Motivational – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Leadership Tested By Fire

Posted October 2, 2017
by dougdickerson

Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
-Provided by the author.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows your true colors”. – James 1:2-3 (The Message)

In November 2016, terrible fires raged through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fires ripped through popular destinations such as Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in Tennessee. It was reported that roughly 10,000 acres of land were burned.

Many thought at the time that the recovery of the forests would be years in the making. But to the amazement of many, life is returning sooner than many predicted.

In a local CBS news story, the headline reads, “New Life Sprouting In The Smokies”. Highlights of the story are given by Dr. Andrew Miller, a mycologist from the University of Illinois working in conjunction with the University of Tennessee and Savannah State University to study the effects of the fire.

Dr. Miller states, “It’s only been a few months, but we can already see fungi are growing back again”. He added with this incredible observation, “They’ve basically been sitting in the soil as spores waiting for the fires to come along, and as soon as that happens they fruit in abundance and they’re basically all over the place”.

If you hang around in leadership long enough, you will go through the fire and times of testing. It comes with the territory. So the greater question I’d like to explore with you is this: How do you plan to come through it? Your leadership can, like the fungi, rise from the ashes stronger, or it’s the place where it will die.

After 30 plus years of leadership, here are a few things I’ve learned and some encouragement I’d like to pass along.

It’s in the fire you are pruned

Dr. Miller stated, “These fungi are the first to come in, they decompose all the other stuff until the rest of the growth comes in”. What a powerful statement.

The fires you go through in your leadership are the necessary times of pruning you need for future growth. Just as the fungi decompose all the other stuff in order for the rest of the growth to come in, so too, are the times of testing that comes your way. Growth will not occur until all the things that don’t belong like bitterness, jealousy, and unforgiveness- things that you need to let go of, are gone.

Right now you may not like going through the fire, but it could the best thing to happen to you in the long run.

It’s in the fire you are prepared

Another highlight from the story is that the tiny pyro-nema fungi that they’ve discovered only grow after a fire. It’s job? The tiny particles are the food for the plants and trees to grow again.

When you go through the fire, you will learn and discover new things about your leadership that you may not have known before. The fire can expose things that may not have otherwise surfaced had you not gone through it

It’s after we come through the fire we can be more empathetic, more understanding, and more mindful of growing and developing the leaders around us. How do we get new growth and new skills? By going through the fire.

It’s in the fire you are proven

I’ll be honest with you – I don’t like going through the fire any more than the next person. It’s painful and it hurts. But it’s in the fire that your leadership is proven.

Dr. Andy Methven, a biologist at Savannah State said, “It was a high-intensity burn and pretty much everything was burned down to the ground, and to see things coming up in that area just a few months after the fires is impressive,” He added, “I’ve been impressed with how quickly the plants have sprouted, even in the last month, it’s amazing how quickly it’s recovering.”

How will you recover after going through the fire in leadership? What will be the observations others make about you and your growth? What differences will they see in you? It’s in the fire that your leadership is proven and will shine.

It’s in the fire that you are productive

It’s when we’ve successfully come through the fires in leadership that we have new growth, a new perspective, a new outlook. Your leadership will take an incredible turn for the good if you keep the right attitude.

Regarding the fires, Dr. Miller made one last remarkable statement, “Probably this time next year you’re going to have a hard time telling a fire even came through this area. The soil is going to be pretty much back to the way it was before”.

I don’t know what fires and testing you are going through right now – but I do know this much- it’s a time of great challenge to your leadership. There will be times you will want to walk away, throw in the towel, and move on to something else.

But if you will keep your heart right, your faith strong, and see it for what it is – a season in your leadership when you are being pruned, prepared, proven, and productive – God will bring you through, and you will come through it stronger than ever before.

Let the fire, as painful as it is, do its work and don’t let the ashes bury you. Your destiny as a leader depends on it.

