A Leader's Two Greatest Enemies

September 19, 2012

"If I were to ask you what were a leaders greatest enemies how would you answer? What would threaten a leader's ability to function to the full extent of his ability? Most of us would likely respond with the following answers: A moral weakness A dysfunctional structure or team A fear Financial limitations The list of things that could be deemed as potentially derailing for a leader is without a doubt a long list. But I believe there are two common enemies every leader faces. Regardless of where they work or serve, two things that are continual nuisances. We've all experienced what happens when we haven't managed these well and the way they can divert our energies. We can become exhausted just trying to right the wrongs these two can present. One by itself can frustrate our efforts but both together can be a lethal combination for a leader. Here are what I believe are a leader's two greatest enemies: 1. Perception 2. Expectations As a leader you've had to deal with both of these at some point. You may not have recognized them at the time but ultimately they have reared their ugly heads. We've all had to correct, realign, redefine, re-assert, re-direct, and outright battle against these two enemies. They've collectively contributed more to diverting a leader from their primary responsibility than anything else combined. These two are especially difficult to manage in the church world. When the people you serve have the wrong perception and expectations of you, your staff, your Board, or anyone else who has a leadership role in your organization it can be exhausting and overwhelming. In the next few posts we are going to look at ways of managing these two enemies and why its important to be aware of them."


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