Resumen de costos

relaxation are not their principal goals in life. While they are aware that their bodies and minds need times of renewal and refreshing, they make the best use of their time that they can.

In addition, when leaders make decisions, they are aware of the consequences of those decisions in relation to their goals.

There are only so many hours in a day. When we choose to be involved in one activity, we are making the choice not to be involved in another activity. When we decide to put our resources in one place, we are making a decision not to put our resources in another place. Leaders understand the principle of priorities in relation to their visions. We will talk more about choices in chapter twelve, “Manage Your Priorities.”

The Pursuit of Excellence

A leader disciplines himself in the pursuit of excellence; he shuns mediocrity. He strives to develop his skills and talents and to gain relevant knowledge and wisdom in order to accomplish his vision. While others allow laziness or apathy to set in, leaders discipline themselves to keep moving toward their goals by tapping into their original passions and accepting responsibility for completing tedious or difficult tasks. Leaders mold themselves to obtain what is best for their lives and will not settle for less.

Not Compromising for the Sake of Popularity It can sometimes take a great amount of personal integrity and discipline to withstand the temptation to compromise your vision for the sake of temporary popularity and others’

approval. If you are easily influenced by other people, regardless of your personal convictions, this is a characteristic you particularly need to focus on eliminating. True leaders cannot compromise their visions so that others will like them or so that they will not have to deal with opposition. When Nehemiah was fulfilling his God-given vision of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem following the Israelites’ exile to Babylon, he told those who were trying to force him to stop, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3 nkjv).

Not compromising one’s vision doesn’t mean that a leader shouldn’t learn to listen to those who genuinely want to help and who may have suggestions on how to fulfill his vision in a better and more efficient way. That is cooperation, not compromise. That is using wisdom and all your available resources in making decisions. Leaders must learn the difference between not compromising their principles and impeding their own progress through pride, stubbornness, or self-absorption.

A Willingness to Walk Alone

Because leaders do not seek popularity, and because their visions are usually innovative and counter to the status quo, they often have to walk alone—especially at first. How do you react when people oppose you or disregard your ideas? Do you immediately give up your plans? Or are you willing to keep pursuing your dream because you are convinced of your

purpose and because your passion for your vision won’t allow you to discard it? If you have to walk alone, draw strength from the One who walked alone in His vision in order to reconcile you to your Creator.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Hebrews 12:2–3)

If you want to be an effective leader, you have to discipline yourself to be self-possessed, stable, and consistent.

Otherwise, circumstances in your life can get out of control and you can be easily swayed by other people who don’t have your best interests in mind.

Let’s look at a negative example of this truth from the life of Moses. After delivering the Israelites from Egypt, Moses left them in the wilderness while he went up onto the mountain to talk with God. He was there for so long that the people became frustrated. They said, “Moses must have died.” Moses’

brother Aaron was in charge while Moses was away, and he allowed himself to be pressured by the people into making a golden calf as an idol for them to worship. He did not hold his ground or even tell them how disrespectful and foolish this act would be after God had powerfully delivered them from the Egyptians. When Moses returned, he asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

(Exodus 32:21).

Notice how Moses asked the question: “What did these people do to you?” Aaron replied, “Do not be angry, my lord.

…You know how prone these people are to evil” (v. 22). He was blaming the sin on the people, even though he had been in charge. Aaron continued, “They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us’” (v. 23).

Aaron’s response was an indication of weak leadership. The words “They said” imply that his decisions were influenced, controlled, and subjected to the opinions and wishes of the people. He was no longer leading the people but was being swayed by them. It was leadership by the will of the majority.

This type of governing is the fundamental principle of an absolute democracy. At first glance, it seems attractive, honorable, and fair. My personal conviction is that democracy is the best system fallen man has developed to safeguard himself against unbridled abuse by his fellow man. It is man’s best attempt to provide a system to govern sinful men.

However, democracy—especially an absolute democracy—is not the best model to follow in pursuing your vision because it may cause you to be swayed by the crowd and compromise your principles.

First, in a democracy, authority flows from the bottom up rather than from the top down, as it does in the kingdom of God. Second, the very premise of an absolute democracy lends itself to the appeasement of the masses as opposed to a

commitment to what is true and right. At times, democracy in action may necessarily violate sound principles in order to maintain its existence. A nation that has a democratic form of government can be effective only if its constitution is based on and committed to correct principles. Moreover, its leaders must be committed to these principles. If leaders don’t live up to their own standards, often, the people will not be committed to them, either.

God’s kingdom is a theocracy. In other words, what He says goes, even if you don’t agree. That’s the way He operates.

When God calls you to be a leader, He gives you His Word, and His Word stands, no matter who disagrees with Him. I appreciate all the ideas and philosophies about leadership that we have in our nations. In the church strata, especially, there are many different types of church governments; but when it comes to our relationships with God, there is no democracy.

How does this concept apply to leadership of an organization or company? Let me stress that it must not be construed to mean that the need for cooperation and participatory management should be ignored. Again, there must be an environment of cooperation and teamwork for there to be corporate success. However, this must be done within the context of a singular vision based on God’s purposes. It is important to understand that you can’t lead people when they’re leading you. If God said something in His Word, you do it, no matter who disagrees with you.

In the situation with Aaron, instead of leading, he was being

pushed. And as he continued his explanation to Moses, it got even worse:

They said to me, “…As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

So I told them, “Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.”

Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!

(Exodus 32:23–24)

Wait a minute—the golden calf just came together by itself, walked out of the fire, and said, “Worship me”? That’s ridiculous. Aaron probably designed the idol and instructed the people on how to build it.

If you are the kind of leader who just lets things happen to you, you won’t be in a leadership position for very long. You can be a victim of your circumstances or you can stand by your beliefs and principles—even if it means walking alone—

having the faith and discipline to withstand the pressure to compromise.

Making the Right Decisions

Our world needs leaders who are disciplined people. If you need help establishing discipline in your life, ask for it, but don’t stop there. Take the advice given to you and change your actions. Discipline means imposing strict guidelines on yourself. Ultimately, don’t let someone else set guidelines for you; set them yourself in accordance with God’s Word and the requirements of your vision.

Your life is dependent on the two words yes and no. “Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Anything more than this is evil.” (See Matthew 5:37.) When you are facing a moral decision or a tight spot with temptation, the easiest thing to do is to say, “Well, maybe it’ll go away.” That won’t work. It’s either yes or no. When you are facing a clear choice between two alternatives in the pursuit your vision, you may want to procrastinate the inevitable decision, or you may try to take on too much by choosing to do both. Neither of these will work.

It’s either one alternative or the other. When you want to seek the easy way out rather than sacrificing for your purpose, you may tell yourself that it doesn’t matter. That won’t work. It’s either compromise or faithfulness. Discipline means making the right decision under pressure.

The highest form of discipline is self-discipline. In fact, only the self-disciplined have earned the right to discipline others.

Those who have excelled in this quality will rise above the surface of life and command the respect of others.

Chapter Eleven