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What Millennials Are Teaching Me About Leadership

Posted July 20, 2017
by dougdickerson

“Good habits formed at youth make all the difference”. – Aristotle

He takes to the platform each week in skinny jeans, his shirt is untucked, and he has a shoe collection that would rival that of Imelda Marcos. But this is no ordinary person and it’s not a comedy club on a Friday night. It’s church on Sunday and he is my late 20’s something pastor. Band members are tatted up, some sporting man buns, but all with one thing in common-serving others the best they know how.

That in this stage in my life I would find myself in a church where the majority of the staff are millennials and I am old enough to be their parent, or in some cases their grandparent, is quite surprising even to me. But I am, and I am loving it.

I recently had lunch with my skinny jean-wearing pastor. We talked leadership over pizza and I must admit, I am more encouraged by what I see and hear from Millennials than I have ever been prior.

To be sure, millennials have had their fair share of criticisms leveled against them. Some of it justified, a lot of it not. But as is the case for all of us in leadership, millennials should be given a fair shake as they earn their leadership stripes.

I don’t presume to speak about all Millennials in all situations, but only to what I personally know, see, and experience on a regular basis. Here is what I am learning from those skinny jean wearing, man bun styling millennials. I think there’s something here for all of us-regardless of our age.

Millennials are teaching me about authenticity

These millennials are setting a great example about being authentic and transparent. It’s quite refreshing to be around people who understand their learning curves and talk openly about their mistakes and flaws, all while pursuing a higher level of excellence. Authentic leadership is hard to come by and way too many opt for wearing a mask. These millennials are teaching me that they care more about being real than they do about false perceptions.

Millennials are teaching me about the value of community

What I am learning from these millennials is that they are all about community and relationships. “Life wasn’t meant to be done alone” is the mantra often repeated. They have tapped into the power of community and discovering that life, just as in leadership, is better when you are part of a community of people who have each other’s backs and that through a community of strong relationships is how we grow. These millennials are teaching me that there is an up-and-coming generation that gets it and works hard to make it happen.

Millennials are teaching me about serving others

One of the bad wraps millennials get is that they are just a bunch of navel-gazing, narcissistic people who are the “entitled” generation. Look around and cherry-pick, and in some cases, you will find it. But the millennials I know take community and servant leadership to a new level. They are invested in their community and are making in-roads in the local schools. Community and civic pride is not the exception, but rather the rule. Millennials are teaching me they realize it’s not all about them, but that true leadership is about serving others.

Millennials are teaching me the importance of personal growth and development

As my skinny jean wearing pastor and I talked about leadership, we talked about personal growth and development. I was more than impressed by his vast knowledge and familiarity with leading authors, books, and podcasts. He is a student of leadership and works hard to apply it. So does his team. They are taking leadership seriously and are taking advantage of every opportunity to grow.

On the day of his Inaugural Address, a young 43-year-old President John F. Kennedy declared that “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…” It was a time of great uncertainty and many questioned the ability of such a young president to lead our nation with the challenges it faced. But he did.

Millennial leaders are rising to the challenge. They are taking up the torch and mantle of leadership and from my experiences with them, we have reason to be optimistic. Their leadership will be tested. They will not always get it right, nor will we who are older. Our life in leadership is a journey- a marathon, not a dash. But it’s when we sit across from the table, eat pizza, talk, and share life experiences that we find that we really have more in common than we realized. But I draw the line at skinny jeans.

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The Power of Selective Discipline

Posted May 12, 2017
by dougdickerson

What’s done can’t be undone. – William Shakespeare

In his book, The One Thing, Gary Keller writes about a disciplined life in one of the chapters. In it, he expounds on the concept of selected discipline. In doing so, he points to Olympic champion Michael Phelps.

From age 14 through the Beijing Olympics, Phelps trained seven days a week, 365 days a year. By doing so he gained a 52-training day advantage over his competitors. He spent 6 hours a day in the water training-mastering the discipline of one habit that ultimately earned him Olympic gold.

