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On Becoming a Leader

Vision_2  Leadership is a lot like happiness: it cannot be captured by a direct run – the only way to BE happy is to GIVE happy.  In the timeless leadership classic, On Becoming a Leader, author Warren Bennis makes an outstanding paradoxical point about leadership:

". . . the point is not to become a leader.  The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely – all your skills, gifts and energies – in order to make your vision manifest.  You must withhold nothing.  You must, in sum, become the person you started out to be, and to enjoy the process of becoming."

When a person fully invests themselves in a cause, in pursuit of some worthwhile and God-given vision, his or her efforts will have an impact on others.  Others volunteer to follow, buying first into the leader and then into his or her vision.  Never forget: it's the pursuit of the vision that makes a leader attractive to others.  It's the pursuit of the vision that produces the influence in the lives of others. 

With that said, what is the vision you have of what you can accomplish with the gifts you've been given?  Is there a dream of something nestled way back behind the curtains of doubt and disappointment?  Do you take it out every now and then and wonder what would happen if you actually pursued it?  I hope you find the courage to chase after it.  After all, you were built for that chase!   

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12 responses to “On Becoming a Leader”

  1. Liz Nitady Avatar
    Liz Nitady

    Chris,
    This past Saturday I presented a 90-slide Power Point presentation to the soldiers in my platoon. All of the information came out of just Chapter 1 from your ‘Launching a Leadership Revolution’ book. One could have heard a pin drop.Music from “Gettysburg” played in the background. I only have four more months left in my stint in the National Guard but will be putting together four more presentations as such, based on chapters 2-5.
    After it was over, SGT Eddie Johnson approached me. Eddie knocked out 102 push-ups in his last APFT test and conducts himself at all moments with the highest degree of professionalism. With a serious look in his eye, he said, ‘LT, I’ve always thought I had a leader inside of me.’ I stood there, poised for what would follow. I smiled and said, “Johnson, you have no idea what you are capable of.” He replied, “I think I’m ready.”
    The only regret I have is that your book wasn’t available about eight years ago when I came out of Basic. I was put on the fast track from ‘Private’ to Company Commander and was blessed to have been given the chance to lead a medical company in a positive way. But had I had this book and the building blocks that TEAM espouses at the beginning of forming my company vision, I know I could have been even more instrumental in helping others find their leadership potential.
    God bless you, as He clearly already has, as you continue to spend time around ideas that matter.
    Liz Nitardy
    Wisconsin Army National Guard
    Headquarters Platoon Leader
    Milwaukee, WI
    Mother of Four Sons
    Part of the TEAM

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  2. Raymond Avatar
    Raymond

    Chris,
    I was reading my Bible last night and I read Habakkuk 2:2-3 and it spoke of the importance of writing down the vision of what God has shown us as his will for our lives, and you article confirmed the importance of a vision and a life spent pursuing that vision. Thanks for your leadership, and congrats on being #1…

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  3. Mark Behm Avatar
    Mark Behm

    Chris,
    Thank you for this article, it really pointed out a perspective I never saw until I read LLR. This excerpt has helped to confirm my direction.
    “The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely – all your skills, gifts and energies – in order to make your vision manifest.”
    I have spent most of my life trying to become like others, but it has never been very satisfying. Now that I have focused myself on changing, it seems like I am making no progress, that is until I look back and see I am standing on different ground.
    God Bless you and your family,
    Mark

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  4. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    Mark:
    Thanks for commenting. This particular aspect of leadership is often overlooked, that it is an authentic enterprise. God made each of us unique, with special gifts that only we can use in our special way. It is what Orrin Woodward and I called the “Art Side” of leadership in the LLR book. Good luck in your leadership journey!

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  5. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    Liz:
    Thanks for your comments. Orrin Woodward and I talk a lot about how priveleged we feel that the LLR book has been able to help people in so many different ways and applications. We really appreciate getting the feedback from people who are out there applying it, like yourself. Please keep me posted on how the next presentations go, and please know and tell everyone in your platoon that we appreciate you serving our country. God Bless you all!
    Chris

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  6. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    Raymond:
    Thanks for the feedback. I had never noticed that verse in Habakkuk before, but looked it up immediately. May God bless all your efforts in pursuit of your vision, to His glory!

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  7. Jeanne Avatar
    Jeanne

    Chris, your words here are very thought provoking. Being encouraged to seek all that we have available to us and in us, is so important.
    Thank you for that. You and Orrin are truly an inspiration. Leadership beats dictatorship every time, thank you both for yours. There is a great need for the leaders to develop leaders. The time is crucial right now, thank you for having a vision and sticking to it. God bless, Jeanne

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  8. Chris Brady Avatar
    Chris Brady

    Jeanne:
    Thanks for your comments. I am glad you found this post helpful! Most people don’t realize how big an impact they can have, and how much they are already equipped to do. Good luck on your leadership journey!

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  9. Dan from Lewiston, UT Avatar
    Dan from Lewiston, UT

    Chris,
    Thank you so much for your part of LLR and all you’ve done and continue to do. It has helped me in my journey to become what I know I can and to see my full potential. Through all the trials of life I have many times felt that the Lord has greatly blessed me to become something more than I really ever thought I could. In St. Lois I had one of the most amazing spiritual experiences of my life! The Lord Told me at that point that I needed to push harder and tell more people about team. He also helped me see how far He has helped me come and how much farther I need to go. The feelings I felt were so spiritually strong that I felt I had left my body at that time! I’d like to thank you and everyone that was at St. Lois!

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  10. Susan Smith Avatar
    Susan Smith

    Thank you for sharing this message… It seems I find others ability limitless but often don’t see it in my self… Reading, hearing, seeing positive people like you inspires me ” to be all I can be”…lol … Thanks again for sharing, it means a lot, Sending joy back at ya, Susan

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  11. Ben Yelle Avatar
    Ben Yelle

    Chris,
    The more I dig into leadership and apply those principals to my life, my dreams and goals. Stuck in the same ruts over the years, its amazing how much I can understand now what was difficult in the past and how I can change my life and influence the ones around me. Over the years in one sport I pursue I’ve hit many road blocks that I would run into and hit head-on trying to break through, which wouldn’t get me far and not work out so good fighting the paths that were going in the wrong direction to begin with, Right car, wrong road. With learning and applying the LIFE and TEAM leadership development material, its getting me to find the right route and as a consequence others around me are wanting to travel along and shed light on their adventures. I’ve tucked away my dreams and pulled them off the shelf sometimes to look and think how good it could be but have been able to turn that around, Thank you and all the others very much for the leadership material and teaching, its made such a difference for countless now and to come for the future, Thanks

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  12. Ben Yelle Avatar
    Ben Yelle

    Chris,
    The more I dig into leadership and apply those principals to my life, my dreams and goals. Stuck in the same ruts over the years, its amazing how much I can understand now what was difficult in the past and how I can change my life and influence the ones around me. Over the years in one sport I pursue I’ve hit many road blocks that I would run into and hit head-on trying to break through, which wouldn’t get me far and not work out so good fighting the paths that were going in the wrong direction to begin with, Right car, wrong road. With learning and applying the LIFE and TEAM leadership development material, its getting me to find the right route and as a consequence others around me are wanting to travel along and shed light on their adventures. I’ve tucked away my dreams and pulled them off the shelf sometimes to look and think how good it could be but have been able to turn that around, Thank you and all the others very much for the leadership material and teaching, its made such a difference for countless now and to come for the future, Thanks

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