Michael Nichols | Leadership Made Simple
Leadership Made Simple
This month my vision for serving and supporting leaders took a huge step.
In just a few moments, I’ll share the tool and process with you that me and my team used to develop and accomplish our vision. But first…
For several years, I have been working toward launching an annual leadership experience for leaders. Like most endeavors, we’ve made a lot of progress at times. And there were times I thought this part of my vision would die.
Why is it such a challenge to get everybody headed and leading in the same direction? Why do team members get frustrated? How do you get them excited about what you are doing?
A few weeks ago, I was driving Madison and her friend to school. To avoid busy school traffic, I turned down a narrow back road.
As we talked about her morning and her after school plans, the passenger side tires left the pavement for a few moments spinning up grass and gravel. I laughed and told Madison to keep her side on the road – the same thing you say to your kids, right?
Then Madison asked, “Dad, why does mom always complain about your driving?” (For the record, Sarah doesn’t ALWAYS complain about my driving. And she complains less today than she used to.)
No matter how hard you work to win the approval of others – your boss, a colleague, your father, your mother, a mentor, a man, a woman – you will be disappointed. Every time!
Because no matter how much money you make. No matter how much stuff you have. No matter how far you go in life, the approval of others will never be enough.
[Tweet “The approval of others will never be enough.”]
The reason is – your life has real purpose – and your life matters far more than what someone else thinks of you.
John Eldredge asks, in his best-selling book, Wild at Heart, Are you willing to live with the level of risk that your soul invites you to?
To live a fulfilled life, every person needs a clear, compelling mission – a life purpose. And every person needs a vision for accomplishing that purpose.
Your life has a purpose that no one else in the world will ever be able to fulfill. Here’s the challenge – no one can tell you who you are and what you were made to do. Nobody!
So why do so many buy into the lie – the lie that winning the approval of others matters? There are 3 reasons…
Your life and work are not something that you can plan once and then put them away. They are far too important for that!
I’ve learned that I must plan regular, purposeful time away if I am going to live out the things that are most important to me. And I must adequately prepare for my time away to maximize its impact on my life and work.
Let’s face it – the number one problem with goals is that people forget about them. And when you do, those things that you once identified as top priorities fade into the noise of life.
[Tweet “The number one problem with goals is that people forget about them.”]
“I’m glad someone around here thinks it’s OK to fly by the seat of your pants rather than planning everything out!”
…Words uttered by one of my esteemed (I use the term loosely) colleagues moments before he poked his head in my office door sporting a big, cheesy grin.
To be fair, we are in the middle of intense strategic planning within our organization. And since my role is responsible for leading the planning process, I am privileged to endure occasional sarcasm.
Don’t get me wrong – I get where he’s coming from.
I mean, is there really ANYONE who feels genuine excitement (I’m talking – goosebumps, hair standing on end – excitement) at the mention of the word planning? Not many.