The story of Phelps is quite inspiring.That he would channel so much time and energy into his life’s passion for swimming at such a young age is impressive. It also caused me think about how we as leaders develop our own patterns of discipline and personal growth. Here’s a thought that Keller expressed that is worth mentioning:

The payoff from developing the right habit is pretty obvious. It gives you the success you’re searching for. What sometimes gets overlooked, however, is an amazing windfall: It also simplifies your life. Your life gets clearer and less complicated because you know what you have to do well and what you don’t. The fact of the matter is that aiming discipline at the right habit gives you license to be less disciplined in other areas. When you do the right thing, it can liberate you from having to monitor everything.

In my early years of leadership, I was thoroughly indoctrinated with the concept and ideas of living a well- disciplined life. It’s a virtuous goal of every leader, right? But the notion of selective discipline was refreshing music to my ears and to my sometimes less than disciplined ways.

To obtain this noble virtue as a leader, like you perhaps, I wore myself out trying to measure up to what at times was just an improbable reality. It was frustrating. The fallout? Becoming the jack of all trades, the master of none. Keller adds, “You can become successful with less discipline than you think, for one simple reason: success is about doing the right thing, not about doing everything right.” How refreshing!

Selective discipline brings a measure of healthy simplicity to your life. Here are a few suggestions on how to make that happen.

Embrace your ‘one thing’

Selective discipline in your life begins when you identify what your ‘one thing’ is and direct your energies towards it. It’s as simple and complicated as that. But you will burn yourself out and have less energy for what truly matters so long as you don’t know what it is.

Embrace your selective discipline

Discovering your one thing is liberating. Knowing your purpose gives life meaning. But now comes the channeling of that discipline to take you to new levels of growth and potential. Sadly, you can know your one thing and still not live up to your potential if you don’t form the proper growth habits.

Embrace the sacrifice

The formula will look like this: SD(Selective discipline) +S(Sacrifice) = Success. Unless you are willing to sacrifice the good for the great you will always flounder. It’s time to focus, embrace your one thing, and channel your energies to become the person God created you to be.

The sacrifice won’t always be easy. Muhammad Ali put it this way, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion”. And this is the reward of embracing the sacrifice- knowing that your success would not have come about any other way.

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On The Other Side Of Fear

Posted March 17, 2017
by dougdickerson

We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In his book Intentional Living, John Maxwell describes the faith factor as it relates to connecting us with like-minded people. In a more personal way, he relates the role fear plays in preventing us from reaching our goals and dreams. Maxwell states, “Fear is the most prevalent reason why people stop. Faith is what makes people start.” Over the years I’ve had my fill of fears. I reckon it’s possible you have as well.

If you’re like me, you possess no shortage of ideas or goals you’d like to achieve. I’ll admit some ideas were perhaps conceived too soon, some a little too late, while others just died a slow death due to the restraints of time. Can you relate?

Yet there are some dreams and goals that died a slow death for another reason- fear. We’ve all wrestled with fears. I remember in Little Leagues it was always the fear of striking out. In school, I had test anxiety. Fear would get the best of me that I would fail. Even today I struggle with another fear- arachnophobia- the fear of spiders. What are yours?

Thankfully, Maxwell’s depiction of fear and the struggles we all face didn’t stop there. He went on to point how faith makes up for our fear and when applied in our lives can turn the tide in our favor. Maxwell said, “Faith does not make things easy, but it makes things possible because it puts everything, including fear, into the right perspective. So, if you want to learn, to grow, to achieve your dreams of significance to make a difference, have faith”.

How different would your life look if the decisions you made, whether those decisions are personal or professional, look if they were made through the lens of faith rather than through the lens of fear? How would things look on the other side of fear? Here’s my challenge to you.

