- Victor Ochieng’ explores leadership lessons drawn from Robert H. Schuller’s teachings on overcoming challenges and remaining steadfast in positions of influence.
- He cautions leaders against surrendering authority to forces, faces, frustrations, fears and other obstacles that can derail leadership.
- Ultimately, he argues that effective leadership requires faith, resilience, sound judgement and the courage to persist despite failure.
In Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do, Dr. Robert H. Schuller acknowledges that in most cases, leaders in governments, organisations, companies, churches, and institutions, are caught right at the centre of the storm. Largely, the putative author warns leaders not to surrender leadership to forces, faces, farces, fences, frustrations, fantasies, faults, foes and fears. In lieu, he instructs leaders to surrender leadership to only one thing — faith. As a scribe, I describe it as believing in God to succeed.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FORCES
Foremost, in most organisations, sometimes leadership is not at the desk of the executive officer. Somewhat, some leaders surrender leadership to outside forces. It what is called “state, school, institutional, organisational, company, or church capture”. Yet, the shoe does not tell the foot how big to grow. Likewise, the body does not surrender growth to the garment. Therefore, in case you are a leader, you ought to take full charge before things spiral out of control. Do not surrender leadership to forces. Likewise, leaders should not allow cash-crunch to be a force impeding progress and success. For through Positive Mental Attitude, there is always a way of making more moolah. Or to mobilising more resources. For it is the same Dr. Robert Schuller who observed, “There is nothing like money problem, it is always an idea problem, and a good idea attracts money.”
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FACES
Secondly, some leaders surrender to faces. More so, when they join new organisation where people are resistant to change. Haply, when leaders convene meetings in such institutions, and read the mood of the staff. They can see a scary eyebrow raised. Or hear an intimidating throat cleared. Through body language, people suggest that they may not support a brilliant thought. You can see their comportment of contempt. You can read the face saying we have been here longer than you have. You will not make it. You will not crack it. You will not access success. In case you succumb to this, you surrender leadership to faces. Yet, leadership is a privilege, not a prerogative per se. Meaning, do not be scared by negative and rebellious people within the organisation who think they are smarter, brighter or better than you. Do not forget. It is now your time to lead, and to serve with love. God Almighty has placed instruments of power on your mortal hands. Those who think that they can lead better should wait for their time to arrive, and strive to serve too.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FARCES
Thirdly, farces are lies, or masks. As a leader, sometimes you will work with pathological liars. Or inveterate liars. Or dyed-in-the-wool liars. Organisations are replete with peddlers of lies. Such people create lies about other colleagues, and bring them to your table. Some can also come up with some stories without arms and legs — just to bring you down. Or to paint you in bad light – as an irredeemable failure. Liars can open loopholes for enemies to attack you. No wonder, at Yala, in Gem of Siaya, our venerable elders sitting under the big ober tree are fond of saying, ogwang’, mongoose, can only get into the compound using the rot or roth, small hole on the fence, which is created by the family dog. So, when there is no enemy within, the enemy without can do us no harm.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FENCES
Additionally, fences are limiting concepts; that as a leader, you permit to influence your goals, desires and dreams. In case you are not careful, this may make you succumb to defeat and despair. Fences also take the form of negative self-image perceptions such as: I do not have proper education. I do not know the right people. I do not have good connections. I do not have enough money. I do not have a strong spine. I do not have ample time. I am not an eloquent speaker. Or believing that you are not in the right organisation. You should have been somewhere else. Surrendering leadership to fences is also “locked-in thinking”. The thought process that concludes: this idea has never worked before. The veracity of the matter is that nobody is guiltier of locked-in thinking than the trained and educated professionals. Through proper training and tutelage, they develop some sort of expertise. Then, they become fixed and conservative. Like talented thespians, they strictly follow the script. They resist change, and new way of doing things with every atom of their strength. Their slogan becomes, this is how we have always done it. Old is gold. Yes, a new broom sweeps clean. But an old broom knows all the corners.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FRUSTRATIONS
Again, there are leaders who reach the end of the tether. They feel the game is over. All is lost. The unfortunate twist of fate is tightly sealed. They feel they cannot handle people or the office any more. They cannot handle the government regulations any more. Taxes are high. The cost of living is high. Times are tough. Tides are scary. So, they cry. They don’t try. They cannot handle the spate of cash crunch any more. Yet, any dreamer will be frustrated at some painful point. Lack of time and money, high interest rates, disappointments that manifest in form of betrayals. Such forms of frustrations can mount up, but you should never forget: Leadership is management of crisis. Every leader requires the thick skin to ward off every form of failure and frustration.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FANTASIES
