I think we sometimes make the wrong assumption about what it means to be a leader. We think it’s about being outspoken, in charge, or ahead of everyone else.

Here are a few truths I have discovered about leaders and leadership:

1) Leadership is about influence. It’s about the capacity to effect change. If you influence one person to do, think, or feel differently about something, you have led that person. You are a leader.

2) Leadership and influence is not suppose to be constant. We don’t have to always be the one taking the lead. That’s not leadership anyhow…it’s self-centeredness.

3) Leaders take responsiblity. Whenever you and I take responsibilty for someone or something, we are demonstrating leadership.

4) You and I lead ‘best’ when we see the ‘best’ in others and seek to bring it out in them. True Leadership isn’t really about leading…it’s about caring.

Thoughts?

What else have you discovered about Leadership?

I spent a lot of years frustrated in my career. There was a number of reasons for that, but the main reason was I didn’t know who I was.

See, when you don’t know what compels you personally…you will let other people tell you what’s compelling. When you don’t know what your unique strengths are…you will spend too much time trying to develop your weaknesses. And when you don’t pursue your own script…you will end up taking on someone else’s script.

Do you suffer from CCF?

My guess is it’s not simply because your current occupation stinks. Sure, there are probably problems, but to focus only on the negative aspects of the J-O-B, your boss, or the struggling economy is to ignore the elephant in the room. What’s your unique passion/strength/calling? What are you compelled to do…not just competent at? What aspects of your job bring you energy? And what’s sucking the life out of you?

If those questions are difficult to answer, you need to know yourself better or else you will continue to suffer from Chronic Career Frustration (CCF).

Thoughts?

What are you frustrated by in your career?

I love having a conversation about “Calling” with someone. I enjoy hearing how they are pursing it. How they discovered it. How they are developing it. And how they are delivering it on behalf of others.

But what I often find is how misunderstood the subject of “Calling” is. So today, I thought I would share some ideas about what Calling is NOT.

1) It’s NOT a job. Your job is an assignment. It may or may not align well with your calling.

2) It’s NOT a ministry. Lots of people get tripped up here. They attach their calling to a particular ministry or mission. You may bring your calling to a ministry for a season, but then get reassigned.

3) It’s NOT a specific skill. I often hear people say, “My calling is to teach or preach or perform surgery”. And although a skill may be a way to demonstrate an aspect of your calling. It’s not the Calling.

4) It’s NOT a role. If you are a husband, wife, father, mother, leader,…Great! Be a good one. But that’s not a calling, those are roles.

The biggest thing is to try and keep your calling, assignment, and roles untangled. It’s no excuse to neglect being a good husband or father because you are in Africa fulfilling your “Calling” to serve. By the same token, it would be wrong to say, “I will get to my calling once the kids are grown and in college”.

Thoughts?

What do you believe your Calling is?

Is a question I was asking in 2007.

I had been serving in a volunteer position with a ministry I absolutely loved. The ministry had a staff person locally and I was the chairperson for the leadership team in our city.

The staff person decided he wanted to leave the ministry to pursue something else. And I became convinced this was an opportunity from God. I thought it was a door He was opening just for me.

To make a long story short, I have nothing to do with that ministry today. There was no fallout. There was no failure to step out in faith. Both my wife and I were willing to move forward as we believed it could be my calling.

There is a lot more to that story. But the best thing about it is this:

“I have a deeper more richer walk with God today because of it”

I am still searching. I’m still discovering. I’m still developing into the man He’s called me to become. And I am still struggling to understand the unique purpose of my life.

But I am also starting to believe that’s the whole point. That whatever door we may walk through. It really is just a “means” to an “end”.

If you are facing a decision, a cross roads, or a change, maybe you should take this question back to Him.

“How will walking through this door lead to a deeper more richer walk with You?”