The Leadership Drop Podcast
This is a podcast for Pastors, leaders, and anyone who wants to grow to be all that God has called them to be.
The Leadership Drop Podcast
Mastering the Craft of Leadership: Seeing Before, Seeing More
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Ready to unravel the intricate universe of leadership? Ever wondered how leaders create a compelling vision and turn challenges into golden opportunities? Buckle up, because we're about to embark on an enlightening journey exploring these very facets. Drawing parallels from the life of Joshua, a revered leader from the Old Testament, we delve into the critical role of a leader in defining reality and crafting a future that triggers progress. You'll discover how leaders, like you or the ones you aspire to be, transform hurdles into prospects and how their knack for problem-solving strengthens their credibility.
The Life of a Leader
Speaker 1Welcome to the Leadership Drop podcast . In each episode , Pastor Jackie , along with selected guests from time to time , aimed to drop some leadership insights that are designed to help you thrive , Whether you're leading a church , a business , a team , a family or simply yourself . So lean in , listen , laugh and learn as we drop some leadership truth , and watch out for that leadership mic drop moment . Let's go .
Speaker 2Hey guys , today in our Leadership Drop podcast , we want to talk a little bit about the life of a leader . What does it look like ? What's the inside picture of the life of a leader ? You may be a leader and you live with these dynamics and these are just affirming to you . You may be on the outside looking at leaders in your organization and wondering what do they live with , what do they struggle with and what are they doing , and so I want to give you , from an Old Testament example , the example of a person by the name of Joshua , a kind of an inside picture to the life of a leader . So let's get started .
Speaker 2Here's some leadership thoughts concerning the life of a leader . First of all , leaders live with this weight that is required of them to define reality and constantly paint a preferred future . Joshua in the Old Testament certainly had to do that . He had to let children of Israel know I know you like it in the wilderness , but it's not as good as you think it is and there's something better out there . I think the baseline level of leadership is we have to constantly be defining what is and painting a picture of what could be , so defining reality . Sometimes we just get to the place that we live with the status quo . We like it where we are . In the children of Israel's story in the Old Testament , as Joshua was taking over leadership from a great guy by the name of Moses , he had to say hey , listen , guys , time out . God didn't call us from Egypt to live in the desolate land of the wilderness . He called us to go into a land flowing with milk and honey . And so , in the organization that you're leading , you may think , well , it's okay , but it's not great . I'm currently working on a sermon series and even have a little book idea in my head about living on the right side of the river .
Speaker 2And many times we find ourselves as organizations living on the wrong side of the river . I mean , we're getting by , we're paying our bills , we're meeting our low expectations of profit margins , but , man , we're not excelling . Nobody's writing stories about us and we're not being talked about around the water cooler on Monday morning . So let's understand that incumbent upon us as leaders is to define the reality . That means we have to be blatantly honest with ourselves . We have to say , listen , the organization we lead is okay , but it's not where it needs to be , craig Crochelle said many years ago , I heard him say that I used to say our people wouldn't do this . But after I've been there long enough , I have to say I haven't led our people to do this . And so you're the leader . You determine the direction of the organization . Are you living as an organization on the right side of the river ? Are you living in the wilderness , just getting by , or in the promised land , the land flowing of milk and honey ?
Speaker 2I'm from the great state of Oklahoma . As we record this podcast , we're getting ready to play the University of Texas in the Red River rivalry . In Oklahoma , we think we live on the right side of the river , we live north of the river and we live where college football championships abound At least they used to . But one of the things I appreciate about my home state is the license plate of our home state . For years , I think it probably still says this . It says Oklahoma is okay . I always laugh when I see that it's like I love my people . They know we're not great , we're not amazing , we're just okay . And it could be that you lead an organization right now . That's just okay , and you need to define that reality and then you need to start painting a preferred future . Also , with that , think about the life of the leader .
Speaker 2The leaders are the ones that define vision and then they defend vision . My job as the leader of the organization I lead is to define the vision . Here's the next mountain we're going to climb , and then , when you define the vision , there'll be all kinds of people that want to attack the vision . It was true , in Joshua's day there were people who said we can't do this . We should stay where we're at . The giants are too big . They're too large . We can't take the land . And Joshua , under the leadership , I believe , of the Holy Spirit , define the vision . We're going to conquer the land . And then he had to defend the vision . We're going to do it at all costs . Your vision for where you are going should be greater than any adversity that you face . Let me say that again a little more clearly your vision for where you and your organization is going should be greater and stronger than any adversity you face . You should be as the leader , this insurmountable or inmovable force that you are . You are a movement of God and you're taking an organization from where it is to where it ought to be .
