Thursday; May 26

Have you thought about what it takes to be a leader in the midst of crisis? Just about anyone is willing to lead when things are going well, but it takes a special kind of person to step up in when things are going crazy. This isn’t just the case when our own decisions created problems, crisis leadership is especially necessary when the crisis (or crises) aren’t of our own doing.

I bring this up because we are living in a world in crisis. We are not in the best of times – not even close. Yet, that doesn’t mean that we can sit back and fuss about how bad things are. Some of us have to step up and be leaders! As I thought about this, I remembered something the Apostle Paul wrote as he reflected on his life, “… one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14). Now, I realize that Paul’s words relate directly to his own personal struggles, but what if we applied a similar mindset to leadership in crisis. It is tempting to look back and see the good times or even look around and see the bad times – but what would happen if we looked ahead and envisioned the best of times? Are we willing to adjust our focus to see a time when good will triumph and things will get better?

Leadership often demands that we play a role that speaks of victory and success – even when they seem far off. Are we willing to take on that mindset to help others imagine hope?

Think About It!

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