A Strong Confident Leader Imparts Confidence and Encouragment Among Those Looking for Leadership

As a leader this man knows how to lead in the fullest and finest and highest sense.

Peter did not want these disciples of Jesus to disobey God, or disappoint God, and this is why he writes as he does, and he goes on to speak to them and teach them and us regarding what is central and important.

Take time and even make time to read what he has to say in his first letter. It is always interesting to read other people's letters and this letter has endured for nigh on two thousand years.

Silver and gold are so durable and most people are aware of that, but the precious blood of Christ is more so.

This leads on to us living a life of gratitude and not grumbling.

Peter goes on to explain to us what we are worth, and we are not worth much in terms of silver or gold, but Jesus Christ shed His precious blood for you and me! Do you realise the profound significance of that?

Is Peter here not also referring to the preciousness of the man, Jesus Christ, and not just the blood, as he writes about the lamb? Peter always writes so highly of Jesus, the one whom Peter had tried to divert from going to the Cross. Some thirty years previously that is what he attempted to do, but now he see circumstances so differently.

Jesus redeemed me, and bought me, and ransomed me, and set me free from futility and emptiness, and from getting nowhere.

When a group of young folks were asked to write down what difference Jesus Christ has meant to you, many answered that Jesus has given me purpose, or Jesus has given me a reason for living and a goal, and made my life meaningful. What a privilege for me to be given a purpose for living.

How terrible it must be go around living and not knowing why you are here and not being sure of your aim and goal and purpose.

There are two reasons for being thankful in this part of his letter and we need to know why we ought to be thankful and grateful at times. We should be thankful because we have been ransomed from futile empty ways, and then we are gifted with purpose and meaning.

This results in our having a confidence. A confident leader should be able to impart confidence to those around him. Good leaders should encourage confidence and when they do so the people they lead will never be afraid of them wondering if they are going to be rebuked and told off.

Bad leaders impart bad fear which is nothing other than sin, but good leaders inspire and motivate and uplift.

Confidence is one of the marks of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

There are many people who are uncertain and unsure, but we have confidence in God and a sure and certain confidence that Jesus Christ is on the throne of this world.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org/ entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Original article

Strong Leaders Are Decision Makers

If you are not comfortable with, or do not like being the one making decisions, or are simply ill- prepared or lack the necessary confidence to do so, then you should not be a leader. In fact, as I have been telling over a thousand people in the last thirty plus years, while many ascend to positions of leadership, only those with decision making abilities and self- confidence are ever true and effective leaders. President Harry S. Truman had his famous sign, "The Buck Stops Here," which summed up the need for someone to have the final responsibility. Elbert Hubbard wrote, "It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide what to so."

1. One cannot be considered a leader if he does not openly and directly both take stands, and communicate his point of view, and the reasoning behind his actions. This must never be based wholly or in part on whether it is a popular position, but rather on what needs to be, and should be done. Many untrained people in leadership positions falsely believe taking the actions themselves is the difficult part, but in reality, it is making the decision to take the action that is more difficult. That initial decision, if arrived at in a systematic way, based on knowledge, expertise and evaluation, is the more relevant and far reaching action. Until, and unless someone takes this first step, no action can be commenced. When decisions are arrived at correctly, they lead seamlessly to a viable action plan to achieve the necessary goals. It is the planning that, for most of us, is both the most time consuming, and the most difficult.

2. Why is there so much difficulty for so many people, to make decisions in an effective manner? Perhaps it is their lack of training or their inability or unwillingness to commit to the necessary learning. Perhaps it is, in some cases, an attitude, of knowing better, and deciding to try to reinvent the wheel. Or perhaps it is their fear of failure, the action of inaction where the ever- dangerous self- doubt and lack of confidence take over (Should they not realize that it is often exactly this fear of failure that assures that they will not be successful). In some cases, it appears to be a need to be loved or liked by others, and they strive more for short- lived popularity than for achievement.

There should be a caviat given whenever anyone decides to pursue leadership positions that says, "Great leaders are decision makers." In my experience, I believe that quite often the reason we don't have better leaders is that they don't understand decision making and its many ramifications.

Richard Brody,with over 30 years consultative sales,marketing,training,managerial, and operations experience,has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. He has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. He's a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.
Richard has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has a Consulting Website ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbcons ), and his company PLAN2LEAD, LLC's site ( http://www.plan2lead.net/ ), and can be followed on Twitter

Original article