poorboymo

Leaders have the job to show members of the team that responsibility must be taken by all.  One of the important ways for leaders to instill responsibility in others is to do so by example.  All leaders have a great deal of responsibility to the persons in the organization.  We have chosen to be morally responsible whether we want to or not.  I have experienced this in both the negative and positive in my time in youth ministry.

When I was new to leadership some years ago I remember being late to one of my own meetings.  I had broken down in my truck on the way to the church and was already in a bad mood.  When I arrived at the church one of my staff members made a joke about me being late.  I deserved it on many levels, but the fact that I criticized persons on my staff all the time for being late, and not accepting excuses, was what really made it bad.  I snapped at the person making the joke and lost a great deal of credibility in that moment.  It took me a few months to get back to where I was with my staff in terms of influence.

I knew what I was doing was wrong, but at the time I let my ego get the best of me. I learned an important lesson that day.  It was important for me to take responsibility and not make excuses.  It is very easy for me to come up with all the reasons why something did not get done or go my way.  However, my staff does not want excuses, they want results. I have committed myself to that and try to live out that example each day.  I have found that my staff is receptive and does not give excuses because I do not give them, nor do I take them.

Choosing to lead others is a choice that not all persons are willing to accept.  I have chosen this path and know that it is a long road to continue growing.  I want to be a responsible leader, one who others can use as an example of how to lead in the right way.  I am responsible for the growth and direction of my team.  I choose to help them develop into leaders who take responsibility.  Are you taking the responsibility to lead, or are you making excuses every time something goes wrong.  I’ll tell you this much – until you are mature enuff to take the blame, you will not be a true leader.