“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” –Proverbs 16:18
The sign of a good leader is one that can take constructive criticism from the people around him while being able to bring each individual’s strengths to the forefront to improve the whole group or team. Each person brings some talent to the entire group and a good leader will see it and take advantage of it to bring success to all in the group. This may mean that the leader may have to swallow his pride and see what he can learn from those around him as he leads. Effective leadership will get the best out of each individual and allow them to use their unique shape and strengths to maximize their efforts. Every person has unique skills to help drive the success of a team. Just like a car not everybody on your team is designed to be the steering wheel. Some people are designed to be the cruise control, the power window, or the break. Don't stunt the growth of your team members or micro manage them. It holds them back from their full potential. At the same time you have to set proper boundaries as you manage and stay on top of the unique dynamics of your team.
We as men have some serious pride, ego, and most likely some stubbornness. It would be wise to realize though that we never stop learning and that means that sometimes we have to be a sponge and soak up life lessons and learn from the people around us to better ourselves. We should never feel like we’ve “arrived.” A fall is coming when we start believing this lie. The Bible predicts it. Leave your pride at the door and practice humility. It’s such an attractive trait to have in your life. There’s always room to grow and improve in your life. Stay humble men.
Men, if you want to be an effective leader in your life then show love to the people that may be looking to you for guidance. Help bring them along to grow as a person by showing care, love, and compassion while keeping their best interest in mind. The mark of a great coach is how much he can get out of each individual player to help benefit the team. The mark of a good teammate is how much better he makes the guy next to him play. This is what made Michael Jordan so good back in the day. He made his teammates better around him. This goes the same for you as a leader in your everyday life. Lift up your head and encourage that person around you that needs a helping hand. Get your eyes off yourself if that's all you’re focused on. Who right now do you need to call or text to encourage? Maybe it’s the guy at work struggling to keep up with the workload, or a freshman struggling to learn the playbook on the field, or a classmate struggling with his math homework. Start today helping someone as you develop effective leadership skills and do it with humility. Your giving back will be rewarded and it’ll make you feel good too.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Who do you need to help strengthen?
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