Ponder This
What does Christianity Mean?
In The Home - Kindness
In Business - Honesty
In Society - Courtesy
In Work - Thoroughness
In Play - Fairness
To The Unfortunate - Pity
To Sin - Resistance
To The Strong - Trust and Good Will
To The Weak - Help
To The Penitent - Forgiveness
To All Men - Reverence and Love
To God - Worship and Service
Committed to Professionalism in Leadership
Written by Kenneth Dobbs
Leadership is not a technique. It is the result of an individual commitment that exemplifies pride and caring. It is not something that a person calls on for special tasks; rather, it is a lifestyle that compels us to do our best. People, churches, and benevolent ministries succeed because they do the right things, not because they do things right. You can do what you do right, but you may be doing the wrong thing.
Ten Characteristics of a Leader
1. An effective leader gives priority to long-term solutions to a problem, rather than a quick fix. Another way of saying it is, don't put on a temporary bandage. The bandage may cover the problem, but it's still there. Think and pray and plan steps to change the situation. Our mission gives us passion and patience for the long journey.
2. An effective leader gives priority to risk taking rather than risk avoidance. Be willing to stick your neck out. If you have leaders in the church who never make mistakes, you don't have a creative organization. The key is to learn from your mistakes.
3. An effective leader gives priority to creative thinking rather than conformity. Is there a way to solve a problem creatively rather than traditionally? A worn-out excuse for not seeking new and positive ways for implementing change is, "I know how to do this; we've always done it this way." Creative thinking will question why things are done a certain way and work to discover a better way.
4. An effective leader gives priority to decisiveness. A successful leader makes definite decisions with indefinite information. Don't study until you are paralyzed. Good leaders don't lose because of wrong decisions; they lose because of indecision.
5. An effective leader gives priority to smart work rather than busy work. We tend to reward people for time and not for productivity and results. The focus is on input and not output. In other words, it is not how much time you put in; it is what you produce. Are you time-oriented or goal- oriented? Don't mistake activity for results.
Final Five Characteristics next week
