But Samuel was ministering before the Lord-a boy wearing a linen ephod . . . And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men . . . The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli . . .The Lord was with Samuel. ~ 1 Samuel 2:18,26, 3:1, 19 (niv)
Leaders in some organizations don’t recognize the importance of creating a climate conducive to building potential leaders. To see the relationship between environment and growth, look at nature. One popular aquarium fish is the shark. The reason is that sharks adapt to their environment. If you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium in which it lives. Sharks can be six inches long yet fully mature. But if you turn them loose in the ocean, they grow to their normal size.
The same is true of potential leaders. Some are put into an organization when they are still small, and the confining environment ensures that they stay small and under-developed. Only leaders can control the environment of their organization. They can be the change agents who create a climate conducive to growth.
The Right Attitude Comes First
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” ~Numbers 13:30-31
How could there be such differing opinions on the same topic? Because there was a difference in attitude. And attitude makes all the difference. The development of a positive attitude is the first conscious step toward becoming an effective leader. Successful leadership cannot be constructed without this crucial building block.
Check out the following attitude axioms suggested by the words and actions of Joshua and Caleb:
1. Our attitude determines our approach to life.
2. Our attitude determines our relationships with people.
3. Our attitude is often the only difference between success and failure.
4. Our attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its outcome more than anything else.
5. Our attitude can turn problems into blessings.
7. Our attitude is not automatically good just because we belong to God.
[tags]Leadership, God, John C. Maxwell, Self-improvement[/tags]