it is not surprising that one is in the mess that he is in.  However, a good leader can change a future that otherwise would have been a failure into a success and can also help to redeem a negative past into a positive present. Is that time-travel or what?


Leadership is about influence.  Though there are various styles of leadership, there is no leadership if there is no positive influence.  At some time in each person's life there will be an opportunity to lead as a peer, a parent, a Sunday school teacher, a coach, and so on.  Through their positive influence many of these leaders have inspired others to reframe or discard a negative past and change on otherwise certain future into something good.

Leadership begins with the kind of person one is.  Some leaders are all about themselves, leading for the purpose of personal prestige, power and fortune.  A real leader can create and maintain trust because he is a person of integrity, not just speaking the truth, but doing the truth and keeping his word.  Politicians do not rank very high on the trust scale because so many of them are in it for themselves, using the power of government for their own purposes, taxing and legislating restrictions on the "little people" while they, themselves, do not live by their own rules. 

Leadership is intentional.  What I mean by that is that good leaders have intentionally taken the time to learn leadership skills.  They know that leadership is not bossiness, but rather, inspires others.  They know that leadership is having a vision and can communicate that vision in such a way that others will follow.  Though some seem to be born with the ability to take charge, that ability by itself will build resentment unless one also knows his or her people, how to network and build alliances.  Power alone does not make a leader; wisdom does.

Your time for leadership will come!  What kind of leader will you be?

Grace&Peace,
Tom