Great leaders
My post this morning included an Amazon delivery bringing me a copy of a book called Culture Shift by Robert Lewis and Wayne Cordeiro. The foreword is written by Erwin McManus, and as I quickly glanced through it, once sentence just really grabbed me on leadership which I thought I’d share:
“In a strange kind of way, great leaders don’t always know where they are going, but they always get you where you need to go.”
I think this really resonated with me because is captures how I feel about leading Mosaic, the community of faith we’re pioneering here in Sheffield. I definitely don’t always know where we’re going, and setting up some sort of five year plan - as everyone seems to think you should have - just doesn’t feel right for us. So yeah, I like the quote. I find it quite reassuring I think!
What do you think? Is not always knowing where you are going ok for leaders? And if it is ok, how can leaders make sure they lead people to where they need to be?
January 25th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
i totally agree and would agree with the quote, especially that ’strange sensation’ idea. i think a big part of it is leading people through the unknown and the dynamic.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Wow. Really resounds with me right now. I’m having to navigate people through crises to resolution but have no idea ‘where I’m going’.
> your question “Is it ok?”
It sure is nerve wracking but seems to echo my experiences…
January 26th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Tony, you’re right about guiding people through the unknown being a big part of leadership.
Steve, good to have you stop by my blog. I’ve just added a new post on leadership today and say a little bit on how leadership is more about feeling than formula. It strikes me that that’s what you’re doing with your crises…you’re feeling your way forward, trusting your skills and instinct, and yet often having no idea where you’re going. Nerve wracking is a good way of putting it!