PERMISSIVE VS FORBIDDEN
Leadership always has its challenges. There are things in leadership we are allowed to do. Those are the things that are permissive. There are also areas that are considered forbidden. Throughout the life of a leader there are opportunities to do what is right, and those things that are not. When those opportunities to do things that are not consistent with general moral leadership practices present themselves, it is essential to do the right thing.
CHOOSING THE WRONG PATH
Why do some leaders choose the wrong path and end up in personal or even legal troubles? It is because a leader does not generally choose the wrong path in a single moment. The moment in question of failed leadership often is better realized as moments of failures that lead to the failure. It is important to analyze decision-making in your leadership. Moral or ethical flaws generally present themselves before an opportunity to have a huge moral failure occurs. There are signs to look out for. Leaders must analyze their (1) motives and (2) morals/ethics.
THE IMPORTANT DECISION
Each decision is crucial to how you lead. Never allow your decisions to go off track. It can be easy to take the path of least resistance, but this path is rarely the correct path. Often the correct and moral path is the most difficult, yet reaps the most rewarding future. Simply dismissing your decisions as something that will not effect your future is not correct. Each individual decision affects not only today’s leadership, but also tomorrow’s leadership.
DEATH OF LEADERSHIP
Leadership is no longer able to influence when credibility is lost. Credibility is not necessarily lost in the process of making mistakes, even those which are considered moral/ethical failings. Credibility is really lost when a leader does not acknowledge their own mistakes and learn from them. Each and every day leaders make mistakes; people are not perfect. In the Book of Genesis Chapter 3, Adam and Eve denied their failings, they tried to hide their failure by lying. The best way to kill your leadership is to lie about your mistakes. Most mistakes are fixable, but it takes (1) admitting your failings, (2) asking for forgiveness, and (3) learning from failures.
Do not take the forbidden fruit of leadership!
References
Holy Bible: New Living Translation. (1996). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