Then, as a leader, God will give you a brilliant thought. Albeit, in case you are not careful, you may end up giving in to negative fantasies: I might try it but fail and fall flat. People will laugh at me. What if I try it and fail? Yet, this is the thing. In case your dreams are bigger, there will be no shortage of ridicule. So, as a leader, when rejected, do not feel dejected like a wet hen.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FAULTS
As a leader, do not give up on an idea because of the possibility of making mistakes, or because of what people will say about it. This is it. There are always problems with every idea. Nevertheless, problems call for polishing. Just polish pale parts. Winston Churchill sagely said, “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.” A fool is the one who makes the same mistake twice. We can do three things about mistakes. One, ignore them. Two, deny them. Three, accept, and learn from them. The third alternative takes courage. It is risky, but rewarding. When we defend our weaknesses, we actually start building our lives around them, making them centre points, rather than overcoming them. There are five ways to handle mistakes. One, admit it quickly. Two, do not dwell on it. Three, learn from it. Four, do not repeat it. Five, do not assign blame, or make excuses.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FOES
Foes are enemies. There will be people who will be foes. I mean people who will long for your downfall. In your short stint, there will be people who know how it should be done, but they cannot do it. They will be just there to poke holes on everything, even your shadow. Their work will be to dig for dirt or shit — but fail to see the good or gold. Also, do not surrender leadership to friends or family members. Sometimes, people you trust as friends can turn to foes. Then, bring you down.
- Do not Surrender Leadership to FEARS
Advisedly, Apostle Paul of Tarsus writes to his protégé in 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and sound mind.” In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill writes about The 6 Basic Fears: (1) The fear of poverty, (2) the fear of criticism, (3) the fear of ill-health, (4) the fear of loss of love of someone, (5) the fear of old age, (6) the fear of death. Napoleon Hill goes ahead to argue; fears are nothing more than states of mind. One’s state of mortal mind is subject to control and direction. Doctors, as everyone knows, are less subject to attack by disease than ordinary laymen because they do not fear disease. Doctors treat several people suffering from contagious diseases without becoming infected. Their immunity against diseases consist largely, if not solely, in their absolute lack of fear.
In Evangelism by Fire, Reinhard Bonnke, the German tele-evangelist wrote: Fear is forged in hell and issued by Satan as a standard weapon to all demons. Fear is a paralysing force. Demons are full of fear, like scorpions are replete with poison. Fear is Satan’s venom. He wants to sting us all, leaving us sick and weak with fear. The devil does not fear the man who fears. He knows that such a person is harmless. But Satan trembles when we remain firm and fearless. Fear is a negative force. Its sign is a minus. Fear is the dark room where people develop their negatives.
- Surrender Leadership to FAITH
Again, Reinhard Bonnke says that a trembling saint makes a triumphant Satan, but faith frightens the foe, and puts him under your toe. We are not called to tremble, but exercise authority. The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith. By faith we move from minimum to maximum. The mightiest resource in the universe is the Arm of God. Faith moves mountains. Do not play with stones, yet God called you to move mountains. More importantly, fear looks like the opposite of faith. For Zig Ziglar told us that FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. Yet, in Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) we read, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Therefore, as a leader, do not be a jailbird of fear. You better try something great and fail. Instead of attempting nothing and succeed. This wide old world admires people who make commitments, and stick their necks out. It is better to try to climb to the top and fail to reach there.
So, failure is a feature. You may fail, but you are not a failure. Failure really can be an asset if what you are trying to do is to improve, learn, or do something new. There is nothing shameful about being wrong, or changing course. Our capacity to try and not cry connects with our ability and tolerance to fail. On the path to successful action, we are prone to fail, possibly for the umpteenth time. Action and failure are two sides of the same coin. One does not come without the other. What breaks this critical connection down is when people stop acting because they have taken failure the wrong way. This is why failure precedes success.
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Finally, as a leader, let faith be in control of every decision you make, and every action you take. Look at your life — where you have come from, and where you are headed to. Ask yourself these quality questions: Who is in charge? Who is in control? To whom have I surrendered leadership? Therefore, this is the conclusion of the matter: Surrender leadership to faith. Meaning, surrender leadership to God Almighty. Let Him colonise your life, thinking and decisions. As you lead, ask Him three questions. One, who am I? Two, why am I here? Three, where do I want to go? Surrender to Him your fears, insecurities, challenges, and everything. Ask Him to imbue you with wisdom, wit, right judgement, discretion and divine understanding.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ rolls out leadership talks and training services. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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