- By Dr. John C. Maxwell
In my experience, the problems of a person's past impact them in
one of two ways: they experience either a breakdown or a
breakthrough. This month as we gear up for the New Year, take a
moment to decide which path you will take. Are you heading
toward a breakdown or a breakthrough?
Steps toward a Leadership Breakdown:
1. Comparison.
No matter what you've experienced, remember this: there are
people who've had it better than you and done worse; and there
are people who've had it worse than you and done better. I've
watched some very talented people miss opportunities because they
were worried about what someone else was receiving or achieving.
If you prepare yourself to the best of your abilities and give
your all in every situation, you will be successful. You may not
always win, but you will be a winner.
One of my favorite thoughts about comparison comes from a young
girl who was competing in a pageant. "There will always be
someone prettier than me, more talented than me, and more
graceful than me. I can only hope they aren't on the same stage
as me."
2. Rationalization.
In this day and age it seems that people can rationalize any
situation. A cartoon which appeared a few years ago in the New
Yorker showed two clean-shaven middle-aged men sitting together
in a jail cell. One inmate turned to the other and said, "All
along, I thought our level of corruption fell well within
community standards." Taking responsibility instead of
rationalizing is a matter of integrity. And integrity is the
foundation of leadership.
3. Isolation.
You can't be a leader if you're all alone. Leadership requires
teamwork, and teamwork requires people. Trying to avoid a
challenge or problem by isolating yourself from everyone always
results in a larger problem. You may need to separate yourself
from most of the group to solve a problem; however, you should
always have contact with at least one other person who can mentor
you and help you through the situation. Your mentor may not be
able to help you find a solution quicker, but a mentor serves as
an encourager, which is sometimes just as valuable.
4. Regret.
Yesterday ended last night. As much as we would like to, we
can't go back and change what has already happened. We can only
move forward and do the best we can today. Regret merely drains
our energy and makes it harder to move on.
5. Bitterness.
Past hurts can make you bitter or better. If you hold onto
disappointment you become bitter. If you learn from
disappointment you have a better chance of not facing the same
disappointment later on. I have found that grudges hurt me more
than they will the other person; therefore, clinging to
bitterness wastes time and energy.
In my book, "Failing Forward", I recount the story of Joseph of
the ancient Hebrews. He was thrown into a pit, sold into
slavery, falsely accused, and put in jail; however, he didn't
hold a grudge against the people who wronged him. Joseph found
the positive benefits in his negative experiences, and went on to
be a powerful ruler in Egypt.
