Are You Tough Enough?

For as long as I can remember, January has always been a time when I set my sights on what the year ahead might have in store for me. What goals will I set for myself? What will I need to do to reach them? But there is always one thought quietly swimming under the surface. "Have I got what it takes to get there?" Do I have the drive to keep me on track when I feel like it's all too much?

All I'm really asking myself is "Are you tough enough?"

Everyday in the world of sport we hear athletes talk about mental toughness, but mental toughness is just as important in the world of leadership. So what is it?

In 2006, Dr Cory Middleton completed groundbreaking research into the characteristics that bring about mental toughness. His research involved interviewing more than 30 sporting champions from across the globe, which provided the scope to learn about mental toughness from the "experts" and for all of us to profit from the sharing of these experiences. The research revealed that there are four critical components of mental toughness. The combination of these components contributes to an elite performer's mindset and beliefs that goals can be achieved through perseverance and patience.

What are the 4 critical components of mental toughness?

The ability to FOCUS. The ability to COPE. The ability to stay MOTIVATED. The ability to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

FOCUS: This is all about developing a very clear picture on what it is that you want to achieve. Do you see yourself getting a promotion during the year? Do you see a need to improve your conflict resolution skills? Do you need to increase sales? Whatever it is for you, without having a clear FOCUS on the issue it is easy to get distracted by events on the fringe. Stay focused on the real tasks and the results become clearer.

COPING: This is all about what we do when the heat is on. And as a leader it can get pretty hot sometimes! It's pressure, pressure, pressure! Emotion is everywhere in the workplace. And then there are deadlines, meetings and spot fires that flare up. Sizing this up and knowing what to do first is a coping mechanism. It's a skill to remain calm when all around you is chaos, and your ability to COPE with the myriad number of demands placed on you over a day/week/month/year is a strong indicator of your mental toughness.

MOTIVATION: If you can't keep yourself motivated then get out of the driver's seat and let someone else take the wheel. MOTIVATION is the product of our desire to get something and our commitment to the process. Give yourself a big enough reason "WHY" you are doing what you're doing. Continually remind yourself of your purpose... what is at the heart of what you do? And who does it benefit? If you're looking for someone else to motivate you then you're looking in the wrong place.

SELF BELIEF: Henry Ford said "whether you think you can or think you can't, you're probably right". This doesn't come with a guarantee though! You won't always know with 100% certainty that something can be accomplished. But it is 100% certain that it won't be if you never try. Failure is only the temporary loss of success... Failing to try is permanent. So back yourself in. Let go of the fear of not being good enough. Let go of the fear of failure. Let go of the fear of not belonging? BACK YOURSELF... and BELIEVE in your abilities as a leader.

Learn from the Pro's.... Develop the core competencies of mental toughness and take your performance to a whole new level in 2012!

Here's to higher success...

Dean Evans is a Leadership Performance Strategist based in Adelaide, Australia. With more than 10 years of leadership roles in the field of Allied Health he has a wealth of experience in understanding what it takes to operate at peak levels in pressure environments and how to develop individuals to reach their potential. As the Director of Altitude Performance Solutions his passion is equipping new leaders with the people skills necessary to drive the performance and productivity of their teams in today's business world. Whether speaking to groups of people or conducting team trainings Dean will bring great insights and useful tools to help you harness the power of your people. He is also a qualified Performance Coach and an Accredited Consultant in Extended DISC Performance Profiling.

Original article

True Greatness Comes From What a Man Is and Not Just What He Has and We Certainly See That Here!

When a leader serves another leader with integrity and respect there are profound lessons to be learned and we are living in a day when leaders serving leaders are scarce commodities indeed.

Do you know much about Barzillai? Have you studied his life and the service he provided? What we read about him will only take a few minutes but the lessons can last a lifetime.

Barzillai the Gileadite comes to meet the King David, after there had been an attempted coup and the leader of the coup, King David's son Absalom, was now dead. The consequences of sin are many and manifold.

Those who had sided with Absalom are returning to side with the reigning King who had to flee away up to the north of Israel.

