Leadership
Influence:
Managing Your Attitudes and Emotions
By Ron Marsh
"Effective
leadership does not happen by chance. It happens on purpose."
Henry
Blackaby
One of the greatest strengths effective leaders have is an ability to
properly manage and control their emotions. The Bible is full of leaders
reaping the consequences, both positive and negative, of responding out of
emotion.
Moses found out the hard way that responding out of your anger can have
serious ramifications. He struck a rock out of anger to produce water for his
nagging followers which resulted in this response from the Lord: "Because
you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the
Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them"
(Num 20:12). Wow, all that for reacting out of emotion! It's interesting to
note that in this case, the emotion stems from a lack of trust in the Lord and
His work.
In vivid contrast, we see David dancing and rejoicing before the ark of
Lord resulting in worship that was so radical his wife called it
"vulgar" (2 Samuel 6). David's emotion—unrestrained in this
case—brought pleasure to the Lord.
There is strong link between our attitudes and our emotions. It's clear
that our attitude determines the emotional trajectory in which we lead (i.e.,
the way we approach the ministry God has called us to and the influence we have
on others.) In aviation, your attitude (pitch) can mean life or death. The same
is true in biblical leadership. An unchecked attitude can result in devastating
consequences and emotional bankruptcy.
It's been said that a pessimistic leader is an oxymoron. Leadership, by
its very nature, requires a positive perspective (attitude) in leading others
towards a preferable future. That attitude breeds compelling emotions within
the leader and directly affects their leadership sphere.
Winston Churchill once said to his men who were in the trenches during
WW I, "Laugh a little and teach your men to laugh...if you can't smile,
grin. If you can't grin, keep out of the way until you can." Joy is an
essential element in leadership. In Jesus' ministry joy was a defining marker.
More than just a moral booster, joy helps us tackle the impossible and see the
possibilities.
A critical or cynical leader, on the other hand, can easily be swept
away by the negative emotions that surround those attitudes. Like toxic waste,
they can seep into every aspect of our lives. How we explain the events that
happen to us directly relates to our attitude and emotion.
That's why Paul urges us in Romans to be "transformed [continually]
by the renewing of your mind." Paul understood that changing the way we
think will inevitably change our attitude and emotion. Our thoughts are often
the last place we think of to make changes when it comes to our attitude and
emotions. However, what we are thinking is the key to our ability to read our
emotions, control them, and recognize their impact on those we lead.
How are you doing in managing your attitudes and emotions? Find out by
downloading this Leadership
Attitude Check worksheet.
Ron Marsh is a certified life coach who helps others live in the center
of the purpose and passion. Meet Ron at www.PurposeFilledLife.com or www.CoachingPastors.com/Marsh.htmll.