I read a tweet some time ago that went something like this, “If you don’t have the passion, you shouldn’t have the position.” As leaders there is a lot of pressure on our lives by so many to do so much. “Hey, you’re a leader, could you make this happen for us?” Sometimes we make the mistake of allowing the pressure of the request to take over better judgment, where we would normally say no and end up saying yes. In growing as a servant leader one of the things I needed to learn to do was to say no. This is compounded even more if I am insecure and draw my value and worth from others.
It is a whole lot easier if I use “my passion” as one of the litmus tests for what I lead. I must have the passion for it or I am wasting my time and probably defrauding those that I am attempting to lead. I am also probably robbing someone else from championing something that they have a passion for but cannot because I am in the position that is really theirs to fill. If you cannot truly give yourself to it, you really shouldn’t be leading. While we are all required to do things that we do not really enjoy, when it comes to leadership, there needs to be a passion involved because leading takes energy; emotional, physical, and spiritual. And when you are leading something that you do not have the passion for, you are not being energized emotionally, physically, or spiritually. When I have the passion for something, I can crawl into bed totally exhausted, but still feel energized by what has been accomplished.
May the passion that is in you be exemplified by all that you give leadership to and may you have the courage to release the things that you do not have a passion for.
D.O.V.E.