Lead on the other side of fear

Imagine the kind of influence you could have as a leader if you opted for faith over fear? Fear will paralyze you as a leader and hinder you from becoming all God created you to be. When you lead with faith it will bury your fears and you will lead on a new level. Living on the other side of fear doesn’t mean you don’t have doubts or have questions, it just means that it’s a burden that doesn’t rest entirely on your shoulders anymore. Faith takes the weight off, fear puts it on.

Dream on the other side of fear

I know all too well what happens to dreams when fear sets in. They die. How many dreams of yours have suffered an untimely death because of fear? Fear will keep your dreams small. But I’d rather fail on the other side of fear with a God-inspired dream than succeed knowing I didn’t need God’s help. As Mark Batterson says, “If your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s too small.”

Serve on the other side of fear

When you live your life free from fear you live a life that is a peace. You are at peace knowing that you don’t have to worry about what other people think about you, say about you, or otherwise interfere with your life’s purpose. You are free to lead with your heart and serve causes greater than yourself. Fear is a speed-bump on the road to being a blessing to others. Get rid of the fear.

Grow on the other side of fear

Fear stunts your growth on many levels. It can rob you of your dreams, goals, creativity, and productivity to name a few. But when you feed your faith and starve your fears you position yourself for unprecedented personal and professional growth.

I am in no way suggesting here to throw caution to the wind and chase your dreams on blind faith. It pays to be prudent and listen to wise counsel. But well-meaning people along the way will fuel your faith or they will fuel your fears. You must not allow fear to win. Faith is hard because of the unknown. But with fear, the unseen and unattained dreams and goals will always be that–unseen and unfulfilled.

A wonderful life in leadership awaits you. It’s on the other side of fear.

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It’s Your Time to Soar

Posted February 23, 2017
by dougdickerson

Eagles don’t flock, you have to find them one at a time. – Ross Perot

“While walking through the forest one day, a man found a young eagle who had fallen out of its nest. He took it home and put it in his barnyard where it soon learned to eat and behave like the chickens.

One day a naturalist passed by the farm and asked why it was that the king of all birds should be confined to live in a barnyard with the chickens. The farmer replied that since he had given it chicken feed and trained it to be a chicken, it had never learned to fly. Since it now behaved as the chickens, it was no longer an eagle.

“Still it has the heart of an eagle,” replied the naturalist, “and can surely be taught to fly.” He lifted the eagle toward the sky and said, “You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” The eagle, however, was confused. He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their feed, he jumped down to be with them again.

The naturalists took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, “You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” but the eagle was afraid of his unknown world and jumped down once more for the chicken feed.

Finally, the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, “You are an eagle, you belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and up to the sky. Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun and it happened that eagle began to tremble. Slowly he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens. ” (Source)

In leadership, as in life, you will have competing voices that will cause you to walk with the chickens or soar with the eagles. Here are a few truths worth remembering.

Not everyone who picks you up will lift you up

The man who found the young eagle might have meant well in bringing the young eagle to his barn. But over time, his good deed turned the majestic bird, full of so much potential, into a common barnyard chicken.

If you want to soar as a leader you must break free from the good intentions of people who do not bring out the best in you.

Your worth is not defined by those holding you back

As the young eagle grew its identity was shaped by the company that it kept. Instead of realizing its full potential to soar the heavens, it was grounded with the chickens. The eagle was being labeled as something it wasn’t. His future was being cast. And the man could not be more wrong.

If you want to soar as a leader you must never let the people who are holding you back to define your worth. When you have the heart of an eagle, don’t allow the mindset of a chicken hold you back.

You can only soar like an eagle when you start acting like one

Over time, the young eagle was persuaded by the naturalist that he was more than a chicken as led to believe. It was when the eagle embraced everything that was great about him that he took his rightful place soaring to the heavens.

If you want to soar as a leader you will have to shake off the labels of your critics and stop hanging out with the chickens. Surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you.

Those who believe in you the most will insist that you fly

The naturalist saw the eagle for the grand and majestic bird that it was. He knew that as long as it was confined to the barnyard it would never live up to its potential. He saw the eagles’ potential and he didn’t give up until it flew.

