Leadership without meaning is meaningless. (Having no meaning; especially, lacking any significance).
I know, I can almost hear your thoughts… C’mon Patrick, that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever shared.’ Or, ‘Really? Everyone knows that!’ or ‘I’ve been thinking the same thing lately.’
But, don’t let me put words in your mouth or head. Let’s talk about this statement – Leadership without meaning is meaningless.
Over the last several weeks the heart of this statement keeps coming up in my life. Maybe this is simply God saying, “Patrick, get a clue my friend. What you do has to be completely integrated with – “Why” you do.”
I personally help facilitate Transformational Leadership Training; (by the way, check out our website and let’s schedule a training in your city, church or organization today –
www.transformlead.com ), and at the core of what we discuss and work through is our preoccupation with what we do.
Recently during one of our trainings I wrote down the following – “When we get caught up in our human doing it’s hard to enjoy our human being and recognize other human beings.”
Have you ever stepped back and asked someone or better yet, asked yourself – “why do I do what I do?”
This is a big deal. More often than not, whether it’s church life, family life, work life, serving others life, and even our just plain living life – that question has not been accurately answered. Because of that, we have many in leadership that do not lead from a place of purpose (why) they lead from a point of prominence (positional).
Everyone is called to leadership. Not everyone is a leader.
Someone said to me recently, ‘Question everything; If you don’t – you’ll get burned somewhere down the road.’ I don’t know if you’ll get burned, but you may become frustrated by the various surprises that we’ve never thought out or weighed in the balance.
Here are a few questions to start with –
• Why do I do what I do?
• What is the purpose behind this ____________?
• Why has this area of my ___________ (family, work, city, etc.) been neglected, abandoned or left without Godly, loving influence?
One of the core components of transformation is the heart. You. Me. In other words, all transformation begins with personal transformation. It’s a heart issue. Questions create alignment and understanding our purpose and why we do what we do will create alignment with the One who does everything on purpose.
In my desire to do ministry over the last 5 years through the vehicle of Marketplace Solutions – I have no doubt missed it on more than one occasion. How could that happen? Well, my motivations have not been questioned. In the end, I was trying to grow a platform for Patrick to be seen. Ministry is not about me being seen it’s about revealing the Father and glorifying Him. I wanted a ministry so that I could be relevant, or useful. Everyone wants that, but did I pause to find out what God wanted?
Ah, that’s the million dollar question. That’s the center point. Do we know what God wants? You see, the reason that leadership becomes meaningless is because we attempt to serve God based on good intentions. Unfortunately good intentions a just good enough to get us off the hook and miss God’s best at the same time.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” S. Johnson
Now you won’t go to hell for intentionally leading with good. That’s not what I’m saying. You may go through points of difficulty by leading with your own agenda.
There are two directions in leadership – either we’re moving toward God; or we’re moving away from God. If we’re moving toward God with any level of influence whatsoever, then those around us will move toward Him also. So, whether you’re a housewife, a CEO, a Pastor or a plain old ordinary Joe – God has called you into Purpose. God has called you to lead. God has put a unique form of communication in the hands of us – those who are created in His image – questions.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 7).
Here are a few final thoughts for this month. Each of us is called by God in and on purpose to influence and carry out responsibility. As we continue to seek first God’s heart in matters of this life we will become increasingly more responsible and carry greater influence wherever we go. It’s not something we enforce, it’s who we are. Our very character and nature is simply reflecting that of the designer, creator of the universe. Once we align with His original intent we can’t help but see transformation everywhere.
