Follow That Leader

Jimmy Fallon has revolutionized The Tonight Show. He has gained a loyal following while adding a new dimension to a television standard that has existed for decades. In a short period of time he has boosted ratings while becoming one of the most coveted appearances for actors.

Jimmy has convinced actors to take part in ridiculous contests that bring embarrassment, pies in the face, and being soaked with water. They will enthusiastically lip sync to all genres of songs, inhale helium to read things, and take risks that could potentially reveal weaknesses in their talents. Even though they know this potential exists they still love to be on his show. 

How does he get them to do this? How is he persuasive enough that they will willingly engage in such frivolous activities? I don't think there is a magic formula, but I believe Jimmy exhibits certain qualities that make this is a reality: 

• He never asks them to do something he won't do himself.
• He laughs at himself as much as they laugh together.
• He has earned credibility through consistent character. 
• He is a genuinely nice guy which is refreshing in a place of pretension.
• He takes risks which are aimed at engaging the audience and never at ridiculing anyone.
• He trusts the team around him even when their ideas seem outlandish.
• He obviously has fun at what he does and doesn't take himself too seriously.

These qualities make for a good late night show, but I think they make for a pretty good leader as well. 

That'll Be Our Little Secret

When I was younger I would periodically watch PBS and the Bob Ross show, "The Joy of Painting." I realize that may not sound very appealing to some people, but there was a certain specialness to Bob. He was very calming and had the tremendous ability to make a blank canvas into a masterpiece of nature. He would start with his palette of colors and in 25 short minutes end up with a beautiful natural landscape. 

Bob became a cultural icon due to his painting prowess (and awesome hair) but also his leadership skills. He had a way of making painting look easy enough that I could do it. His descriptions and demeanor actually made me believe that I could paint something like he did even though I never picked up a brush. Bob's teaching style was encouraging and even though you were watching someone paint it was engaging. 

That's what good leaders do. They have the ability to lead people through processes and inspire them to believe they can be successful. 

Prep Time

I once read an article about Peyton Manning, NFL quarterback, and his thoughts on his role. He said there were times after a game when he wished he had made a better decision at a particular moment, but he never wished that he had prepared more. Peyton's message was that he always prepared effectively even if his execution wasn't perfect.

I am certain that my execution in my role will not always be perfect. This is true whether I'm describing my parenting, teaching, leading, or pastoring. I will most certainly stumble and make mistakes, but I can focus on being as prepared as possible. I can be sure to pray intentionally, meditate carefully, read voraciously, and examine myself daily as I work to prepare for whatever may come my way. I don't want my regrets to be based in laziness.

Real Success

"It doesn't matter how much money you have when you die, how many people know your name, or what position you held. If you never got around to doing and being what your destiny is, then all you were was a successful failure." Tony Evans

We can accomplish many things, but if we aren't following our calling we're missing out. We can have a great resume, but if we fail to lead our families towards Christ we've missed the real objective. It's not that we aren't successful, but that we aren't successful where we're supposed to be.

The Long Haul

I was thinking this morning about my children and trying to help them as they move through this next phase of life. The truth is that I sometimes struggle with what to do as a parent and the best way to help them. I feel the tension of dealing with current problems while trying to do what will help them best in the long run at the same time.

That's really one of the most difficult parts of leading--making choices that affect more than the immediate moment. We can pretend to make decisions that are only for the current situation, but the truth is the impact is longer lasting than that. Sadly, I haven't always realized this and have ended up causing more damage than good. My responses in the short-term have not always created the best long-term impact. It's not always easy to balance the immediate need for response and the desire to do what is best for the long-term, big picture.

I know that we won't always get it right, but if we can at least understand that principle we stand a better chance of making the correct decision most of the time. 

Manly Focus

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom and his tongue speaks what is just. 

The law of God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. Psalm 37:30-31

These verses describe the man that I want to become. It speaks well of the character of a godly man that is intent on following God's design for his life. It reminds me to use my words in the best way possible without inflicting harm while dealing with difficult situations when needed. These verses remind me that unless I am firmly rooted in God's truth, I am liable to fall from grace and damage people around me. I am only able to stand securely when I do so through the strength of God's great word and His faithful promises to me.

I have committed these verses to memory so that I can constantly review them throughout the day and gauge my focus and progress. If I am unwilling to reevaluate my growth, then it's obvious that I'm not truly interested in transformation. I dream of a community where the men would commit themselves to the power contained in these two verses. Imagine the incredible difference we could make if these became our driving force for leading in our families, the church, and in our community.

At Bat

I saw online this morning that my beloved NY Mets are changing hitting coaches once again. They
fired the first coach about halfway through this season and promoted the guy they let go yesterday. When you compare the team's batting results under both coaches they are very similar.

These parallel statistics could point to the ineffectiveness of both men to identify problems and communicate solutions. It could also be very revealing about the players they are attempting to improve. Perhaps the issue isn't with the coaching philosophy, but the talent and focus of the players they are working to help. If they continue to bring in hitting coaches and see the same results it might hint of a problem that isn't related to leadership or instruction.

At some point, a leader is doing the best they can with what they have. The results may not be at the level that is hoped for, but changing the leader may not elevate the level of performance either.

On the Job Training

I want to be an effective leader in my family, personal life, and in ministry. I know that leadership is one of my gifts and yet I'm also very aware of the need to develop that gift. There are ridiculous amounts of materials available to help, but some of the longest-lasting lessons are the ones that are learned in action. There are simply some things that are best taught by experience-whether it's the satisfaction of a good decision or careful analysis after a poor choice. The life lessons learned in our successes and missteps are recalled most quickly and have the longest lasting impact on our future decisions.

While there is merit in learning to lead, at some point you need to lead to learn. 

Tough Questions

I am preparing to preach this coming Sunday as we wrap up our "Man Up" series at Northridge. I am teaching on David as King and the example that he sets for us in how to lead the right way. In the midst of my preparation I wrote down two important questions for leaders--queries that made me carefully evaluate my own leadership. 

1. Why are you leading?

• What is your motivation?
• Are you self-serving or selfless

This answer will influence all of your decisions--especially the tough ones.

2. What is life like for those under your leadership?

• How would others describe the way you lead?
• What words would your spouse use to describe how you lead in your home?
• How is your attitude influencing your children? It is impacting them regardless of your intentions.

Caring leaders give thought to how those they lead are affected by their efforts. It's an honest assessment that is necessary for growth.