If you want to soar as a leader you will need people in your life who believe in you, people who will call out the best in you, and people who will never rest until you fly.

This is your time to soar!

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Up in Flames – Facing the Challenges of Leadership

Posted January 20, 2017
by dougdickerson

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

When Thomas Edison’s manufacturing facilities in New Jersey were heavily damaged by fire one night in December 1914, Edison lost almost one million dollars worth of equipment and the record of much of his work.

The next morning, while walking around the charred embers of his hopes and dreams, the 67-year old inventor reportedly said, “There is value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Now we can start anew.”

While the fire that destroyed Edison’s lab can’t be labeled as a “failure”, it was a setback. It was an accident. It was a disaster. But technically it was not a failure per se. Nonetheless, much of his life’s work was consumed in those flames. What would he do next? What would you do?

Life has a way of throwing us curve balls.Things happen that are out of our control and find ourselves in the tension between “what now?” and “why me?”, and life just doesn’t make sense. We look around and all we see are the ashes of a dream and we wonder what the future might look like. (I wrote about facing adversity here).

As leaders, we’ve all had some dark moments. And from the account of Edison’s fire, I’d like to give you some encouragement and hope. I want you to see that you are not alone and that there is life after the fire. Here are three things that your challenges can do for your leadership.

It can give you a fresh perspective

“There is value in disaster,” said Edison, as he stood among the ruins of his work. When things are going well for us as leaders it’s easy to have a positive perspective, and why not? It’s easy to be upbeat and positive when your plans are working.

But like Edison, our response in the rubble is where it counts in our leadership. It’s as we look at our best plans, best ideas, and big investments that have come crashing down around us that we introduced to ourselves. I am amazed at Edison’s response and it’s one we can learn from.

So the next time you face a setback, challenge, or some plan has gone up in smoke, remember this- there is value in it. Because it’s then you can have the perspective you need to go forward with confidence that this failure is not fatal.

It can give you a fresh attitude

Standing in the rubble of his work, Edison said, “All our mistakes are burned up”. I’m not sure about you, but there are times I’d be glad to see all my mistakes go up in flames- talk about a fire! This was a defining moment for Edison. Every fire is.

The truth is- we are creatures of comfort. We don’t like adversity. As leaders, we have to put out fires, but how many of us truly enjoy it? But like Edison, we at times find ourselves in places not of our choosing or making. And in these defining moments, the choice we make with our attitude will keep us in the ashes or bring us out.

I don’t know how Edison did it, but he kept a good attitude. I wish I could tell you how easy it is. This I know; the struggle is real. Joel Osteen said, “ I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you’re grateful, you’ll see God open up new doors.” I agree.

It can give you a promising future

In his final thought standing among the ruins, Edison said, “Now we can start anew.” What a powerful statement. What a hopeful outlook.

With the right perspective and the right attitude, I believe that there is no adversity that can keep you from a promising future. The road will not be easy. There will be hurdles to climb, ashes to brush off, and hot spots to deal with. But I am firmly convinced that the challenges you face in leadership are preparing you for your future, not your defeat.

In the midst of your fire, there is still a future.

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The Sweet Spot of Encouragement

Posted January 12, 2017
by dougdickerson

If you are a leader, you should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. And everyone who receives it- young or old, successful or less-than-successful, unknown or famous- is changed by it. – John Maxwell

A story is told of American painter, John Sargent, who once painted a panel of roses that was highly praised by his critics. It was a small picture, but it approached perfection.

Although offered a high price for it on many occasions, Sargent refused to sell it. He considered it his best work and was very proud of it. Whenever he was deeply discouraged and doubtful of his abilities as an artist, he would look at it and remind himself, “I painted that.” Then his confidence and ability would come back to him.

In all of my years in leadership, I have yet to find a leader who didn’t want, need, or appreciate a little encouragement. I believe it’s a universal need and one not just exclusive to leaders. Regardless of your walk in life, who doesn’t appreciate some encouragement along the way?

