3 Ways Great Leaders Stay Sharp

I think most people want to know how to be a better leader.  I ran across some great thoughts from from David Santistevan so I thought I would share.  Although this was written to worship leaders, I think it applies to any kind of leader:

How do you stay sharp as a worship leader?

You already know that you need to stay close to Jesus. You can’t lead people where you’re not willing to go yourself. You already know you need to have a certain level of competency on your instrument.

The problem is, you can have all those elements in place and still not be sharp. You may still be drained, disorganized, and feeling defeated. You may not love what you do.
The more I’ve observed incredible leaders, the more I’m convinced I’ve been wrong all along.

• Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re a great leader
• Just because you’re a “jack of all trades” doesn’t mean you’re a great leader
• Just because you have a lot of fans doesn’t mean you’re a great leader
• Just because you have a title doesn’t mean you’re a great leader

3 Characteristics of Sharp Leaders

What are the characteristics of sharp leaders? I can think of at least three.

1. Sharp leaders energize others – Consistently, day after day, great leaders energize their team. They cast a compelling vision. Even if they’re tired, they carry a passion for what they do because they believe in it. They are compelled to lead. You can’t be around them without feeling the fire in their heart.

2. Sharp leaders communicate – They don’t allow people to be left in the dark. They make sure their plans and strategies are clear, consise, and memorable. How often do great leaders communicate? Try this: when you think you’ve communicated enough, double that amount.

3. Sharp leaders take care of details – It’s not the massive moments that make great leaders. It’s the small, insignificant details done well and with consistency. Great leaders don’t just energize a crowd. They mobilize teams to accomplish what they never thought was possible. It’s not that they themselves do all the details and are the superheroes of every area. They just know the big stuff doesn’t happen without the small stuff done with excellence. They create systems that work.

In essence, leaders work hard to mobilize people. They don’t just complete their own to-do list and call it a day. They do what Seth Godin calls emotional labor – “the act of connecting to another human being and making a change even if it’s not easy for you to do in the moment.”

My question for you today is- “are you staying sharp?”