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Leadership June 11, 2022

A few words on becoming a leader. Some very simple facts. Leadership starts with being in control over the things in my own life. That is named discipline. How can I solve my problems when I always procrastinate? How can I solve problems when I am afraid of other people? How can I solve any problem when I come with excuses and long explanations why nothing happens?
It is not about total control or perfection. Leaders need to develop an attitude to get things done. And not at the cost of others. A leader should show his attitude by pleasantly and friendly working on issues which others perhaps would avoid. They do not like every bit of the work they do. They are human. They however do take the pain to get towards the goal. They do what is needed.

What about Me?

Too often I am not a good leader. I really like to improve in this aspect. Some examples are:

I am quick to settle when some other people around are not cooperative. I blame them. I may ask them a second or third time. Usually with little success. I may quit my task or project. And next, quietly I blame others. Some signs: other-blaming, withdrawal, coming with excuses. None of those are leadership skills.

Regularly I struggle with procrastination. I could start a certain task, but I hesitate and postpone. I may struggle with feelings of incompetence. I may like to annoy others, perhaps called rebellion. I may be afraid for failure.
When I would be really too busy, I would have an excuse. It is seldom that I am too busy. And even then ... it feels good to have fixed something which gives a smile on the face of someone else.

Clincher

Now I come to one of the worst aspects of my ineffectiveness. Very few people will say that I am lazy. It is true that by times I work hard. Usually that is about simple things, which I like and which I have mastered.
People however do not see that I produce 'smoke curtains'. I sit behind my computer, I look busy, but I do nothing. I present myself falsely as busy. No one will observe my annoyance, my fears, my anger, my bitterness, my excuses.
I could easily have done something useful. And I do not talk about just 5% or 10% of my time.

When I am honest, this is the number one reason that I make only limited progress with important things in my life. Leaders act and find ways to get things done.

Prayer

Jesus, teach me to be a doer of the word.