Leaders Distinguish Themselves In Tough Times!

3 Key Insights

What is your current goal as a leader?

TRUISM: You cannot lead effectively if your goal is to be a people pleaser. Every leader will face tough times and it is in these times that reveals the true nature of what is on the inside. Every change, every challenge, and every crisis requires a tough call, and the way those are handled is what separates good leaders from the rest.

How do you know when you are facing a tough call and need to be at your best as a leader? You will know when the decision is marked by these three insights.

Tough Calls Demand Risk – Larry Osborne once observed about highly effective leaders is how little they have in common and yet have one particular thing in common; effective leaders are willing to take a risk. You cannot afford to play-things safe and please people at the same time. Progress in a crisis will require certain risks. Are you willing to make those type of decisions?

A Tough Call Brings With It an Inward Battle – It has been stated that all the significant battles are waged within self. Often these internal battles occur far from the spotlight of leadership and casual  observers are not even aware of what is happening. Pastor/Leader Charles Swindoll stated; “Courage is not limited to the battlefield…The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are the inner test, like remaining faithful when nobody’s looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you are misunderstood.” You must win this inner struggle first!

A Tough Call Will Distinguish You As A Leader – It does not do any good to complain about how tough these days are while we lead various enterprises. Former New York City Major Rudy Giuliani stated, “When the right person is the leader, he does better during tough times.” When there is a rapid shift of momentum, a good leader will give direction and courage to keep moving forward.

Winston Churchill stands as a historical personality of making tough decisions in the face of a protracted WWII. In his famous speech he said…“But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth^[e] last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.“

What does PEACE mean to you? Some people may define peace as a “stress-free” day. To others peace may be what is felt while looking at the beauty of a sunrise or sunset. The ultimate question is not defining the term but rather, are you pursuing peace?

In ancient Jewish traditions, peace was more valued than truth. Rabbis would argue in situations where peace and truth were in conflict with each other that peace is the first step in any resolution. Consider the Hebrew term for peace, SHALOM. This term implies being wholly unified with God and others. Andy Stanley has stated that you as an individual are more important that my view. How many times have we witnessed situations in which being right was of greater importance than people?

Peace WITH God, peace OF God, and peace with EACH OTHER. This sort of peace attracts people to the truth.

The question to ponder today; Does my life demonstrate peace like this? How can I attract people to God TODAY through the peace that I am displaying?

Breath of Heaven

¹⁹ From the west,^s people will fear the name of the Lord,

and from the rising of the sun,^t they will revere his glory.^u

For he will come like a pent-up flood

that the breath^v of the Lord drives along.^{a [1]} Isaiah 59:19 NIV

Recently I have become reacquainted with the beauty of the Hebrew language. So much of this language is based upon word pictures and symbols. It is as though each word conveys emotion and experience, not just information. Isaiah gives us an emotional perspective of God showing up as one who guides the flood-tides by His breath. The image of crashing ocean waves is what comes to mind for me.

The question of WHY or SO WHAT is valid at this point. One textual rendering of this verse allows for the breath of God driving our enemies away from us. All of a sudden, the power of God (pent-up flood…) showing up to fight against our enemies now means something more than mere crashing waves.

When the “breath of Heaven” motif is brought into first century Christianity we see two distinct places where this shows up; the dove descending at Jesus’ baptism and the day of Pentecost. In both illustrations we see the Holy Spirit tearing open the heavens and swooping down upon Jesus, identifying him as the Messiah. We then see the Holy Spirit tearing open Heaven again and coming down upon the upper room congregation. Both illustrations demonstrate the breath of heaven showing up with purpose and power.

What does this mean for me personally today? A determined Spirit is accessible at a time that I need Him most. TODAY is a good day for His breath!

^s See Isa 49:12; See Mt 8:11

^t See Ps 113:3

^u Ps 97:6; See Isa 24:15; 35:2; 40:5; 52:10; 66:18

^v See Isa 11:4

^a Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight

^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Is 59:19). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

I don’t about you, but I have been doing some introspection during our national quarantine. I have been giving attention to my salvation confession of faith. I have started this reflection at the point of my salvation as a very young sixth grader. Moving through time in this journey of reflection I have been repeatedly reminded of the ancient wisdom that repentance is so much more than feelings of regret and being sorry. Ancient wisdom has reminded me that t’shuva is an action word that implies turning back.

Again, t’shuva (Hebrew) is more than feelings of guilt or regret – while there are those emotions – it is more about making a course correction in your life. It is about turning away from where you are currently headed and turning back toward God.

Salvation is point action that starts us on an entirely new trajectory of living. However, there are a number of “U-Turns” that are required. Think about it this way. Have you ever had your GPS to tell you to make a “U-Turn” after missing the correct turn you needed to make? If you “Turned-Around” you were living in the definition of t’shuva. There are times that we need to make spiritual U-turns.

Our spiritual U-turns involve a change of course in your life. Theologian Abraham Heschel states that a t’shuva in a man or woman’s behavior is also about a change in God’s judgement. When we t’shuva, God promises to take control of the wheel and direct us toward His will and ways.

During our national quarantine, I feel that God is calling nations, civic leadership along with institutions in the public sectors and non-profit sectors to t’shuva – turn around walk in the direction of God’s calling!

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching.

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