Most days you try to win battles as a leader, don’t you?
Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose.
But there are several battles leaders lose … every time. Even if you desperately try to convince yourself you’re winning.
Fighting any of those?
Your might be. How would you know?
How Did This Happen Again?
If you end up fighting these battles, you will fight them for two reasons:
You’re young and haven’t seen that these are self-defeating characteristics yet. That’s not slamming young leaders … I’m just saying that they really do live in most of us until we weed them out.
You’re simply not self-aware. (If you want to grow in self-awareness, it’s possible. I wrote more about how to become a self-aware leader here.)
Each of these battles arise because of a leader’s insecurity.
Most of us are insecure at some level. And an insecure leader is always a less effective leader.
If you’re not sure whether you’re a secure leader, check out these five signs you’re an insecure leader here.
Conversely, the more secure you are as a leader, the more likely you are to win these battles by changing your approach to leadership.
Three Battles Every Leader Loses … Every Time
Here are three self-defeating battles every leader loses … every time:
1. Creating an Organization That Exists for Your Benefit
It’s very natural to be selfish, and if you lead the way many do, you can fall into the trap of believing that the organization exists for the benefit of the leader.
- People work for you. You don’t work for them.
- Perks flow up, not down.
- You feel like the rules should apply to others, but not you.
- You feel entitled to inflict your emotions on the people around you, even if they’re negative or destructive.
Sometimes pastors and church leaders behave like that. Rather than existing to serve, they exist to be served.
The leader who places himself above his team eventually has no team, or at least a team not worth joining—just a bunch of minions doing his or her bidding.
And while you can sometimes get away with that style of leadership—even in the church—it certainly doesn’t reflect the heart of Christ. You might not even really be the church when you lead like that. I would suggest you are not.
If you’re really selfish, there’s a surprise coming at the end:
A life devoted to self ultimately leaves you alone.
