Mature leaders are the men and women who have fought in the battles, seen wars end and have come across the finish line stronger than when they started.
We all have the chance to become a mature leader someday. Whether we like it or not the battles will come, the wars will rage and the races will come upon you. You must start preparing now for these things. You must realize at this point that you have what it takes and you are ready to accept the training.
Whatever it may look like and from whoever it may come from…
QUOTE ANDY STANLEY
Andy Stanley said it very well in his book “The Principle of the Path“:
“We don’t drift in good directions. We discipline and prioritize ourselves there.”
Young leaders, both men and women, have so much potential these days. Just take a moment and think about all of the technology, all of the resources and all of the education. I’ve heard it many times that there is more opportunity now than ever before!
I know that all sounds good and people can say what they want, but I believe there is a lot of opportunity out there, but it must be approached in the right way. This is where the quote from Andy Stanley comes into play. Opportunities are, most likely, not just going to fall into your lap. They must be well thought out and drawn out in some sort of direction or path. And you must be strong enough to stay disciplined on this path and make it a priority over and over again. The whole idea of “the newness is fading” must become an attitude of the past.
So what leadership opportunity are you facing and not taking the proper action on?
MY PERSPECTIVE AND MY ACTION
“I’m 24 and I don’t need any help.”
This was an easy quote of mine going back about 5 years ago. I would walk around thinking pretty highly about myself. I was new into the big world and “green” in the workforce. This should have been the last thing I said to myself or anyone else. My time of reckoning was coming and fast.
Up to this point I didn’t take leaders above me seriously and I rarely thought they knew what they were talking about. I was drifting as Andy said in his quote and the direction I was headed, well, was not a good one.
As I rolled up to my 25th year my focus at work started to slip, my marriage started falling apart and my relationships started to diminish. What was happening? Who are these people to lead me astray? Then I realized, I was only leading myself astray. I was the one leading myself down a dark and bumpy road, not everyone else. I needed help and I knew it.
I consulted in a Church friend of mine and asked him for advice. For the first time I started to listen. I started to recognize my drifting ways. I realized that I didn’t have all the answers and that I needed to start listening to mature leaders. To those men and women who had been in the hunt for so many more years than me. It was time for some discipline and a change of priorities…
MOVING ON AND BUILDING MATURITY
In the years since the story above, I have learned and continue to learn many things from smart and mature leaders. Yes, there are those things that I don’t like and likely won’t use again, but there are many useful tools that I have gained and use often. Let me share a few of them with you.
Here are 5 ways young leaders can become mature leaders.
1) Recognize your youth and immaturity as an opportunity.
2) Be willing to listen better than speaking.
3) Ask good questions often. Don’t let fear control you.
4) Stay disciplined on your path and keep it a priority.
5) Discuss ideas with God often and keep Him central.
So again what leadership opportunities are you facing and not taking the proper action on?
Share one thing that you have learned from a mature leader or mentor over your years? Share in the comments below.
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