There are many definitions for leadership, and I don’t pretend to be an expert on it. However, one thing I have been reading and thinking about lately, is the idea of leadership simply being pursuit.
Pursuit of excellence.
Pursuit of truth.
Pursuit of a smarter, simpler system.
Pursuit of a better way to do it.
Pursuit of a more beautiful way to get the idea across.
Pursuit of a cause, a vision or a purpose.
There is no true leadership without some aspect of pursuit.
Without an intention to pursue, you will cede the opportunity to someone else, and you will be following.
Good leadership has a goal in mind and pursues it diligently. A good leader will pursue the right thing at the right time, in the right way. That just can’t happen by accident.
A few things to keep in mind:
** If you want to see how well you’re leading, have a look at what you’re pursuing.
Are you pursuing self-discipline, healthy relationships and best practices? Or is most of your time and energy going to ‘Call of Duty’ and the new season of ‘Breaking Bad’? What do you think each of those will lead you towards?
** What you pursue will determine the path you travel, and the path you travel will determine where you end up.
Life isn’t built predominantly on the big events, but on the multitudes of everyday decisions we make over time. Deciding to exercise three times a week rather than once every two weeks doesn’t seem like a big deal immediately, but it may add a few years to your life, and that’s a pretty big deal.
** A lifestyle of pursuit will become its own reward.
Deciding to read literature or study bible commentaries may start out as part of your pursuit to read more widely, or your desire to preach more effectively, but soon you realise it’s much more fulfilling (and more fun) than watching re-runs of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ anyway.
** Great leaders recognise the value of pursuit.
It’s not a coincidence that as I write this, I keep thinking of great leaders in and around my life, who are constantly using pursuit to keep themselves out in front. Whether it’s thinking about what’s ahead, or who’s next, or how we should get there, great leaders constantly demonstrate this principle.
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3.12 -14 (NKJV)
Leadership is pursuit. Once you are able to grab the concept and apply it to your own life, you will find it providing you with enough forward momentum to grow your leadership and those around you.
By: Gabriel Kelly
