4 Ways Leaders Lead the Way

By Jenni Catron

“What mountain is ahead of you and your team?”

Adventure. Risk. Sacrifice.

Life and leadership require all three … and yet so often we resist them.
We trade adventure for what is known.
We trade risk for what is safe.
We trade sacrifice for what is comfortable.
And we miss so much when we make these trades.
Two weeks ago my husband and I attempted to tackle Half Dome in Yosemite. It was hard. One of the most physically challenging adventures I’ve done so far.
I’ve never been afraid of hard things. In fact I’ve often found pride in my strength. But oftentimes the hard things I’ve attempted were things that I was pretty sure I could accomplish. Failure has been one of my greatest fears and honestly it’s kept me from enjoying the journey at times.
Attempting to summit Half Dome would not have been something I would have tried on my own for fear of defeat. My fierce independence has often kept me from leaning into the strength of others.
I believe that’s why we’re designed for community. I believe it’s why God gives us people to partner with us on the journey. The adventure isn’t quite so unknown when you have someone by your side. The risk isn’t as great when you have the safety of love and friendship. The sacrifice isn’t as uncomfortable when you have someone to share it with.
I’m grateful for this guy who pushes me in all three areas yet is always there to help me succeed.  My husband’s sense of adventure has led us to experiences I would have never attempted on my own. While the risk was great, he studied and prepared us well for the journey. He sacrificed his comfort and carried half of my gear in his pack to make my load lighter. He slowed down and adjusted to my pace and he encouraged me every step of the way.
Sounds like the recipe for a great leader, doesn’t it?
Leaders, our job is to lead people into God’s great adventure … and it will require risk and sacrifice. 

Four Ways Leaders Lead the Way

1. Prepare. Our job is to be a couple of steps ahead. We need to study the landscape, understand the potential challenges and prepare our teams for the journey.
2. Lighten the load. Look for ways to ease the burden for others.
3. Adjust your pace. Leaders tend to race ahead. We’re energized by the opportunity and we’re eager to get there. But slow down and set a pace that the rest of your team can keep up with.
4. Encourage. Be the chief encourager. Remind your team of the goal. Keep the vision consistently in front of them and gently guide them to success.
What mountain is ahead of you and your team? I hope you’ll tackle it today!