This is where Barzillai comes to the fore. We read all about him in the second book of Samuel in the Old Testament part of the Bible at Chapter 19 and some nine verses cover his story.

He is described as a very old man. He is 80 years old. He was wealthy and had provided for David during this trying period in the life of David. Barzillai had been very kind and gracious and generous to David when he was in hiding up in the north of Israel, when David was in great distress.

He had worked for the king and David wants Barzillai to stay in Jerusalem and be provided for. He knew what he faced and he had a sense of peace about it.

Barzillai is granted his desire to remain in his own home, and he returns to his home with the blessing of King David.

There is a question which arises here. "How will we meet the king?" How will we meet Jesus Christ the King, because one day we will? Each of us will meet the risen and ascended Christ, whether we believe it or not!

A man was asked, "Do you think Jesus is going to return soon?" His reply was "I think not", to which the comment was "Jesus said he would return at a time when you think not!"

Barzillai respected the king and David so wants to show him a degree of kindness in return. King David always appreciated what people did for him.

David is virtually inviting Barzillai to join his court in Jerusalem but Barzillai is beginning to lose his physical faculties in as much as he can no longer discern good from evil, or taste good food and drink, or hear the voices of those who sing and praise and worship.

However, he was wise as well as rich, and perhaps this is why David requested his presence in Jerusalem.

True greatness comes from what a man is and not just what he has.

Barzillai declines the invitation and does so with such dignity. He knows he is on his way out and he does not want to become a burden to King David, but he does suggest that his son Kimham accompanies David and that is agreed.

Barzillai and David are men who want to do good. David is so magnanimous, and in the midst of a rather harrowing section in the Bible, there shines this jewel of light.

Good leadership always shines through and it does so here in the lives of both Barzillai and King David, where we see such generous kindness and grace and respect and dignity and integrity.

If you are in a position of leadership or if you know you have to set an example to others, let your light shine clearly and brightly.

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

Could This Topic, Regarded As Irrelevant or Boring By Many, Be The Answer Real Leadership Requires?

Whether leaders recognise it or not this is what can totally change situations and transform circumstances that appear dark and bleak and hopeless, and yet so very few men in leadership are aware of this.

Down through the centuries it has been this that has changed societies and nations and rescued morality from going down any further and lifted lives that were so pained and empty of meaning and significance.

The topic I am referring to is prayer.

How boring? That was how a colleague responded when he heard of people meeting for prayer, and praying for an hour, or over an hour! "Whatever could you say for an hour? How would you fill the time?"

Soon, he discovered that an hour was never long enough.

He had been educated at Eton where he attended Chapel daily, but he and God never met. Following a distinguished career at King's College, Cambridge, he then entered the army where he experienced a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. This man became one of the most influential leaders which the Church of Jesus Christ witnessed throughout the whole of last century but his spiritual dynamism has as yet to be fully recognised and appreciated.

As these disciples of Jesus waited for something to happen, and they did not know what the nature of that might be, they gave themselves to prayer. The brothers of Jesus were present, as was His mother, Mary.

In one sense, they were desperate, and prayer is for those who are desperate, and for those who are desperately concerned about the state of the Church, and the condition of the nation.

Jesus regularly communed with His Father, very often early in the morning, when it was quiet, and when He knew He would not be disturbed and interrupted.

The Church of Jesus Christ was birthed during a prayer meeting, and the new believers were encouraged from the outset to devote themselves to prayer.

When the growing demands upon the church were increasing, the leadership delegated various responsibilities to others, but they were giving their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

John's brother Jacob had been executed, Peter's life was under threat, and the church earnestly prayed for him. Peter's release from prison was miraculous.

When Saul of Tarsus and the risen Lord Jesus Christ met outside Damascus, Saul spent the next three days in prayer.

Might this have been one of the secrets of Paul's spiritually successful ministry?

Might this be the secret which the world has lost in these troubled and troublesome days?

A leader who prays and who gives himself to prayer will see changes take place of which he had never dreamt or expected possible.

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