THE BUCK STOPS HERE!

Many of us are familiar with president Truman's famous phrase "the buck stops here".  The phrase refers to the fact that the President has to make the decisions and accept the ultimate responsibility for those decisions

I good sign of a great leader is that he or she will assume the responsibility  for the ultimate success or failure of an endeavor. I am so sick and tired of the fault blaming game. A good leader knows how and when to listen to people's opinions, views, feelings, but ultimately he or she will have to make a final decision based on good conscience and the welfare of everyone, not just him or her self.

Final decisions may not be popular or agreeable with everybody else's but in the end we need to grow up and act as true leaders. This implies that on ocassions we may have to apologize and correct the course of action. Never is too late.

THE FEAR FACTOR

Many of us very likely remember the reality show "The Fear Factor". In that show contestants had to face three levels of stunts (fears) before they could claim victory and receive the big bucks. Some of the stunts where honestly disgusting and hard to overcome.

In the last few days I have been thinking that fear of the know and unknown is one of the biggest deterrents a potential leader will ever face. Some of these fears may grow to the level of "phobias" which may completely paralyze an individual.

The first honest think to do is to acknowledge those areas where fear has paralyzed us for years. Then, we need to start facing each one of them with an opposite attitude...that is COURAGE. As we go through this process, we should not be ashamed of enlisting the help of friends and allies to help us overcome our areas of fear.

In the end every leader has to understand that unless they overcome their fears, they will never attain their ultimate goals and the dreams stored in their hearts.

If there is a theme than constantly repeats itself many times in the word of God (the Bible)  is DO NOT FEAR!. Variants of this theme are BE STRONG! BE COURAGEOUS! HAVE FAITH!.

TIME TO RETHINK

A good leader has the ability to stop in the middle of busy-ness and turmoil and "rethink" where he or she is going.

In these modern busy and so distracting days we live in, it is so easy to get side tracked by extreme activity, anxiety, fears, and the always dreaded "to-do list" that we hardly have time to think if we are still going in the right direction.

Leaders have the courage to stop, rethink, re-prioritize, correct the course, and more importantly listening to others....LISTENING TO GOD.

We have the idea that leaders must have a "go-getter, get-it-done" mindset. Always relentless, never stopping until the goal is obtained.  There is true to that, but also, leaders MUST humble enough to stop and readjust when necessary.

Never be afraid of rethinking!

LEARNING TO PRAISE!

One of the more effective ways to build leaders is having the ability to "praise" others.
Another way of putting it is: Develop the ability  to affirm others.

Effective leadership is based on the willingness to the see the best in others and then broadcast it to the world. In the biblical sense one of the meanings of the word praise is to "Let it shine!".

I wonder how much we could accomplish in this life if get in the habit of building others up and letting them "shine" instead of us taking all the "glory".

Next time you see somebody leading or doing something worth of praise, take the time to acknowledge it. Let them shine! Celebrate with them!