1. I need to be an influencer of influencers because…
…success without succession is failure. What does it matter what I build if it can’t out-live me? My four primary influencers that I’m trying to influence in a positive way right now: my wife and my three boys.
2. It is way too easy to waste time
There are blogs to read, tweets to compose, videos to watch, people to shoot the breeze with, statuses to update, and so on. None of these things are bad. They are, in fact, good. And somewhat important in my role as an influencer of influencers. This makes them the easiest time-wasting activities to justify. They are the good, but not the best. They must wait their turn, and I must make them wait.
3. Keeping the vision alive is time-consuming and difficult
And it is my primary job as leader. If the vision is being kept alive through communication and lived out through my actions, most other things become either 1) easier, or 2) done. Leading this way is counter-intuitive, and so always harder than I expect. It also takes a lot of time and creativity because the vision must be communicated constantly and in many different ways. When this is neglected I can practically watch people shrivel with discouragement and confusion. People don’t work well for long without a good reason and a somewhat sure direction.
4. I cannot ever, and must not ever, stop growing
“Leaders are readers.” And podcast-listeners. And video-watchers. And conference-goers. And class-auditors. In this rapidly-changing culture, if I ever think I have a corner on youth ministry in my context, I need to think again. As for the spiritual element, how would I presume to effectively shepherd the flock Jesus has entrusted to me without making sure I was connected to the True Vine? Apart from Him, I can do nothing.
5. Humility is a struggle
For most leaders, anyway. Not really for me. In fact, I can’t think of anyone more humble than me. I am so humble, that sometimes I just sit and reflect on how many awesome things I’ve done that I could have taken credit for, but I didn’t. Yep, so humble. Er…what I mean to say is, humility is a struggle for most leaders. Myself probably included.