The Energy of a Leader

Bill Hybels said, A leaders greatest asset is their energy and their ability to energize others." I wrote that down while listening to Bill speak at Global Leadership Summit in 2012. It's a great thought - a true statement. I've always considered it from the perspective of, "how am I energizing others"? I've also considered how I'm using my energy or thought about what really needs my energy.

A few months ago I welcomed my beautiful little girl into the world, Quinn. She is my second kiddo around the house. My wife and I also have an eighteen month old named Chandler. Bringing Quinn home has been a massive change. Two kids under two is tough work. It's rewarding, but difficult. Needless to say this stage of life can really wear a guy out. Late nights, early mornings, screaming kids, running after a little boy who seems to have an endless motor, it's quite the whirlwind sometimes. Tack on some insurance challenges, hospital bills, a flooded basement, other general "life stuff", and it all can get just a little exhausting. You know what else has been interesting about this time? I have really felt like an ineffective leader.

It may seem a bit obvious, right? You might be thinking, "well sure when you're busy it's hard to be effective". It just really clicked with me this week that there is another approach to Bills's statement about leadership energy. Maybe I should be asking, "how am I renewing or protecting my greatest asset (energy)"? Or possibly I could ask, "how am I investing in my greatest asset". It really changes my perspective. If you lack energy, you lack your greatest asset as a leader. It's difficult to energize others when you don't have any to give.

Life is full of seasons that come and go. Sometimes we'll simply be in a busy or challenging one and the best we can do is recognize it, adjust the best we can, and know that things will change in time. Despite this, I think leaders should spend more time investing, protecting, and developing their greatest leadership asset. Don't simply think about how you'll use your energy, think about how you'll get energy.

Some ideas:

1. Leaders should eat well. Choosing to eat well can help boost and sustain our energy. A good diet is a  leadership investment.

2. Leaders should exercise. Exercise raises our energy level and our endurance.

3. Leaders need to sleep. Without quality sleep we'll lack the energy to be effective.

4. Leaders should relax and recharge. When you're running on "empty" you won't be effective.

5. Leaders must know and practice activities that energize them. What are your hobbies?

6. Leaders should know and spend time with the people that energize them. Consider your relationships as part of your leadership ability. Who energizes you? Who drains you? Choose wisely.

Even in a season of challenge and busyness, I'm going to work more intentionally at investing in my energy resource. What are your thoughts? How do you view energy and it's relationship to leadership? What energizes you?

Pray For Boston

Why do these things happen? How can we prevent them?

More laws possibly. More security measures.

We need change, yes. Real change takes real work. I mean actual, real, work.

The only way any of this changes - the only way we reverse course - is for each of us to do some work.

We can send "our thoughts", tweet about change, and ask questions all day long but it doesn't really change anything. These aren't bad things I suppose. Awareness is important. Actual change, though, will never take place until we actually do work.

So if Sandy Hook, the Boston Marathon, the Aurora Theater, or any number of smaller scale but equally senseless acts of violence make you passionate for change, funnel that passion towards action.

What should you do? Something - anything really. Volunteer at your church. Get involved in your community. Go read at the elementary school. Mentor a kid.

Nothing will change - nothing will get better - unless we all do some real work.

Change is hard work and it starts with us doing whatever we can in our own circle of influence. It starts with each person taking some sort of tangible action.

How could you change the local community? Go do it.

I Could Do Better

"People don't resist change. They resist being changed!" -Peter Senge

I'm sitting here this morning at a coffee shop with a mug of coffee (no paper cups) and my laptop. It's a little foggy outside, but I'm anticipating a beautiful day ahead. This place, aside from the shower, is where I do my best thinking and get the most energy. I often read in these times. Sometimes I work on things for my consulting company. This morning I spent some time considering how I could be better.

When was the last time your asked yourself that question? How could I be better? Or, for those of us that have faith, what might God want me to change to become better?

I'll tell you this, it's a loaded question. Change is hard work. Yesterday evening I was discussing this topic with some friends and discovered all sorts of wisdom. For example, when it comes to change, what we often want is the end result but not the work. I think that's what makes most of us adverse to change - the work. It's another time when our convenience culture really doesn't serve us well. Whether our change is weight loss, better grades, treating people better, or adjusting certain behaviors, there is always work involved in change. Although if it was easy than everyone would do it (or that's what people tell me anyway).

Respected author Andy Law wrote, "Unless you are prepared to give up something valuable you will never be able to truly change at all, because you'll be forever in the control of things you can't give up." That's a tough one to swallow. Another author I like to follow is Marshall Goldsmith, a well respected executive coach who has helped develop some of the most successful people today. This is the guy you hire when you're already the executive of a fortune 500 company you still want to grow further. In his book, "Mojo", he writes, "After living with their dysfunctional behavior for so many years (a sunk cost if ever there was one), people become invested in defending their dysfunctions rather than changing them." Yup... nail on the head Mr. Marshall.

I'm convicted this morning about the habits, behaviors, and beliefs I've become more invested in defending that interested in changing. I put forth effort and energy to preserve the status quo instead of putting that effort towards developing both my weakness and strength areas. And then there is my pride, which is the giant elephant in the room. Ugh, that stupid attribute I wish we all could just switch off sometimes. It's hard to admit that these areas I've become so invested in defending, even if it's simply self justification, must change. 

Ultimately I'm renewed in my resolve this morning. What that resolve will turn into is probably a simple matter of discipline and choice. A matter of reflection, identification, and flat out hard work. After all, no one ever said change was easy. Well, accept for those magic diet pills.

Hebrews 12:1