Today's the Day!

Everyone is called upon to lead in some capacity sooner or later in life.  Some of the issues involved are big, some are small.  Sometimes the responsibilities requiring leadership last a lifetime, and sometimes they are needed only for a moment.  Leadership, then, is something each of us should strive to understand better and utilize more fully.  Whether in a corporate setting, a business of our own, a church environment, a volunteer organization, or in the home, improving our leadership abilities through the development process described in this book [Launching A Leadership Revolution] is key to unleashing the potential hidden within.  Helping to guide others through the same process is the secret to collective greatness and organizational victories.  (Launching A Leadership Revolution, Woodward/Brady, pp.XI-XII)

If you take a moment to stop and think through the premise that Woodward and Brady begin their leadership book with,  you will quickly realize that this statement is undeniable.  In many situations leadership boils down to taking responsibility.  As stated above, "Everyone is call upon to lead in some capacity sooner or later in life."  With that being the reality of life, the questions to answer then are: "Will you be prepared to lead when life demands it?" and "Will you have the courage to answer the leadership call in that moment?"

The sad reality is that most people will fail on both of these questions.  Most people aren't preparing for their leadership moment.  Most people don't want to take responsibility for anything in our society.  Many people are looking for "Them" to fix every problem.  "They" need to do this, and "They" need to do that.  Sadly, for most people, the answer is never, "I need to fix this."  It's much easier to play armchair quarterback and second-guess everything the person who steps up to the leadership challenge does.

In our dumbed-down entertainment-driven society most people are preparing themselves to be part of the mindless masses.  Few will actually turn off their electronic entertainment and read a book, an actual book.  One that you can mark up with a highlighter and a pen.  Reading is the foundation of leadership development because the only way to improve your thinking is by improving the quality of what you're puttig into your head.  Read-Listen-Associate.  That's the success formula.  That's the leadership developoment formula.  

If you are thinking to yourself that you're not a leader, and no one cares what you think about anything, it's time to go to work on yourself.  It's time to start the development process.  God has created you to do great things and influence people.  You need to get to work to develop the gifts that are already inside of you.  This will take time.  It's a process.  But it will never happen if you don't get started.  Get started today by clicking on the "Let's Read Together" page in the menu bar.  Get the first two books on the reading list and get to work.  

The time to start preparing for you leadership challenge is right now!  Get the books.  Start reading.  Start growing.  Turn off the electronics and don't look back.  Your leadership journey begins today!

God bless 
Jason Fredrick