One time in the West Indies five ships, one of them British, were anchored in the harbour when a monster storm rolled in. The British captain immediately raised anchor and sailed out to meet it.
Two days later, battered but still intact, he returned to the harbour and discovered that the ships that hadn’t sailed for fear of the storm had all been driven ashore and destroyed.
Generally speaking, as a leader the best way forward is to face challenges head-on and ‘not look behind you’.
Author Jon Gordon points out six important things:
(1) Who you are makes a difference. People follow the leader first and his vision second.
(2) It’s all about relationships. Pastor Andy Stanley said, ‘Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.’ You can implement all the rules in the world, but if you don’t develop a relationship with the people you’re leading, they’ll rebel.
(3) It’s not just about what you do, but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do. You bring out the best in people by sharing the best in yourself.
(4) Lead with optimism, enthusiasm and positive energy. Guard against negativity and teach people to focus on solutions, not complaints.
(5) Recognise that you don’t have all the answers, and build a team of people who either have the answers or will find them.
(6) Accept that success is a process, not a destination. John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach, recognised that winning was an offshoot of great leadership, teamwork, focus, commitment, and implementing the basics.