Speaker 2Leaders also see obstacles as opportunities . This is huge . Joshua came on the scene and he had a problem to solve . They were on the wrong side of the river . They needed to get on the right side of the river .
Speaker 2Everybody needs to understand that leadership is just one problem away from success . I often tell guys that come into organizations or come into churches and they're leading and immediately there's opposition , or maybe not opposition , maybe there's just a problem . They've got a building problem , they've got a financial problem , they have a problem to solve . Can I tell you , as a leader , a problem to solve is a gold mine for a leader , because when you solve that problem , you earn leadership points that you can pay forward for the next mountain that God wants you to climb in your church , your organization , your team , your school . Mike Tyson said famously everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face . I get it . We get sometimes , as leaders , punched in the face , but we encounter problems . Problems are our friends if we see them as an opportunity to overcome an obstacle and prove ourselves as leaders .
Speaker 2Leaders define reality , paint a preferred future . Leaders define the vision and then they defend the vision . Leaders see obstacles as opportunities and leaders understand the importance of systems and structures as you study the life of the nation of Israel , you'll find that they started to put the plan together . I mean , that wasn't haphazard . They decided who needed to go first through the Jordan River . Let's send the priest with the Ark . They decided which tribes would follow . They decided a strategy for defeating the city of Jericho , which they thought was insurmountable . It was an odd , strange strategy Walk around it , you know , seven days and shout , and the walls would come down . But it was a God given strategy and they had a system and a strategy for success . And as a leader , it's incumbent upon you to have a system , a structure and a strategy for success .
Speaker 2So let's delve in a little deeper now into the life of a leader . First of all , what does the leader need from God ? I think that's an important question . As I'm leading my business , as I'm leading my organization . What do I need from God ?
Leader's Needs and People's Needs
Speaker 2Joshua and Joshua 1 , verse 6 and 9 , let me just take the time to read it here from the scriptures . It says be strong and courageous , for you will distribute the land I swore to your ancestors to give as an inheritance . Above all , be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction . My servant Moses commanded you Do not turn from it to the right or left , so that you will have success wherever you go . This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth . You are to meditate on it day and night , so that you may be carefully observant of everything written in it , for then you will prosper and succeed in what you do . Haven't I commanded you ? Be strong and courageous , do not be afraid or discouraged , for the Lord , your God , is with you wherever you go .
Speaker 2As a leader , I need two or three things from God . I need a divine purpose . I need to God , for God to give me my marching orders , and God did that for Joshua . You will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give as an inheritance . So I need marching orders . I need to get a word from God . I need to get along with God , get a word from God and have a divine purpose . Men , as I step out and as you step out as a leader , you need some divine promises .
Speaker 2Verse seven and eight says , above all , be strong and courageous . To observe carefully the whole instruction . Do not turn to the right or the left . Meditate on God's word day and night . I need to lean and trust on those divine promises that God has in his word , promises that God has for all of us that we can do exceedingly , abundantly . Above all , that we think are asked that my God is able to provide all our needs according to his riches and glory , according to Christ Jesus . That the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church of the Lord Jesus . All of these are promises that we need to bank on , that he gives us in the word . But perhaps the most important promise and the third thing that we need , as a leader from God is not only divine purpose and divine promises , but while we need his divine presence .
Speaker 2I love how verse nine ends . It says for the Lord , your God , is with you wherever you go . And so , as a leader man , you can trust God to make the big changes . You can trust God to take the big risk . You can trust God to step into the river when it's flowing and believe that God will stop the flow of the water . You can trust God that when you walk around the walls of Jericho , which seems insurmountable and impenetrable , that God is gonna be with you .
Speaker 2And in the lonely times and here's the thing about leadership the more successful you become as a leader , the more isolated you become . It seems contradictory , but it's true . The larger your organization is that you lead as a leader , the more isolated the primary leader becomes , and it's just part of the life of the leader . But know that you're not completely isolated , that God is with you , that you have his presence , and so , as we look into the life of a leader kind of an inside picture what does the leader need from God ? But when he also had to ask the question , what does the people need from the leader In our organization ?
Speaker 2As we look at our staff and our people I'm looking at a couple of our staff members right now as we're filming this and taping this podcast what do they need from me as a leader ? First of all , I think you'll look at Joshua one . I think they need direction . I think they need direction In verse 10 , it says and Joshua commanded the officers of the people go through the camp , tell the people get provisions ready for yourselves , for within three days you'll be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord , your God , is giving you to inherit it . They need direction . People need okay . Here's the plan and here's what we're gonna do , and here's how we're gonna do it .
Speaker 2It's not many times . It's not that the people in our organizations don't want to do what we want to do , it's that they don't know what we want to do . Leaders I say this often , but leaders see before and they must see more . Write that out . Leaders see before and they must see more . So the leader of the organization he always sees before it happens . That's called leadership , and then they also always see more of the possibilities of what can happen .
