The Leader And The Cause

Why are some leaders effective only for a short time, and then find themselves in the bog of a lifetime? It usually means their ego has gotten the best of them and their self worth has been blown out of proportion. It is not uncommon for leaders with great power and influence to begin to think they are extremely knowledgeable and very important. When a leader begins to garner support and adulation from their followers, the chances of the organization slipping into the abyss column goes up. The leader starts a culture of yes and only positive reinforcement in their organization. This is a step away from closing out the people who can truly help things grow. The fact is, the halo of “successful” leadership can lead to the downfall of the organization. It is at these times a leader would do well to return to the cause that spurned the organization in the first place. Return to the "Why?" I have watched leaders implode physically, mentally and emotionally as they begin to believe their own press release. I have watched good men slip and fall, leaving their fellowship in ruins. History has many examples of leaders who were on the cusp of doing and being great, but instead fell into the abyss of failing leaders. It is never easy to remain ego free in leadership, but those who focus on the cause seem most able to do so. A cause attached to your dream is what people rally around. Those who are passionate and draw the followers toward a cause are the truly successful. There are those few who move from just being good leaders, to great and masterful historic leaders. They know how to transfer the mundane to a cause driven following. An intense commitment to the cause will cause the followers to either commit or follow something else. I remember a saying from an outstanding leader he said, “Bill know not everyone will follow you, and that is OK." He went on further and said, "Bill, if you don’t stand for something you will be tempted to fall for everything.” Know what you believe, stand tall, share it passionately, and watch the commitment extend far beyond you, but don’t try to please or even attract everyone. All have different causes to believe in. I am a huge proponent of building around a cause. Share it and watch the impact you will have. You will see; your mission advance collaboration among all involved, operational effectiveness, decision making that you can count on, and personal growth. Volunteerism is outgrowth of a cause driven organization because inclusion is almost a natural result by developing around a cause. A company or mission organization that only focuses on people and resources and forgets its purpose, is what differentiates it from all other "me too" companies and or ministries. Cause driven leadership also drives personal development. Why? Because a cause will bring out the very best and serve as a catalyst “for your want to”... to be excellent in everything. It is the deepest level of all motivation that propels successful leadership. By wanting to be the best representation, you also want to improve your skills, thought processes and actions. Personal development leads to better functionality and effectiveness of any organization. This is why some of the very best examples of great leadership say, “ build the people and the people will build the organization.”

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