The above story is a reminder to us of some simple truths about leadership. Let me share three with you.

Every leader has value

John Sargent is considered to be the leading portrait painter of his generation. His mark on the world was made through the arts.

Your gifts or talents may not revolve around being a distinguished artist, but your value exists in other areas. Perhaps you have organizational gifts that keep your business running smooth. You might be the visionary that causes people to see the big picture which creates the necessary momentum to plan for the future. You might be the change agent who speaks the truth about what needs to happen for the sake of your future. (I wrote about how you can add value to your respective organizations here.)

The point here is this: You are a person of value not because of what you do but because of who you are. Your value is more than what you contribute to the bottom line.

Every leader has doubts

Despite his acclaim as an artist, John Sargent still had seasons of discouragement and moments when he called his own abilities into question. Sound familiar?

At some point in time, I think every leader experiences the same struggle. I have. (I wrote about facing your doubts and fears here). We look at heroes in our respective fields of expertise and we say, “If I can only be successful like them, then I will have it made,” not realizing they most likely had the same struggle.

We unfairly compare ourselves to others and think that because we haven’t reached the same level of fame or success then we are a failure – not realizing it may have taken them decades to get there and we want to be there in a fraction of the time. It’s unrealistic and self-defeating. And in the end, discouragement sets in.

The point here is this: You are not the sum of your doubts and fears. And your growth and development as a leader is not a 50-yard dash, it’s a marathon.

Every leader has a sweet spot

John Sargent held on to the prized painting as a reminder of his talents. In moments of self-doubt and discouragement, it motivated him to keep going.

The sweet spot in your leadership comes when you realize that you are not as great as the headlines you write yourself. You are not as bad as the headlines your enemies or critics write. Joy in leadership comes when you discover your why, find fulfillment in the moment, and live for something greater than yourself. (I wrote about finding your purpose in leadership here).

For Sargent, his sweet spot moment came when his focus was on his best work, not his worse. Train yourself to look at the positive. Don’t allow the negative things to define you.

The point here is this: How you rise above self-doubt and discouragement begins with how you see yourself.

Have you found your sweet spot?

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Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone – Stepping Into Your Destiny

Leadership is all about taking people on a journey. The challenge is that most of the time, we are asking people to follow us to places we ourselves have never been. – Andy Stanley

In our respective leadership circles we hear a lot about stepping out of our comfort zones. “It’s where the magic happens,” we are told. And yet for whatever reason we are reluctant to leave the comforts of what we know and fail to experience all that we could. Sound familiar?

Peter was such person in Scripture that a lot of us can identify with. He was one of the twelve chosen by Jesus to follow Him. That alone is an impressive resume builder. More than that, Peter was one of three (Peter, James, and John) who were really close to Jesus. That made him uniquely special. He was part of the inner circle.

For all of these impressive qualifiers there is also a side to Peter I am more prone to identify with. Peter is very much human- a hot head, one who likes to speak his mind. Jesus had a knack for choosing ordinary people. I like that because it gives me hope. They were a ragtag group of fishermen and a tax collector. A traveling band of brothers. World changers.

In Matthew 14 we read a story where Jesus had his disciples get into a boat and go before Him to the other side of the lake. While making their way to the other side a storm developed and the guys were scared. Get the visual here—they were fishermen by trade. Being in a boat with a developing storm was not new to them. It must have been bad.

In the fourth watch of the night Jesus appeared to them walking on the water. Now they are really afraid. They think they are seeing a ghost. But Jesus speaks to them and tells them not to be afraid (vs.27).

Comfort zones. Think about yours for just a moment. Have you become too comfortable? Have you become too predictable? What is the appeal that keeps you there so that you are not willing to venture out of it? Every possible concern and question Peter faces in this moment are ones you and I can identify with. Let’s explore them.

