I want to talk with you today about the one quality which will determine your ability to lead. The first 9 practices of my book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders are listed below and build up to this defining characteristic:
- Build Great Teams
- Are Humble
- Continually Improve
- Work Hard, Very Hard
- Form Strong Relationships
- Make Others Better
- Consistent
- Give Generously
- Lead By Example
But the defining characteristic is Apex Leaders Deliver Results. They get the job done. They stood before a group of people and said, “Follow Me!!!” They cast a great vision, promised a better tomorrow. You trusted them, followed them. And they did what they said they were going to do and now your life is better because of it.
On January 15, 2009, a US Airways A320 Airbus left LaGuardia Airport and was immediately struck by a flock of Canadian geese. What happened next became the subject of a Tom Hanks movie. 18 seconds later made the decision to land the plane in the Hudson River.
Sully delivered results. The plane glided into a successful water landing in the Hudson River. All 155 passengers and crew were saved. He was also the last one off the plane and the last one off the ferries. To read more about Sully’s leadership, check out 22 Leadership Lessons From Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger On Surviving A Plane Crash.
On February 5, 2017, the Atlanta Falcons led the New England Patriots 28-3 in the second half of Super Bowl L1. There is a difference between sensing opportunity and seizing it. The Atlanta Falcons did not seize this opportunity for victory. Tom Brady and the Patriots did winning 34-28. For more on this game, read 45 Definitive Leadership Lessons From Tom Brady, Bill Belichick And The New England Patriots.
Jesus Christ is the greatest leader who has ever lived. There have been more songs have been written about Him, more paintings done of Him, more books written about Him, and more conversations about Him than anyone in human history. You cannot be neutral about His name. You will either reject or positively respond to it. All of human history is measured by when He was on the earth. Jesus also left behind the greatest organization in human history, the church, and millions of people show up weekly to talk, sing about and learn about Him.
- When He asked storms to cease, they died down.
- When He told lepers and others who were sick to be healed, they were.
- When He told a man with a withered hand to stick it out, the hand was made whole.
- When He told paralytics to arise, they stood up.
- When He told dead people to rise up, they did.
- When He called for demons to be cast out, they were gone.
- When He told blind people to open their eyes, they could see.
- And the reason we follow this man 2000 years later, is because He said they are going to kill me and in three days I’m walking out of that tomb. And He did.
- That was then. This is now. In 1980, He told me He would give me a new life and He did.
Jesus Christ delivered and delivers results.
Leaders, you are often telling people what you are going to do. You cast a compelling vision. You make budgets. You devise ministry and business plans. You tell people, “Follow me to this bright future.” The question becomes did you deliver?
The answer to that single question largely determines the influence you will have in the future and whether people will trust and follow you moving forward.
Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1269 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2016’s Top Christian Leadership Conferences. Featured are the Johnny Hunt Mens Conference, ReThink Leadership, Orange and Leadercast Conferences among others. If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader. Enjoy!!!