Leadership: Following Is A Key To Success

Recently I was headed for Charles De Gaul Airport in Paris. Know that this is a scary proposition, driving in Paris. There are ring roads, streets, avenues, “peripheries" and a lot more. Tie that to 2.5 million Frenchmen and you have a white knuckle driving challenge. Not only that, I needed to bring the rental car back full of petrol, without any idea of where there those services might be found.

Judy, my wife, with map in one hand and GPS in another was my co-pilot. Needless to say, this little travail was going to test our 52 years of wedded bliss. I knew I was close and needed a third strategy. Voila! Two big empty tour buses blew by me; headed for the airport, no doubt. So I decided they would know the best route, and I followed them. The story has a happy ending...We made our flight.

So what is the message in all of this about Leadership? Here is the nugget I gleaned: Follow someone who knows where they are going, has been there before, and is dedicated to the same goals that you are.

Seldom do leaders create new directions out of whole cloth. Whether we are talking about family leadership, corporate, non-profit ministry, church, or even personal direction, when we lead successfully, the process is composed of many elements. Where those elements originate and how they are coalesced, communicated, and demonstrated determine the quality of leadership and the degree of success in achieving any goal.

Let’s apply this thinking to finances. First, the best source of guidance can be found in the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit in its application to our individual lives and situation. Here we follow a “perfect” winner.

Next, we go to experts who follow the same leader and bring the wisdom of experience to the process. Finally, we learn from, follow, those who have successfully been where we want to go.  

Leadership becomes much easier and with greater impact when we follow these three steps of Leadership:

1. Follow God’s principles and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
2. Follow the wisdom that comes from experience.
3. Follow those who have successfully done what you are called to do.

There are many more pieces to the Leadership puzzle. Following these will make it a lot easier.

Let me know your thoughts and comments. Our dialogue continues.

Living this journey together.

Bruce