What Is Leadership?/Rashea@LLO2 Academy

I want to be a leader. I want to be a leader! Are you sure about that? Really think about what you are asking.

What is leadership? Do you KNOW what it really takes to be a leader? Do you know the effort and level of daily sacrifice of yourself you must give to be a leader? Many do not.

Leadership is so much more than a seat, position, rank or title. Leadership is a responsibility. It requires ALL of who you are everyday, all day.

There are no days off. Leadership becomes your life and a lifestyle. It is your calling.

Your life is no longer just about you. It's about God and others, too. It's about serving a higher purpose, fulfilling a bigger role beyond you.

You are here to live a life that was never designed just for you. You are here to help others. That's what's leadership is.

If a leader only serves themself, then how can they then call themself a leader? Who are they leading? Who is following them? Themself?!🙃 Oh my goodness.🤦‍♀️

Everyday as a leader, someone other than you is depending on you to act, speak, show up and conquer the day. Someone is following you, and you are leading someone rather you know it or not. Get out of your own head, shake off the fear, ego or insecurities and learn to lead as the Holy Spirit leads you.

I did not sign up for this? What? The challenges? 

That's part of leadership. You are refined and defined not by the challenges you go through but the challenges you overcome. Challenges are character buffers. They polish and sharpen our character, people skills and guide our experiences.

Everyday won't be bad. Life is a series of moments. So is leadership. 

"This day was challenging." Was it the day that was challenging or that particular moment within that day that was challenging? Don't let one bad moment stop you from enjoying all the good moments in your life or in leadership.

Learn from the trying moments and make the best out of every great moment. Leadership will always require fine tuning every now and then. My advice: Never stop leading, and never stop learning. 

Children make mistakes all the time as they are navigating through their first few years of life. As a parent or mentor, do we tell them to quit? NO! We encourage them to keep trying, until they get it. Well, leadership is the same way. Don't quit leading. Keep learning, and KEEP GOING!

Leadership is constant building and developing. When you finish one assignment, you are off to the next one. When Jesus finished a tasks in one city or region, did He stop leading?😂🤣 Oh my goodness, people.

There is not retirement from leadership. You just lead more in different areas of your life depending on the season of life you are in. Keep building. The vision is not done. You just completed an assignment. "What's next, God?"

Don't let peers or opinions define you. If they don't want to reach higher, don't let them stop you from reaching higher. Live higher. ENVISION life on a higher plateau.

There is always room to grow and to soar as a leader and in leadership. Ask God to lead you and to direct your path. There's always someone going where you are going that will help you along the way.

"Show me the way," oh Lord." He sure will.😂🤣 Right on your knees in prayer, humble before Him. Jesus was most powerful not in demonstration but in prostration before the Father in prayer. Your strength to lead others comes from times of prayer. 

We receive guidance from the Father, while in prayer. We receive impartation, while in prayer. We receive transformation, while in prayer. Furthermore, we receive revelation, while in times of prayer.

Jesus was THE greatest Leader that ever walked the face of the earth, and He did so through times of prayer. Jesus taught leadership. Demonstrated leadership. Then, He empowered His disciples to walk in the power and the authority of the kingdom of God throughout many cities and regions in signs, miracles and wonders through His leadership. Lives were forever changed through Christian leadership, more so after the resurrection of Jesus.

"Saul, Saul, why are you resisting Me?" Saul was zealous about his theological and philosophical views, but Jesus was passionate and resolved about the church and the state of His people on the earth.

From high horse, to humbled servant. "Yes, Lord, is that you?" Saul, zealously destroyed God's people, but the Apostle Paul of Tarsus passionately won many people to Jesus throughout many Gentile nations. The Apostle Paul's leadership took him throughout Africa, Europe and Asia Minor.

He led, served along side and ordained young people, women and his peers with so much love for them and admonishment in his heart toward them to love God, love one another and to do good. The Apostle was a pioneer who never timid away from his faith in leadership. The Bible even says, "He departed for 3 years to become stronger in his faith and calling to lead others." In what ways are you sharpening your skills and character as a leader?

Leadership is designed to bring change. However, Christian leadership is designed to bring lasting, internal change. Leadership was never designed to remain on one level. Leadership, like life and faith, is forever evolving.

Never base your life or leadership off of people, commodities or achievements. If you are, I encourage you to stop now.🛑 You make those things great because of the greatness within you. Those things are a byproduct of who and what you are as a leader and a person not the other way around. Remember that.

Get around strong leadership and strong leaders that have been where you are going, who can speak into your life and strengthen the weaker areas of your leadership and your life. Leadership is a lateral growth, but the impact is linear. Who's life is being impacted for the best by your leadership? Remember, others are watching your life. Lead well.

Rashea@LLO2