Leadership Basics...

1) Be responsible. If you say you are going to take care of it, then take care of it.

2) Be professional. Arrive on time. Actually be early. And be organized.

3) Be the best. Get better every day at what you do.

4) Be humble. Talk less. Listen more.

5) Be proactive. Not reactive. Respond and initiate before being told to, or asked to, by your supervisor or peers.

Sustaining Leadership...

This insightful quote from Israel Galindo's book Perspectives On Congregational Leadership has deep implications for all of us who desire to be Christ-like leaders:

Here is the heart of what it takes to sustain leadership. We move from the impossible--controlling others--to the merely difficult--managing ourselves.

We can in fact manage ourselves, if we choose to. We cannot control others. But we can offer our point of view, challenge them, and give them room to respond.

Defining The Real Problem...

I got an iPad recently. And one of the iPad apps I've already found to be quiet useful as a personal brainstorming tool is Whiteboard. I find myself using Whiteboad to think in pictures, and to scribble out a quick thought. Like the following:

Could we be addressing issues, symptoms, reactions… attempting to correct a problem… but the real problem continues to be unaddressed?