Leadership Thought: Let's Be Lifters and Lookers

Dear Friends

I want to remind you that we can either be the wind beneath someone's wings or the anchor in their boat. Leaders should be both lifters and lookers. We should be lifters who lighten other's loads and we should be lookers, always on the lookout for ways to inspire and encourage others.

There are far too many people who act like anchors in our boat. They are intent on dragging us down. They possess the attitude that communicates "If I can't be happy, neither should you be happy."

Leaders should be fire lighters, who come along side others and help ignite their dreams. "You can do it," "I'm with you," "You can count on me" are some of the words in the vocabulary of the fire lighter. Every one of us needs fire lighters in our lives.

 

But unfortunately, there are also fire fighters in our lives. These are the people intent on dousing dreams and dampening spirits. The fire fighter pours water on the flames of enthusiasm. His vocabulary consists of phrases like, "You can never do it," "the task is insurmountable," "you don't have the resources," "you don't have the background, or you lack the experience." The words of the firefighter will leave you discouraged and ready to quit.

 

David Mains tells the story of how he and his wife sought to address some behavior issues with their four-year old son Jeremy. He had a habit they wanted to break, but they weren't making much progress. They had tried everything until as a final resort they applied the physical discipline of spanking. When the conversation was restored, his wife, Karen, asked the chastised little boy, "Jeremy, what are we going to do with you?" Fully contrite, he slowly answered, "Why, don't you just throw me in the garbage" (Moody Monthly, "Summer 1982" p. 43).

And you know there are many people in life who like little Jeremy, feel like they have been thrown into the dumpster. They don't feel as if anyone cares about them. They feel they are without value, good for nothing except to be cast on to some garbage pile.

We all have a need to be needed. We want to know that people care for us. We want them to affirm our value and importance. We want someone we know that truly cares for us and will be there whenever we have an unmet need. We want to know we are of value and that we are important to someone. Blessed is the person who knows he or she is needed and has someone who really cares enough to provide for that need.

Today let's be lifters of someone's arms, helping to share their heavy load. Let's be lookers, intentionally seeking out that person who needs someone to inspire and encourage them. If you do, not only will you bless someone, but you yourself with be blessed for the greater blessing comes to the one who gives, not to the one who receives.

 

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom