THREE things in your life tell people LISTEN or DON'T LISTEN
Before you speak, there are three things in your life that tell people whether they should listen to what you have to say or disregard you entirely:
Your walk with God;
Your marriage;
Your children.
If your walk with God is a struggle, or you are in rebellion...
If your marriage is poor and you and your spouse do not get along...
If your children have rebelled against your teachings and do not follow the Lord...
Then people will sense the disconnect between what you are saying with your mouth and what your life is saying, and not pay attention.
Leaders will argue that their walk with God, their marriage and their children are all in their private life and are not anybody's business. But that is never true. People know what is happening in those three areas by watching you, your reactions, your body language, your spouse and his/her reactions to you, your children's lives and your children's reactions to you. By looking at those things, they already know...
These 4 things can PREVENT you from being a GREAT LEADER
Often, because of the noise and confusion of life, we miss the 4 issues that can derail our leadership and ability to communicate.
These 4 things are difficult for us to see in ourselves. In fact, if you really want to know if you have them, you need to have the courage to ask those closest to you whether they see any of these 4 in you.
I know that I struggled when I heard that several of these were in my life. It was frustrating. I wanted to think I was better. But that thinking only delayed my dealing with the issues and prevented me from being the man God called me to be.
Don't make the mistake I made. Write these 4 issues down. Take them to your spouse or a best friend and ask them to be honest with you. If they say one or more of these are in your life, then tell them and the Lord you want to change. Ask them to hold you accountable, every time they see one of these beginning to show up. Then determine...
Be the visionary! Refuse to be average!
Be the visionary! Refuse to be average! People need you to go to the edge of the cliff, then call them out to see what an incredible life they could have if they would take the risk.
A visionary does not see things the way they were. Anyone can do that. A visionary does not see things as they could be. That is an encourager. Some people will say that a visionary sees things as they could be. Not so. A visionary see things as they ARE. They believe so strongly in what they know, that their vision propels people to be far more than they ever dreamed they could be.
Is a visionary a wishful thinker? Hardly. A visionary sees the future differently than others do for three primary reasons:
1. A visionary KNOWS who God is, how magnificent He is and what He can do through anyone.
2. A visionary KNOWS the potential of each person with whom he/she speaks is far greater than what they have yet lived up...
Tough times can ruin your team - How do you get them back on track?
Tough times can ruin the focus of your team. As a leader, if you don't do something, not only can your people become fractured, but the project, the service, all that you have been working for is in jeopardy.
How do you get your team back on track, despite the circumstances?
It is YOUR responsibility. IT starts with prayer. Asking God for His guidance and wisdom.
Next, it requires patience to hear the concerns of you team members. YOU may not be disturbed, but they are, and they need to know that you have heard them and understand their fears, concerns and worries.
Last, you must offer perspective. You MAY BE as worried as they are, but from your time of prayer, and your focus on the Savior, you must step out of yourself and offer perspective that carries with it the truth of God's Word, the truth of the greatness of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Easy? Never. Essential? Absolutely. Does it work? Yes....
Effective Leadership or Team Dissension
Effective leadership = vision, passion, direction.
Under this type of leadership teams thrive. BUT what happens when there is a void, another leader doesn't perform, or leaves? Typically, someone who is not supposed to lead, or does not have the skills to lead, tries to step into leadership. Dissension arises. And if something is not done quickly, chaos spreads.
To stabilize your team, you must act fast. To keep peace and momentum, you either have to place the person who you have been training into that leadership position, or, if you have trained no one, then you must assume temporary leadership yourself.
When you do, peace will again reign, direction will be pursued and effectiveness will be maintained.
Blessings,
Vance
Dr. Vance Hardisty
