Leadership is Not Spun

Great discoveries are inspired by great leaders. Great leaders are inspired by knowing, understanding and encouragingly developing great people. Great people are inspired and led toward great discoveries.

Great leaders.  Hmf.   I've been trying to process the essence of great leaders, first, because I see so much poor leadership, and second because I feel I am called and designed to be a leader, and finally because I have found myself steeped in the examination of leadership and management as I participate in a wonderful class I have been taking.  Now before you stop reading or think my call to be a leader too prideful a statement, I believe we all are called and designed as leaders, every one of us!  I know this because if you place yourself in the opening circular thinking statements, you will discover  your personal movement around the circle.  If you pay attention, I believe you will realize the power of living comes as we learn and inspire, while inspiring more learning and inspiration in others.  I know also because I believe the statement is founded in gospel truth.

How I wish, I could speak of people like my President, Congress or national leaders as such, but alas many of them have lost connection to my opening volley.  I have worked with many wonderful visionaries and discoverers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  I discovered that leadership isn't rocket science, but is essential to rocket science.  The tasks and goals of exploration and accomplishment in space is complex, near impossible to achieve and wrought with risk and great cost.  Even the janitor could cause a loss of millions of dollars if not included in the discussion and scope of clean room practices where essential.  At JPL, leadership is everyone's job.

We have become a nation of looking for leadership heroes, relegating it to others while we ourselves have failed to launch, losing the call to leadership.  I truly believe that the forefathers of our nation not only were onto something steeped in truth, but led our nation as ones who saw leading it as public service rather than personal 'profit' and pride.  They understood that they together did not have the wisdom to lead, but trusted in The One who could impart such unearthly wisdom.  The One who raises and deposes leaders for His kingdom, the kingdom of God.

Great leaders understand they must be first to sacrifice.  Great sacrifice is knowing that great people are developed through endurance.  Great endurance moves great people to become great leaders.

I stand here humbled.  I would remain frozen in fear as I ponder great leadership as I see how short I fall from the mark.  My call to inspire those around me to all rise like a hawk catching the thermals flying in the circles of leadership is daunting.  If it were not for the fantastic 'unknown to most', high quality leaders placed in my life, and my willingness to learn from them, I would still be standing frozen in fear of my call.  But I'm not, and my hope is you, who read this, will be moved to join me.  

I have a college degree, and had the blessing and honor of inspiring young hearts toward discovery in my classrooms.  My fifteen years career of teaching has seemingly come to an end in this enduring, struggling economy.  I find myself now working for less pay than my own two boys who do not have college degrees as a part-time salesman for a national home improvement center (the better of the two you might think of, and this hint should be sufficient).  And yet, you may wonder how I can have the inspiration and positive attitude continually displayed in this blog?

It is because I believe I fit in the statements I posited in bold text earlier, before you.  Leadership is not 'spun', it inspires many to get things done.  It begins and ends with sacrifice, and costs everything.  Where do you fit in my circular thinking?  Have you, like so many leaders stepped outside the circle, thinking you know better?  What are you going to do about where you are standing?  Why don't you think of yourself as a leader? And finally, will we all join together following our great leader, God, to great discoveries and meaningful ways?