A Strong Leader’s Foundation
If I ask you whether you would like to be a good leader, then I am sure most of you would quickly answer me yes. The fact that you are reading this article proves so. But what if I ask you why? Why would you like to be a leader? Would I get the same quick response from you? I was asking myself as well, why would I?
Through this article, I would like to invite you to re-think about your motives and to contemplate on the most important quality that makes us a better leader.As I am climbing the leadership ladder, I learn that only one kind of people can really become a good leader. Who are they?
They are secure people.
Our leadership journey starts from this very point. It begins with you and you alone. The question you need to answer is: Are you secure? As a leader, you hold your people’s trusts.
They look up to you and ask for direction. They expect you to bring them into the vision you share. They expect you to make it happen. However, no one could guarantee that you would not face the storm along the way. No one could guarantee that you would not make any mistakes.
I would guarantee the opposites would happen. Are you secure to face this reality?
As you are leaving the safe harbor and entering the open sea, that you see nothing but a vast see, are you secure? Are you secure when your dream seems to be so far away?
When you are facing difficulties, conflict and bitterness, doubtful condition, are you secure?
When you made a mistake and you got to confess before your people, are you secure?
When you are corrected by your people, even those who are much younger than you, are you secure? When you should let go your ego down in submission to the achievement of vision, are you secure?
It is not uncommon that you have to deal with people who are so different from you.
They are “difficult people” for you, but still you need to work with them. Along the way, you might need to change your mind-set towards them, letting go your ego, looking for good things in them. Doesn’t it require a very secure person to do so? The last but not the least, when your man is rising above you, are you secure enough? When he “steals” your people attention away from you, are you secure enough? Are you secure to develop other leaders around you?
As I observe those kind of things, I wonder why I would like to be a leader. Why bother to be a leader if it would sap our energy? That’s why I asked you, why would you like to be a leader?I leave that question to you. As long as your motives right, the only thing you need is to be secure. Only secure people can be a good leader.
Being secure for me means:
· Having the right motives to lead – Why should I lead? “A better future for all”
· I am content with myself – I am complete.
I accept my past life and embrace my present life. I forgive those who might have offended me in the past and looking ahead for better future. In Maxwell’s word: “I have nothing to prove, I have nothing to lose, I have nothing to hide”
· I am working on my strengths
I need to know my talents and capabilities, and operate in it. In the same way, to know my followers’ and help them to operate in theirs as well. There is a unique place for each of us that only we can fill it. No worry about other taking your place, just operate in your strength.
· Letting go my ego to
o Develop good character, get rid off the bad ones
o Embrace a new better mind-set
o Change attitudefor the sake of the vision, and the people whom I serve
· Knowing that to err is human – to admit when I make mistake
· Knowing that everything works for my good – no matter what might happen
· Knowing well that I will always get the strength I need to carry on
What does security mean to you? How can you be secure? I will leave this to you…
For me it is when I know how precious I am before and under perfect care of my God, my Lord Jesus Christ who made me for Himself.As we are secure, I am convinced that we already have the most important quality to be a great leader. How is your foundation then…?
December 23, 2006 at 9:09 am
To be a good leader seems so simple…but also harder than it seems, that’s the point i got from this. thnks 4 ur willingness to sharing it
June 12, 2007 at 2:57 am
Somehow I’ll hav to disagree with one point:
“I am content with myself – I am complete”
That signifies comfort zone, most ppl when they reaches comfort zone don’t want to improve anymore cos they are complete.
Another thing too, leaders are made up of normal human being who makes better choices due to the principles that stand behind them. They too are scared when making decisions, they too question if the decisions they make are correct or not, they too make mistakes, but they learn from it and improve.
So does being scared when they stand forward makes them secure?
June 12, 2007 at 10:24 am
Dear Angie,
You just made a lovely point. You just completed the picture of a leader with his vulnerability as human.
Fully agree, leaders are still human who are scared, doubt. And yes, it requires a secure person with sound principles behind him to move forward even though they are scared or in doubt.
For your first point, yes, my point can mislead readers. Thanks for reminding.
Fully agree, we should come out of our comfort zone, even reaching the maximum potential – be what we were meant to be.
The point I tried to make is to accept the past, with all of its consequesnce, and move forward to reach his maximum potential without envying others with bigger potential :p
Yes, I agree with you for us to stretch ourselves, to reach our max potential.
Many thanks for your input.
July 26, 2007 at 6:38 pm
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