It is another election year and everyone is talking about the lack of great Presidential candidates. Regardless of your political bent, there are certain leadership qualities we all want in our President. Most people I talk to don’t see those qualities clearly present in the current batch of candidates.
Great Presidential Candidates?
In fact, my 15 year old son asked me the other day why we don’t have presidential candidates like Lincoln, Jefferson and Washington anymore. I explained that Mt. Rushmore was full and could not hold anymore faces! He didn’t laugh like I thought he should. Seriously, I explained my thoughts on that and we had a great conversation about leadership.
But this conversation got me thinking about the most common leadership qualities everyone wants in their leaders and how this could apply to Christian business owners and leaders.
Leadership Behaviors
Babson College, near Boston, MA, did a survey as a part of their Executive Education program. They asked the question, “What leadership behaviors do you value the most?” Below are the top three responses to this question.
- 1. Creates a clear vision
2. Keeps his or her word
3. Builds teamwork
Again, depending on your political views, you may see some of these qualities in one or more of the current Presidential candidates. You may not.
Our Leadership
Actually, this post is not about the Presidential candidates at all. It is about you and me. But you probably knew that already, didn’t you?
In his book, EntreLeadership, Dave Ramsey talks a lot about leadership. In his very first chapter, Ramsey shoots straight and gives the following quote.
The big deal here is to remember that the very things you want from a leader are the very things the people you are leading expect from you. You must intentionally become more of each of these every day to grow yourself and your business. And to the extent you’re not doing that, you’re failing as a leader.
See, we all like to talk about the lack of leadership in the current Presidential candidates or even in our churches and the other organizations in which we are involved. We may even be right about that.
But what we need to realize is that the people we are leading have the same expectation from their leaders – and we are those leaders!
Rather than griping about the lack of leadership we see in those leading us, we need to turn our attention inward and become the leaders others need us to be. Rather than complaining about the lacking in other leaders, let’s commit to being the leaders God created us to be – the leaders worthy of those who are counting on us.
Are you the leader for your people that you desire for yourself?
What qualities are you missing?
What do you need to work on first?
Similar Posts:
- 10 Warning Signs You Are NOT A Good Leader (Part 1)
- 10 Warning Signs You Are NOT A Good Leader (Part 2)
- Three Steps To Develop Your Inner Circle – Part 1
- 11 Killer Resources For Free Christian Leadership Material
- Do You Make These 9 Christian Leadership Mistakes?