You will have doubts (vs. 28) “Lord if it is you…”

From the confines of the boat at night during a storm Peter has his doubts. That makes sense. No one is going to fault him on this one. Peter is keeping his cards close to his chest and erring on the side of caution. With his doubts firmly in place, he says to Jesus, “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you.”

As leaders we all have our doubts. What will people think? What will they say about me if I try this and fail? What if I screw things up? How will it make me look to my peers? We can massage our doubts in our comfort zones or we can set them aside and get out of the boat. Either way, we will have doubts just like Peter.

You will be challenged (vs. 29) “So He said, ‘Come’…”

For Peter this falls under the category of “be careful what you ask for”. Peter has really stepped in it this time. Jesus takes him up on his offer and commands him to come to Him. What is Peter going to do? In front of his peers Peter makes this appeal and Jesus calls his bluff. Peter has to act.

All leaders face times of testing and challenges. And when you do there comes a time for talk and there comes a time for action. For Peter, the time to act was at hand. Your comfort zone will either keep you in the boat or you can step into your destiny. It’s all up to you.

You will have fears (vs. 30) “He walked on the water…he was afraid…”

Peter takes Jesus up on His offer to step out of the boat and starts walking. Pretty impressive I must admit. I am not so sure I would have done that in the middle of a storm at night. But when he begins to walk he is distracted by the winds and waves. Ya think? As a result, Peter begins to sink.

As leaders we begin to sink when we take our eyes off the ball – the goal, dream, vision, our mission. When all we see is our fears and all we listen to are the voices telling us why it can’t be done we tend to lose our way. When we take our eyes off Jesus we do the same. I don’t fault Peter for his momentary slip. I admire him. He faced his fears and got out of the boat. What fear is keeping you in your comfort zone?

Here are a few take-aways that are important to remember as a leader:

God knows where you are

That the disciples would be in the boat and a storm would come was not lost on Jesus. He knew. And today He knows right where you are. You might be full of doubts, and fears, – even questioning your own abilities, but this is not about you. It’s about placing your hopes, dreams, and goals into more capable hands than yours and trusting Him to do with it what you can’t.

God knows your struggles

We all have struggles as leaders. We all have our imperfections. We each have our own set of doubts, fears, and questions we wrestle with. He knew about the disciples in the storm and He knows what you are up against. God wants to disrupt your comfort zone and stretch your faith as a leader.

God’s timing is perfect

The disciples had been in the boat battling the storm for a long time. You too might be facing opposition, doubts, and difficulties. You might be on the verge of giving up. Jesus didn’t come to the disciples when they wanted Him to, He came when they needed him the most. It’s when we come of the end of ourselves that God shows up and takes us places we never imagined. How different would your comfort zone look if you invited God into it?

Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and into your destiny? Take the first step.

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Plowing Through Adversity

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. – Napoleon Hill

An old farmer had plowed around a large rock in one of his fields for years. He had broken several plowshares and a cultivator on it. After breaking another plowshare one fall, and remembering all the trouble the rock had caused him through the years, he finally determined to do something about it. When he put his crowbar under the rock, he was surprised to discover that it was only about six inches thick and that he could break it up easily.

As he was carting it away he had to smile, remembering all the trouble that the rock had caused him and how easy it would have been to get rid of it sooner. There is often a temptation to bypass small obstacles when we’re in a hurry to get a large problem solved. We simply don’t want to stop and take the time to deal with it now. Like the old farmer, we “plow” around it.

If you hang around in leadership long enough you will face more than your fair share of adversity. It comes with the territory. While adversity is part of leadership, so too, is our response to it.

The old farmer teaches us a few leadership principles we should consider as we face adversity. His responses are not unfamiliar. His choices are ours. When it comes to adversity here are our options.

Avoid it

I’ve yet to meet a leader who thrives on adversity. We like to think that our leadership is such that everyone likes us and no adversity will ever come our way. But that’s not the world we live in.