Speaker 2One of the curses of leadership I say to our team often this as well one of the curses of leadership is we can never afford to just live in the now . We have to always live in the next . And so I'll give you an example . This past week at our church , we hosted the first annual SB awards . It's a spin off ESPN's SB awards . It's excellence in service performance yearly and we're celebrating the amazing , awesome volunteers we have in our church , and our team did an extraordinary job pulling it off . It was amazing . We had custom tennis shoes made for the winners of each award . We created some traditions around some people , the heroes that we created and celebrated . The food was amazing . We had a harpist there that played , the atmosphere was like spot on . Our team did an incredible job , pulling off the first annual ESPN's , and the only thing rolling through my mind on Sunday night is how in the world are we going to do this better next year ?
Speaker 2Because , as a leader , I can't afford just to live in the now . I'm already thinking about the next , and that's part of leadership . And so your people need you to be out front . What do your people , what are the people in your organization need from you as a leader ? They need direction , and we talked about this in a recent podcast and if you haven't listened to it , I hope you'll go back and pick it up , the podcast on delegation . They need you to delegate . They need you to say okay , here's what I want you to do , here's what I need you to do . And then they need from you dependability , and they need you to know that you're going to be there with them , that you're going to not change the goalpost in the middle of the game . They need dependability .
Speaker 2Finally , as we delve into the life of the leader for just a few moments , what the leader needs from God , what the people need from the leader , but also what the leader needs from the people . Look at verse 16 of chapter one of Joshua . Just listen as I read . It says they answered Joshua , everything you have commanded us , we will do . I love this as a leader . Man , this is gold . Everything you have commanded us , we will do and everywhere you send us , we will go , we will obey you . It says . Man , I love that . I love the fact that the people were supportive of a leader that was worthy of their support . I get it .
Speaker 2I understand not every leader in every organization is necessarily worthy of the supportive people . I get it . I understand that some people say well , pastor or preacher or boss , I'm not going to be a yes man , and I understand that we want healthy conflict and opposition to ideas inside our team . But I also say you don't need to become known as the no man or the no woman on our team . Also , it's okay I heard this recently it's okay to ask questions . If you're in the organization , as you're relating to the leader , it's okay to ask questions . Listen to this , though it's not okay to have a questioning spirit , and you know the difference and we see it and we identify it .
Speaker 2So I like to say don't be a hater , be an elevator . You know , don't pull down the leader . Lift up the leader . The leader is going to need your loyalty . He's going to need your prayerfulness . It says in verse 17 , we will obey you just as we have obeyed Moses and everything . Certainly , the Lord will be with you , as he was with Moses . I think that we're praying God be with Joshua . We're praying for our leader , we're supportive of our leader . But also the leader deserves to be accountable .
Speaker 2The Bible says in verse I think verse 18 says anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him will be put to death . I have that on a wall in my office . I show it to our staff often . If anybody does not do what I say , he shall be put to death .
Speaker 2I'm joking , but the principle here if we kind of scan out and look through the New Testament lens , the principle is here is that the people have a responsibility to be accountable for their actions and for their work and for what you do inside the organizations , and leaders must be accountable to those who have authority under them and above them . I like to say if you're too big to take orders , you're probably too big to give orders , and so there's a mutual accountability . Leaders must be to those they aspire to be like . They must be to those who they aspire to be like . And so if I want the people in my organization , if I look in the life of myself as a leader , if I want the people in my organization to be accountable to me , I need to be accountable certainly to God , but in our context , I need to be accountable to our elders . I need to be accountable to a peer group that can speak into me in a healthy way to hold me accountable and listen .
Speaker 2I hope you've kind of enjoyed kind of a strange look at leadership , kind of peek into the life of a leader , and I hope that this has helped you , both as a leader but also as someone who has a leader over them in their organization and how you relate to them , what the leader needs from God , what the leader needs from the people that he leads , and what the people need from a leader . It's been a great time . It's been a great moment . We always look for those leadership drop hashtag might drop moments in the leadership drop podcast , and so until next time .
Speaker 1Thanks for listening to the leadership drop podcast . Be sure to like , subscribe
Leaders See Before, See More
Speaker 1and share . In case you missed it , here's our might drop moment .
Speaker 2I say this often , but leaders see before and they must see more . Write that out Leaders see before and they must see more . So the leader of the organization , he always sees before it happens . That's called leadership . And then they also always see more of the possibilities of what can happen . One of the curses of leadership I say to our team often this as well One of the curses of leadership is we can never afford to just live in the now , we have to always live in the next . This is the second . Thank you guys doing great . Great week , mike prayer .