Your Inner Leader and Rapid Progress

One things I've notice of late is that there is a difference between "leadership" and "management". You need both to be successful. I've found that leadership tends to be about "direction" and "vision", whereas management tends to be about "implementing" that direction. Leadership tends to deal with 'intagibles' - people, progress, improvement, timing, atmosphere, momentem, etc. Management tends to major on tangibles - maintenance of systems and structures.

An example of the difference between the two could be found in the operation of a ship. In the operation of a ship, the leader sets the course for the ships direction, while the manager steers the ship based on the coordinates set by the leader. The manager "manages the decision" set by the leader. They both play vital roles of the success of an organization and an individuals life.

Leadership: The Magnetic Stone That Guides
As Eric Garnerx, a management consultant, stated:

"The word ‘leadership’ comes from the Old English word ‘lad’ for a ‘course’. A ‘lode’ is a vein that leads or guides to ore; a lodestone is a magnetic stone that guides; the lode-star is the name for the star that guides sailors, the Pole star. The word ‘management’ comes from the Latin word ‘manus’, the hand, from which we also get ‘maintenance’ and ‘mainstay’. Leadership guides by setting a ship’s course. Management keeps a hand on the tiller."

I found a lot of times I would try using management techniques to answer leadership questions and wonder why I wasn't making the kind of progress I knew was available to me. I would find myself just "working harder", trying to make it work...doing the same things over and over and wondering why things hadn't changed.

I found that as I got in touch with my inner leader, then the direction would come and I would make wiser, savvier choices. After that I would implement the direction using "management by object" - i.e. breaking the project down into smaller parts until the objective was met - and then I would make better progress. That combination of Divine Direction (leadership) and Diligent Application of the Direction (management by objective) in God's timing would produce "rapid progress". (Ezra 5:8)

"The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction. " Ezra 5:8

The Ladder of Success
I was reading in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, that the manager excels at "climbing the ladder of success", where as the leader determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall. Sometimes, the direction comes as an "adjustment".

An example of that in the bible, was when Peter went out fishing and was working all day and didn't catch anything. Jesus was standing at the shore and told him to "throw your net on the right side of the boat".

"He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"

"No," they answered.

He said, "Throw your net on the RIGHT SIDE of the boat and you will find some."

When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."

John 21:5-7

When Peter made the adjustment, he went from catching nothing all day to having a "net-breaking, boat-sinking load". He experienced a huge breakthrough! Peter was in the right place, doing all the right things, he just needed "Direction" through the form of an 'adjustment'. The 'direction' he received set him up for great success. I think in these last days, we will need to get in touch with our inner leader, even more to receive Direction from Jesus and promptly obeying.

Our Inner Leader
Our inner leader is our spirit man whom God speaks with "Face to face". The bible calls our spirits, "the candle of the Lord".

"The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly." -Proverbs 20:27

Another way of putting it, is our spirit's are the Lord's "lightbulb".

Ever had a situation where something just "dawned on you" and suddenly the answer came to you? The path got clear when before it was hazy. Your "lightbulb" turned on. :) In other cases, it may come:

1. As form of a "knowing" or a settled peace...You sense an inner warmth about going in a particular direction or a "A velvet glow" in your spirit.
2. In other cases, it just 'clicked'.
3. You may even sense an "urging" to go in a particular direction or, in other cases, a lack of peace when you think about doing some endevour.
4. You may get a 'check in your spirit' when you are going in the wrong direction which can range from a feeling of 'deadness' in your spirit or even 'alarm bells'.
5. "Something about it just didn't feel right...something was stopping me" People may have asked you "how did you know?". You may have found yourself saying, "I don't know...I just knew".

The "knower" was your inner leader at work in contact with the influence of the Ultimate Leader...The Spirit of Jesus. You made a decision under the right kind of influence. :)

In these these last days, we will have to honor our inner leader more and more, in order get proper "direction" and make whatever 'adjustments' we need to make in order to achieve all that God has for us.

"He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." - Mark 4:21-23

Whether the direction comes in the form of an adjustment or a settled peace to 'keep on keeping on', when we follow that direction, we will eat the "good of the land". (Isaiah 1:19)

As it says in the scriptures:

"In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success." - Proverbs 3:6

Here is a confession you can make along those lines:

"Holy Spirit I ask You to lead and guide me on the path You have for me and into all truth. Thank You for showing me things to come. I am a magnet for God's Divine Direction, which I know will lead to great success."

You are the best.