“Leading others effectively requires the ability to lead oneself.”
A leader possesses vision and direction for achieving standards set for themselves and for others. A leader’s ability to provide vision and direction for others originates from their own experiences in pursuit of the standard. This vision stems from personal insight into the necessity of transformation, enacting change, and courage. Developing these skills inside oneself further enables us to lead others effectively. A leader’s direction is where theory becomes practice so that passion created by the visionary transforms into action. We can all think of examples of leaders who lead out of their own knowledge and experience in the subject matter.
A prime example of leadership is my current Pastor Steve Derdowski. Steve’s vision is short, “Loving God and spreading his greatness,” but his ability to lead others stems from his own pursuit of this vision. He perceives the necessity of transformation from selfishness to Godly living and enacts change by modeling this vision for all to see. A few examples of Steve’s personal pursuit of this vision include his desire to reach out to members of the community by volunteering as the Secretary of his Homeowners Association, inviting others into his home, and welcoming visitors as one would welcome a friend. This is all not to mention his dedication as a husband and father of three children under the age of five. What enables Steve to lead others toward this vision is his passion for serving others, his ability to direct others toward change, and his exemplary life. Another one of my role models in life changed the world with his courage and dedication to his vision.
Martin Luther King Junior’s vision of civil rights for African Americans took direction, but even more courage in the face of opposition. Dr. King spent time in prison, faced lethal persecution, and persevered through verbal assaults. In spite of all this Dr. King maintained his character as a minister, respect for his opposition, and dedication to non-violence. Many do not realize that Dr. King alienated not only prejudiced Caucasians, but also militant African Americans. Thanks in large part to Dr. King’s courage African Americans gained their civil equality in principle and eventually in practice; unfortunately, the greatest tragedy is that Dr. King was not alive to see his dream realized. I consider Dr. King as a source of courage and as the perfect example of leadership.
My story of leadership is marked by successes and failures instilling the value of effective leadership. Leadership always requires a lot of hard work for me but I feel blessed by my experience and knowledge. As a young leader I always struggled with connecting my visions with the ability to direct others toward that vision. In High School and my first year of College I struggled to lead others effectively as a basketball captain, in student teaching, and as a summer basketball coach. In college I learned one of the most important principles of leadership: “Successful leaders are learners.”
This principle of leadership helped me connect my life’s vision to my own sense of direction which leads me to personal growth and development. As John Maxwell states, “The learning process is ongoing, a result of self-discipline and perseverance. The goal each day must be to get a little better…” While studying at Truman State University my life changed as I became an effective learner and therefore a more effective leader. As I learned to direct my own intentions and to effectively share my vision with others my leadership skills developed. While at Truman I lead small groups, volunteered, and gained priceless experience and knowledge. This direction enabled me to become a successful Youth Pastor after college, and eventually to move to Denver, CO, successfully find a job, and develop a life’s vision. My life’s vision is to impact the world by helping others, and my direction includes seeking a Master of Non-Profit Management, working in mission-based organizations, and eventually obtaining a Ph. D.
The world is filled with both effective and ineffective leadership practices, what separates leaders from supervisors is the ability to lead oneself. Leaders are capable of the insight necessary to form vision, direction, and courage to follow through. I hope to follow the examples of people such as Steve Derdowski and Martin Luther King Jr. as I pursue my vision of impacting the world by helping others.
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