THE LEADER'S ATTITUDE DETERMINES THE ORGANIZATION'S ALTITUDE

How many times did you see Joe Montana looking frightened at the line of scrimmage right before the ball was snapped when it was fourth and goal in the final minutes of a close game?  Like me, I bet you remember seeing that courageous expression on Joe’s face that would have made a combative lion think twice about making a move.  Do you think Jack Welch ever walked in the doors of GE thinking “this company is facing so many problems it’s doomed and I just need to quit”?  No, he strolled in with fierce determination to tackle the problems head on.  Can you imagine Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane telling James and John He had decided to run rather than surrender to fulfill His purpose on earth?  Christ’s optimism that His impending suffering and death would be overcome was symbolic of His faith.  All these great leaders had something essential…they had the right attitudes.  No family, team, organization or collective group of people ever achieves lofty goals without leaders who possess the right attitude. 

Here are some, but not all, of the key attributes of a leader’s attitude that are absolutely critical for a leader to elevate the team to its full potential.

·         An Attitude of Courage – God repeatedly instructed Joshua to be “strong and courageous” because God knew the Israelites would need to see Joshua’s courage and strong conviction to follow him into the many battles that would take place in the journey to claim the Promised Land.  God asked Joshua on numerous occasions to step out in faith and Joshua’s courageous actions allowed him to lead the Israelites to conquer the land God had pledged to them.  Can you imagine the troops in any army charging in to battle when their General always cowers in fright in a bunker until the fight is done?  An organization will follow a leader through the greatest of challenges if the leader has repeatedly demonstrated an attitude of courage in the face of battle whether it is during an armed conflict or in the midst of a severe market downturn.

·         An Attitude of Determination – Historian Thomas Fuller said “An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men.”  Winston Churchill was certainly one of those “great men” that Fuller spoke of.  Churchill’s fierce determination to reject a negotiated settlement with Germany changed the course of the war that ultimately led to the defeat of Nazi Germany because Churchill could see what the long term outcome for his country and for the world would be.  A lessor man would have looked at all the reasons there were to compromise and would have simply given in to the German demands.  Not Churchill.  He was determined to do what he thought was best for his country and the world no matter the cost.  The leader who makes principled decisions and then has the determination to stick to those decisions in the face of monumental opposition is the leader who gives his organization the will to succeed.
 

·         An Attitude of Optimism – Nothing will defeat the possible quicker than the impossible.  Legendary Packers Coach Vince Lombardi once remarked "We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."  In Joshua we find our Lord telling Joshua “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  God’s instruction is simple…there is no reason for anything other than optimism for God is with us no matter what the trial or tribulation.  Have you ever experienced the tremendous sense of joy and relief when you trusted in God to get you through a difficult time and He delivered?  Think about how much sweeter it was when you faced those times with the full belief and comfort from the very beginning that things would turn out well.  And if that doesn’t encourage you enough to be positive…think about how many times you expected the worst to happen, you worried yourself sick and then it didn’t happen?  In Luke 12:6-7 we are told “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.“  There’s really no good reason to expect the worst to happen with God in your corner.  The greatest leaders have that contagious attitude of optimism that keeps their organizations in high spirits. 

Courage, determination and optimism…if you’re a leader who works continually to display these attributes in your attitude then you can be confident that your family, team or organization is being lifted up because THE LEADER’S ATTITUDE DETERMINES THE ORGANIZATION’S ALTITUDE.