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“Another aspect of successful thinking is your orientation to reality.”

A thought by John Townsend from his book, Leading From Your Gut (p. 59). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Thinking in the realm of what is real is so very important. 

John says, “To be an effective leader, you need to think about what is going on, not what you would like to be going on. Reality happens, and it always wins. You must take the bad news with the good news, even if it reflects poorly on you. This is the only way you will ever make transformational changes in yourself and in the people you work with.”

He later says, “In your own leadership, face reality first. Get the bad news first. Really listen to the financial problems, personnel issues, and sales dilemmas. Good leaders think about reality first and then find solutions and opportunities second.

“At the same time, I believe the thoughts of a leader should ultimately go toward the positive. No one is completely balanced between good news and bad news. So veer toward hope. That is what a leader’s thoughts bring to those who are watching and depending on her. The people you lead need someone who can bear the bad, contain it, understand the depth of it, and still provide a realistic hope if one exists. Certainly, if it’s time to roll up the show, that is the reality. But a good leader brings thoughts to the table that look at every scenario that can provide something good for people.

He goes on, “I have cohosted a daily call-in counseling radio show for many years, called New Life Live! I have listened to thousands of callers present their struggles with troubled relationships, emotional issues, addictions, and the like. You face a lot of reality when you listen to people’s personal problems. I often receive calls from individuals who have severe and complex problems, problems that certainly cannot be resolved in a few minutes on the phone. So I give them insights and perspectives for now, and then suggestions, steps, and resources for later, when the call is over. With the most hopeless-sounding situations, I have always tried to give something people could take away, something that was real and true and substantive, but also something that provided an option that they didn’t have before they called. I don’t know most of the endings of the stories. But I do know that all of us who desire to lead need to be mindful of the responsibility to have thoughts that are not only grounded in reality but also give hope at the end.”

Yes, reality can be very difficult and discouraging, but we need to face it and look for answers and also look for hope.  Let’s not forget the hope, okay? 

Yes, yes!
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