Year after year the old farmer plowed around the rock. It was an obstruction and he avoided it. Sound familiar? To understand the old farmer and his decision is to understand ourselves. How often as leaders do we just plow around issues because we don’t want to deal with it? We don’t want to make the hard decisions or ruffle the wrong feathers. We know we have an issue but we just side-step it.

How’s this approach working for you? Avoidance of adversity doesn’t make it go away. It makes you miserable.

Confront it

One day the old farmer had enough. The time for action was at hand. And what he discovered shocked him. The rock he plowed around for years could have easily been removed a long time ago.

I am not suggesting that every adversity you face will be as easily resolved as the one for the farmer. We know life doesn’t work that way. But until you face your adversities head-on you will never know. Often the problems we face are magnified over time and we become the victims of our own imaginations.

Allow me to encourage you to be like the old farmer. Get off your tractor, lift up the rock, and find out firsthand what you are up against. Don’t assume year after year that the adversity you are up against can’t be removed. The truth is, you will never know until confront it.

Overcome it

What is your tipping point with adversity? What will it take for you to come off the tractor like the old farmer and take a crow bar to the rock of your adversity? At what point do you make your declaration, “No more!”

That is both the challenge and the test to your leadership. It’s how it works. There are no exceptions.

How long it takes to plow through your adversity is hard to predict. Longer of course if you take no action. But adversity in leadership will always be your companion. It will always be nipping at your heels. It’s the price you pay.

In closing let me remind you that on your leadership journey you don’t walk alone. There is hope and your adversity is making you a stronger leader. Be encouraged by this Franciscan blessing:

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

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Six Ways to Rise Above Your Critics

Posted May 19, 2016
by admin

critics

To escape criticism- do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard

A story is told of Winston Churchill and his extraordinary integrity in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering. “That’s Winston Churchill. They say he is getting senile. They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf.”

Critics. Every leader has them and every leader will. How you respond to critics is an important component of your leadership development. It’s all too easy to get defensive when critics rub us the wrong way or misunderstand us. But can you appreciate a critic when he or she is right? Rising above your critics takes courage. Here are six ways to do it.

Keep a positive attitude.

Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” He’s right. How high and how far you go as a leader will be determined by your attitude. Nothing will give you a bad attitude any quicker than a wrong reaction to a critic. Basic things you will want to know regarding a critic are the source, the accuracy, the ramifications, and your reaction – if there even needs to be one. Regardless, stay positive and focused on the big picture.

Stay true to your values.

Don’t allow your critics to throw you off of your game. Stay grounded and connected to the values that have guided you to where you are. Values do not change but are guideposts when your circumstances do. The values and principles that brought you to where you are will keep you there so handle your critics with that in mind.

Speak no evil.

Seriously? Yes. Engaging in mud-slinging with your critics only hurts you in the long run. Unless what they have spoken or done is libelous then don’t waste your time in a verbal battle. Be content in knowing that the truth is on your side. There is no greater satisfaction than in knowing that you can look yourself in the mirror and lay your head down at night with a peace that comes from knowing you did the right thing regardless of how others behaved.

Don’t retaliate.

There will be times when you will want (and those close to you) to retaliate against critics. There is something about human nature that wants to fight back and get revenge and settle the score. I get it. But again, the end result will never be good for you. As hard as it may be there are times when you just have to let it go. Don’t worry if you lose a battle today, you are going to win the war if you keep your heart right.

Give them more ammo.

Most of the critics you will encounter are simply those who have some kind of vendetta or jealousy directed toward you. As opposed to stooping down to their level why not give them more ammo? As you do the right thing by continuing to work hard and by exhibiting good leadership, you will only become more successful. Nothing will annoy your critics more than your continued success.

Don’t lose your sense of humor.

One of the most important leadership skills you can develop is a sense of humor. Churchill exhibited it towards the men who spoke ill of him. Your critics will stir up a wide range of emotions and reactions that you will want to run with. But if you laugh – at them, and at yourself, half the battle is won.

What do you say?

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