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?
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