Leaders and Self-control

A Proverb
"A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls."

A common characteristic of failed leadership is a lack of self-control - a lack manifested in many ways: but most important among them is the blame game.

Taking full responsibility for our actions, learning from mistakes and using what you have been given to its full advantage are “walls” that will protect the leader.

Learn self-control by:

Curbing curiosity – everything is permitted, but not beneficial – explore carefully also evaluating impact

Checking pride and vanity – it’s not about you – it is always about them (customers, staff, suppliers, stakeholder of any kind!)

Containing anger and revenge – these drain you; and equally important, expressing them will not draw others to you

Confining personal ambition – When yours is palatable, it pushes people away – they will not follow.

Emptying yourself of destructive curiosity, vanity, revenge and self-centered ambition creates a void that is crying out to be filled: fill it with the God who created you. He will build strong walls to protect you. It is his indwelling that will grant you peace and safety as you learn to control self by giving control to their Creator.

Which of those four “Cs” do you need to work on?



Copyright © 2009-11 by P. Griffith Lindell