There Is Potential In You!

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

A lot of people ask the question, are leaders born or are leaders made?! This has to be the most frequently asked leadership question. My answer to that is BOTH. I believe that leaders are both born and made. The source to my answer is Genesis 1:26 in the Amplified Bible it says “Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” See according to this scripture we’re created in the image of God. God is a leader. For Him to create and control the heavens and the earth by Himself is leadership at its best. He created us in His image so that means that we all have the potential to be a leader. Every human being has the potential of being a leader. You’re destined to lead but are you disciplined to lead? It’s one thing to be destined to lead and another to be disciplined. The part that you might be lacking the discipline is what makes you question if you were born to lead. The truth is that you were BORN to lead but you must BECOME a leader.

This statement reminds me of one of the greatest Old Testament leaders… MOSES. Moses’ name means drawn out (Exodus 2:10). There was passion, power and potential for greatness in Moses but it had to be drawn out. There is a leader trapped in all of us, but like Moses those traits must be drawn out. How do we develop into leaders that we were created to be? Here are some things that we can do that can help develop the leader within us.

Developing Your Leadership Potential…

1. Get around other leaders

If you want to emerge into the leader you we’re destined to be; surround yourself with other leaders. Get around leaders that inspire you and that you aspire you to be. We become a byproduct of our environment. So if we get around other leaders we can possess that spirit. Leadership is contagious. If you get around people who can model it, you’ll soon embody it. When you’re around leaders: 1. Learn from them, 2. Study them and 3. Ask questions of them. Be in the presence of great leaders and that leader in you will slowly but surely come forth.

2. Go through leadership training

To be a leader or even sharpen your leadership skills go through leadership training. I personally go through leadership training once a month at my church and will soon be doing leadership training's at my school to develop future leaders. Leadership training has been very beneficial to my growth and advancement as a leader. So look and see if there is any leadership training's and programs that you can enroll in. I’ve participated in a few leadership programs and it has helped. I also recommend that you go to leadership seminars and conferences. I attended my first leadership seminar in March of this year and it was amazing and I learned A LOT. One day I’ll share the notes with you.

3. Read leadership books

I heard a guy once say “if you’re not reading, you’re not leading.” When I heard this, I knew that I had to start reading again. The only books I’ve been reading now is specifically on leadership. I just read, Leadership 101 by: John C. Maxwell. I’m currently reading, Developing The Leader Within You by: John C. Maxwell and I’ll soon be reading the 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership by him as well. One thing I’ve noticed is that successful people read! If you do a study on any successful person, you’ll see that they all read. Get your hands on some good leadership books. I recommend you read those books I listed above.

Also the Bible has a lot to say on leadership. Proverbs is the greatest book in the Bible to me on leadership. Maybe we can do a leadership study through the book of Proverbs.

4. Listen to leadership podcast and messages

One thing I do almost everyday is listen to a message on leadership. There are great leadership gurus out here that you can listen to and learn from. Here are some of my favorite leadership speakers and here are the ways you can listen to them.

Rickie G. Rush: https://vimeo.com/iboc

T.D. Jakes: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/tdjakespodcast?selected=TDJ4075967883

John C. Maxwell: http://www.johnmaxwellteam.com/minute-with-maxwell/signup?c=jmax-maxwell-online&jmtc=jmt-website&jmta=menu-mwm

Myles Munroe: https://www.munroeglobal.com/product-category/leadership/

Steve Harvey: http://actlikeasuccess.com/

Craig Groeschel: https://www.life.church/leadershippodcast/

Go check these guys out. They have great lessons on leadership and success. I listen to and admire each one of them.

5. Ask God for a POW

If you want to develop as a leader ask God for a POW! POW is short for Power, Opportunity and Wisdom. Which I believe is necessary for any infant in leadership. You first need power. Power is the ability to change and influence things. Without that you’re not a leader. You don’t need too much power as a baby leader because it can get to your head. Anyone who let’s power get to his/her head is new to leadership. Then you need an opportunity. What is leadership without an opportunity to lead? You need an opportunity to flow in your gifts. Last but not least you want to have wisdom. Wisdom will help you handle what you’ve been given. Wisdom will help you make the right choices and it will help you meet the necessary demands that come with being a leader. So you need a POW: Power, Opportunity and Wisdom.

6. Start small

If you want an entrance into leadership, start small! My first opportunity as a “leader” was being in charge of a group project in grade school. Maybe to the average person, that looks small… but it was the thing that thought me the fundamentals of leadership such as responsibility, teamwork and innovation. As a new leader don’t seek a big position. God will never place you in a position where you’re underdeveloped. So start small. Start by learning how to lead yourself before you try to lead others. Start leading your attitude, your finances and your health before you start trying to lead others. How can one lead others, when one hasn’t led himself?! Leadership starts small but ends big while doing something progressive in the middle that shifts you.

7. Affirm and recognize the leader in you

I am the leader that I am today because of my parent’s affirmations. My mom and dad affirm the leader in me. This makes me believe that I am a leader which causes me to act like one. They always tell me “you’re a leader or be a leader not a follower or be an advocate for yourself!” Their words let me know that there is leadership ability and greatness on the inside of me. I do realize that not everyone has parents that affirms them. So I want you to look in the mirror daily and say “I am a leader and I am destined to lead!” When you recognize and acknowledge that leader in you, you’ll become unstoppable! Some people never tap into that leadership because they never knew it was there! But I want you to know today that there is potential in you!

Those are some ways I believe that you can develop yourself as a leader. These are things that I have and constantly do to strengthen my leadership skills. Our opening scripture tells us that we can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens us. This includes leadership. We can lead people through Christ and in His strength. There is hidden potential inside of you! Everyday I want you to dedicate 15–30 minutes to one of the things I listed above. Develop the leader within you. Why?! Because, There Is Potential In You!

This is a leadership blog that helps develop Christian leaders.

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