Hard to See

I was driving home and listening to ESPN radio the other day and the talk show hosts were talking about a recent decision made by Mitch Kuptchak, the general manager of the LA Lakers. His choice was being over analyzed by countless outsiders as they debated his wisdom and ability to plan for the future. The best commentary was provided by a reporter calling in on one of the shows. He simply said, " It's easier to play Mitch Kupchak than it is to be Mitch Kupchak."

We often rush to make judgments on other people's decisions without understanding all of their reasoning. While it's true that people will sometimes make poor decisions (even with all the facts in hand) we still can't completely comprehend the weight of their thought process. I've discovered (especially in recent years) that leaders of healthy, successful organizations have to make difficult choices that may not be readily accepted or understood by everyone else.  Successfully leading an organization requires a great deal of vision and the ability to make tough decisions after weighing all the options. Leaders are willing to take a risk that will better their organization even if that isn't readily apparent to outsiders. We can choose to be overly critical of every move or show some grace to our leaders by trusting the careful thought & prayer they have invested in a difficult choice. It's a conscious choice to be an encouraging follower instead of a negative critic.