6. What are you looking for?

To become a great leader you must expect things in your organization to turn out well.
You must be on a look-out for great results.

A baseball player doesn’t catch a flyball by having his glove in his back pocket.
Neither will you be able to “catch” greater sales or greater influence by not being in a continual state of expectation.

“If you commit to the Lord everything that you do, your plans will succeed”
Proverbs 16:3

You must make a commitment to look through the clutter of life and anticipate a victorious conclusion.
We need to anticipate positive results from the well-thought out decisions that we have made.

Results come from our expectations.

Don’t let challenges or controversy distract you and cloud your vision.

Expect big things and you’ll receive big things.

5. Watching Out for Your Crew

“Before you become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. After you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
Jack Welch

Your team is the anchor to your success.
You were not made to do life by yourself.
You need their support to help carry out your assignment in life.

Jesus had a great team.
He had 12 men to help Him reach the world.

We should be able to recognize and appreciate each member of our team.
We have to take the time to be aware of the value that they each bring to the table.

The team is looking for a leader that they can trust.
They want to be celebrated when they do well.
They want to be encouraged when they mess up.

Reward them with kind words or small tokens of gratitude.

“None of us is as smart as all of us”
Ken Blanchard

Value your team and then you will reap the benefits.

4. Stay Committed

Staying in line with your mission and purpose is critical.
Even being out-numbered, a leader must remain committed to what they believe is the best course of action.

Too often times we think that the “majority” rules, simply because of the numerical significance.
This may ring true on occasion but it is not always the case.

Large numbers have a way of being a distraction.

Sometimes the majority sides with the most popular choice, not necessarily the most advantageous selection for all parties involved.

You have to be willing to commit yourself and stand alone, if necessary.

“Commitment in the face of conflict produces character”

If you can stay committed, even in the most uncomfortable situations, you can make a great impact in your world.

3. Make a Declaration

As a leader you should know the purpose and meaning to why you do what you do.
You should feel confident in what your mission statement stands for.

There may be people or situations that come up that will try to shut you down.
They might speak of your shortcomings, your inexperience, and your mistakes.
Fear will try to creep in and wire your mouth shut.

You need to know who you are and what you are here to do.
You need to know what direction you are to lead your family, company or ministry.

When you are standing on a solid foundation, you can declare your vision for all to hear.

After you have sought God through prayer, wait for Him to show you His will.
When He does, move forward.
Armed with faith in Him and confidence in His cause, you can make a bold declaration in His name.

Don’t be afraid to speak up.
He’s listening.

2. Know Your Stuff

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles to it”
Margaret Fuller

To be a leader of influence, you must always be on top of your game.
People are listening to what you are saying, and then they are watching to see if what you say is the truth.

Do you know what you’re talking about?

You must prepare and equip yourself with the proper tools which are necessary for success.
You may not have the talent to do every task but you should have enough knowledge to understand what it all means and how it affects your organization.

Show an example of being up-to-date on current trends in your industry.
Read books, blogs, articles and papers. Anything you can get your hands on.

Go to seminars, conferences and conventions.
Get a coach, mentor or big brother.
Never stop learning.

Your team is depending on you.

This series is about helping you to be the leader that you were meant to be.

1. Maintain integrity

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful.”
Edward Murrow

Our character and reputation are on the line daily.
We must do whatever it takes to not put ourselves in jeopardy.
Being a leader means that we must sacrifice ourselves for the good of our team.

Maintaining our integrity means that display it by our actions and choices, not just by merely saying a few words that sound good in the ears of our listeners.

We must maintain focus on the desired goal of our organization, despite the obstacles and temptations that come up.

There may be challenges concerning personnel or cash flow.
You may even be tempted to cut some corners.
You don’t have to lie. You don’t have to cheat.
You can do things the right way.
The people that you lead should be able to see a clear example of integrity in all situations.

Your example shines the light on the path to greatness.