Character Communicates Potential and Respect

Potential

In leadership we like to think that someone who has potential to reach goals and dreams and have great positive impact on other would be some one who is hardworking, disciplined and honest.  Someone who is deceitful, impulsive and lazy show's little or no potential to reach goals and dreams.  Understanding the power of potential is a key element to being a great leader.   Having potential is beginning of every great leaders journey into becoming potentially great.  Working towards in the journey of reaching a goal is every great leaders training camp to accomplishing great things in life.  When leaders stop working and start settling the potential to become anything in life decreases.

I've recently made it one of my goals to loose 45 pounds.  What makes me someone with the potential to loose weight is the ability to go to the gym 3 times a week. Discipline and a strong mindset on what I would like to look like once I loose my 45 pounds keeps me focused on my wight loss goal.  My character communicates potential because I demonstrate the capability of reaching my goal.  In order to prove a good character of potential a certain amount has to be proven.  When leaders have strong character people trust the him or her will reach their goals.

Respect

How do leaders earn respect? By making sound decisions, by admitting their mistakes and by putting what's best for their followers and the organization ahead of their personal agendas. By John C. Maxwell. 

I've personally been around many leaders and I must say this is one of the most common problem that I see amongst them.  People only respect certain leaders because the leader is a friend or family.  Great leaders have followers because they believe and respect in what the leaders is and does for the business. When great leaders make sound decisions and admit to mistakes they will always have peoples respect.  The best leaders I've ever known are the one who give their lives for the people they lead and serve.  It's difficult to respect a leader who don't doesn't try to level with the business or organization.

I had a pastor not to long ago that sent out a text message from his secretary stating not to talk to the pastor after church and if anyone wanted to talk to him to please schedule an appointment first.  I was in total shock because this pastor is a new pastor and has less than 200 members at this church.  He also created a video presentation for guess who arrived at the church as first time guest.  Instead of greeting his new members he provided a welcoming video for them.  Now this was really shocking to me because the senior pastor of his church walk out to the main lobby of the church after every service to great over 5,000 members as they exit the church after the service.  The senior pastor also personally greets his new members in a reception room where he give them a small gift as a reminder of their experience at the church.

Two different pastors with two different churches under the same administration department. The question is who do you think has more credibility and respect from their church members the senior pastor or the new pastor starting his church.  It's very important to understand that people are always watching and they know when you as a leader care for them and will do what it takes to share a one on one moment even if it means a simple handshake.  A simple hi or bye can go a long way when retaining 5,000 members at a church. That's called a leader with the character that communicates respect.