I have been a student of leadership most of my life. At the age of 13 I was Umpiring T-Ball in my home town making $80 per week. I thought I was making money, all the while God was making me into a leader. While umpiring you have to stand on the truth and usually somebody doesn't like the calls you make. (good prep for becoming a pastor lol). From the age of 19 I have been in one leadership role or another. In the automotive field I was in a supervisory position for 13 years and I have now been a full time pastor for 18+ years.
I did not provide a Bible chapter and verse for this list, although many biblical principles have shaped how i have been taught and what I have learned over the years. I don't pretend to bat 1,000 on all of these either. I have learned from doing things the right way and the wrong way. God has used all kinds of people to help shape my life as well and I am grateful for each person that has invested in my life. Note: pursuing a productive life outside of knowing Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord will lead to temporary results and an eternity apart from God. My first counsel is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved while it is still day.
1. Renew & Train The Mind
Thinking on the right things and with the right perspective is key. What we think about and how we think will come out in our behavior and speech. The Bible must be central in shaping your thoughts and actions.
2. Be Authentic
“Say and Do” what you believe. Be who God has created you to be and who God is currently shaping you to become. Don’t try to fit yourself into someone else's mold.
3. Compete Against Self
Be your fiercest competitor. Don’t try to measure up to what someone else is doing. With Gods’ help, attempt to be the best “you” this world can ever witness. So, don’t focus on the competition, focus on becoming who God has created you to be.
4. Stack The Deck
You will be at your best when you are around people that believe in you. When you surround yourself with people that like “who you are” and “what you bring to the table” you will make progress. If you are someone’s 5th choice, you may not operate from a position of strength. When they want “you” and know they need “you”, you will have a better chance helping the overall group.
5. Ask The Right Questions
Always ask the right questions and answer the right questions for people. People can quickly see “what” you do and maybe “how” you do it….but they don’t always know “why” you do what you do. The question “why” is perhaps the most important question to ask and answer for people. If you want people to follow your lead, then your “why” must also become their “why” in regards to purpose.
6. Be The Last To Speak
In a group/meeting setting, if possible, let everyone else in the room speak. Listen to them and ask “why” and “how” they have come to their conclusion. It helps to know where people are coming from. Then when everyone else has shared their thoughts, share your thoughts and you will find that you and the group may be on the same page in some areas. Letting the group go first helps them to feel valued. They feel heard. This takes discipline but also builds a team that isn’t afraid to share their thoughts. If you do all the sharing, no one else will do any of the thinking. This equals to very little “buy in” as to where you are leading the group.
7. Lift Others Up
Some of your greatest success will come by way of helping others achieve or exceed their potential. Making yourself available to help others and allowing others to help you will increase the bottom line, whatever it is. No one succeeds alone and iron sharpens iron.
8. Be Patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day and Rome didn’t fall apart in a day. Sometimes it takes time to facilitate change and/or make progress. Be patient with yourself and others. In climbing a mountain there is much to see and much to enjoy as you climb. The views are good all the way up, not just at the summit. Be patient and don’t miss out on the “here and now” as you aim for the future.
9. Manage Time Well
Whatever you do today, you exchange it for one day of your life. Therefore, manage your time well and enjoy what you do. Procrastination leads to a rushed spirit and a “shooting from the hip” mentality. When we fail to manage our time, our preparation suffers and the outcome is a “ less than” result. Remember, you are in charge of your calendar in most situations. Giving too much of your time to people that drain you will affect your efficiency and progress.
10. Know When To Walk Away
When you rarely see fruit from your labor and you are continually trying to convince those around you to “stay on mission”, after much patience and prayer, then walking away may be the right action. Knowing when to walk away is important. On the other hand you may be at the top of your game and there is very little “challenge” or “room for growth” in your current situation. When you stop growing as an individual within a group and you have done all that you can to grow and advance….then prayerfully looking for a new “challenge” may be in order. Most folks say “bloom where you are planted”, that’s true. But after you bloom for awhile, you may find that God desires to plant you in a different environment to help others grow as well as yourself. Again, knowing when to walk away is important in good times and in difficult times.