What People Look for in a Leader

In Season and Out of Season

Prayer:

1. Character:

Person of integrity

Can you be trusted

Are you believable

Do you believe in what you’re talking about

Proverbs 11:3 NKJV

3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

Proverbs 10:9 NKJV

9 He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.

You don’t have to worry about what you say when you speak truth

Titus talks about a pattern of good works

Titus 2:7 NKJV

7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,

IF you didn’t have Character I don’t think you would be here

As a matter of fact a big way for you to get removed from here is a lack of Character

The fastest way out of leadership is a lack of character

2. Competence:

People want to follow people who know what they’re doing

Hopefully when you go to the doctor or a surgeon they know what their doing

The medical world relies on people knowing what they’re doing

Can people in your department trust that you know what you’re doing

Can people trust that on the other side of what you’re telling them is going to benefit them or bring them closer to God

Can you communicate confidently?

3. Consistency

Are you consistent?

Can you repeat good behavior?

not only do people not like following consistent people, they can’t

If you’re inconsistent there’s not a path to follow

here one day then then way over there the next

Are you consistent?

Consistency is the pre-requisite to being followable

Colossians 1:23 NKJV

23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Consistency vs. Constantly:

Constantly

Constantly late

constantly have a bad attitude

Consistent mediocrity

Constantly have to be reprimanded

Constantly have to be given deadlines

“Discipline is what your give yourself as a leader, deadlines are what people give you when you lack discipline” -Gerald Brooks

Are you consistent or are people constantly reminding you?

Lebron and me

I can make a lay up

Hit a three every so often

Someone who is good but can’t repeat it, chronic inconsistency

Consistency effects every relationship in your life

The Race to the South Pole:

1911 two parties set off on a race towards the the geographical south pole

The team that made it first to the location

Two men lead teams of people in a race to the finish

Roald Amundsen from Norway (14 men)

Robert Scott a British Naval officer

Robert Scott had a bigger crew, more gear, horses, sledges

Roald had dog sled teams

Despite having more funding and a bigger team

Amundsen beat Scott by 34 days to the south pole, to return with his entire crew of 14 men in tact

Scott lost 5 men including himself on the return from the expedition

What was the difference in the two teams?

Among other things their strategies made the difference in the trip

Roald Amundsen would only travel 15 miles everyday

They didn’t go more they didn’t go less

Everyday the crew knew what they were up against

Whether rain or shine, ice and snow. They went 15 miles a day

Scott planned based on the weather

go 30 miles one day and then 5 the next

Sometimes they wouldn’t make any progress when the conditions were brutal

Then the next day they had to make up for lost time

Make your disciplinary decisions a head of time, don’t wait to see how the weather is going to be

Make your decision before you have to make them

Moral, direction and Spiritual decision shouldn’t be made on the spur

Don’t say help me Jesus when the windows are fogged up if you’re not married to that person

Consistency is just making the same and right decisions daily

Discipline is simply doing what you’re supposed to while not feeling like it

If you feel good or feel God you would only move twice a year!

When leading your teams, when you have a clear objective or win, people can commit to the 15 miles

Make your decision, stick to them and just do them everyday

Just do them everyday

You will get further, outwork and outshine with consistency

The hardest part of success is repeating it

Chic filet vs. Burger King

Habits usually don’t give feedback good or bad right away:

Just because you’re getting away with a bad habit now, doesn’t mean you’ll get away with it for long

I sometimes think I’m getting away with poor eating habits

Then a month later my pants don’t fit anymore

You might get away with dipping into your savings for a bit then you realize you’ve run out of money

Pay now or Pay Later:

You will pay now or later

You get to choose where you pay in the present, or you’ll be forced to pay unwillingly in the future

Stay healthy

You want longevity not what tastes good all the time!

Remove emotions from your decision:

I need to pray a certain time daily

If I don’t it effects everyone around me

I’m no good for my wife, my family or my God

Should I or shouldn’t I go to the gym

How do I feel?

Jiu Jitsu- something always hurts

Play hurt!

Leaders educate themselves:

What are you reading in the Word?

What is God speaking to you?

How can we lead people to Him if we don’t know HIm?

1 Corinthians 2:10 NKJV

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

We have to educate ourselves to what God is wanting us to see

Galatians 1:12 NKJV

12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Are you getting fresh revelation

What I’ve been praying for months

I’ve been searching

What books are you reading to further your education?

There is no future in Dumb!

We have no right to lead others if we can’t lead ourselves!

A Spirit of excellence:

We can’t require actions of excellence unless we have a spirit of excellence

Daniel 6:3 NKJV

3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.

Daniel distinguished himself above everyone else because he had a sprit of excellence

Excellence doesn’t take money, education, or talent

I don’t leave my house in my pajamas

Unless it’s pajama day at school neither do my kids

I’m know I’m not on the cutting edge of fashion but I don’t wear sweatpants out of my house

I have a hard time wearing sweats to the gym lol

I do weird things when it comes to matching my clothes and socks and everything else

Say what you will but he’s a God of order

I don’t like my truck messy or my house or anything

I like things organized and put away

I don’t do all this stuff cause it’s my passion, I do it because I know if I don’t have a spirit of excellence I can’t expect you to either

I obviously haven’t perfected this but I have to lead myself first!

I’m just being me or I’m comfortable this way!

2 Timothy 4:2 NKJV

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Be ready!

Whether you don’t feel like it, you don’t think anyone is watching, be ready for whatever season life is throwing at you

Recap:

What people are looking for in you- Character, Competence, Consistency

Consistency is the prerequisite to being followable

Don’t be chronically inconsistent

Repeat good and you can lead

Make your decisions ahead of time

Have good habits - pay now or pay later it’s up to you

Take your emotions out of the equation

There’s no future in dumb- get smarter

Lead ourselves- be people of excellence

Be ready, be discipline, make the right decisions in season and out of season - Do it!