I facilitated a strategic planning retreat for a church leadership and their pastor yesterday. We noted that willing leaders are scarce. When I look at the leadership that emerges today, I see there is a lack of responsibility and willingness to lead. I have asked, why? Lack of time, lack of appreciation, a difficult job with thankless hard work? Do we need to empower others to lead? Do we need to educate our youth to leadership?
Maybe we have entered a new era where we need to be led by our faith, rather than a powerful person.
Maybe we need to listen within rather than to trust outside authority.
Maybe we are called to each step up to our own unique calling.
Maybe each one of us is being asked to accept responsibility for our values and our lives.
Maybe you and I need to be the ones who lead with our love and acceptance, our vision and fulfillment.
Maybe we are all given gifts to develop and share freely with our families and our community.
Maybe we are each a leader in our own domain.
We can lead in how we care for ourselves impeccably.
We can lead in how we treat our family with positive attention and respect.
We can lead in how we respond to the anger and fear we see in our world.
We can lead by giving our employers, customers and fellow workers our very best.
We can lead by speaking the truth without guile, gossip or secrecy.
We can lead by living our spiritual principles and faith openly and with tolerance.
We can lead by spending time, energy and money on what really matters rather than diversion.
We can lead by remembering to be open-minded and appreciative of all people, nations and cultures.
We can lead by honoring our political leaders by being willing to listen fairly and vote.
We can lead by forgiving our mistakes and the mistakes of others.
We can lead by knowing that we are a field of infinite possibility and planting our field with Good.
We can lead by giving everyone encouragement to live their dreams and give their best.
We can each lead.
Listen within and lead the way of goodness, love and mercy for all.
Betty Lue