Leadership doesn't happen by accident -- it takes deliberate, thoughtful commitment
Leadership doesn't happen by accident. It takes deliberate, thoughtful commitment day after day to become the kind of leader worth following. And yet, so many people I've come across over the years have not been very purposeful in their choices. They simply stumble through life, making decisions on the fly and hoping for the best. The question is, how can we expect people to follow us if we don't even know where we're going?
Being a purposeful leader has both a micro and a macro component. First, it is important to be intentional about everyday tasks. Do you perform your daily activities merely as a response to issues as they arise? Or, are you more proactive in your approach? Do you work methodically from a list to accomplish tasks that move you forward in the direction you want to go? Secondly, a purposeful leader is more intentional about the larger, strategic vision of the organization. Do you just allow your mission to be whatever it turns out to be, or are you deliberate in explicitly stating your mission and moving your organization toward accomplishing it?
"If the blind lead the blind," says Jesus, "both will fall into a pit." Are you leading your people blindly? Or, do you know exactly where you're going and how you plan on getting there? You may not have all the details worked out but, if you really want to be the kind of leader your people deserve, you'll be pushing yourself in that direction. True leadership happens on purpose.
