Reality check: Some leaders will lose their way. As a result, their leadership will either be badly damaged or completely destroyed. For some, much hard work will be required to restore their role as a leader; others may never be given another opportunity to lead.

So the question arises: Are there steps that you as a leader can take that will keep you from losing your way?

As someone who has done great damage to my leadership role in the past, I have had to work hard at restoration. Let me suggest three keys I have discovered that are essential to keep you from losing your way.

Authenticity. To be authentic is to be true to who you are at the core. It is accepting yourself with your strengths and weaknesses. A significant part of this is admitting that you are not perfect. Making mistakes – even sin – doesn’t mean that you are a bad person. In part, authenticity accepts that though you will make mistakes, they will not define you.

One of the biggest challenges you will continually face as a leader is the temptation to deny or compromise who you are deep down inside. Authentic leaders know being true to who they are is what makes them strong to lead during the tough times. They also know that authenticity is often very difficult.

Clarify your values and know the boundaries for those values; then let these values define you as a leader. In the past, my own lack of clarity regarding my values and my inability to establish boundaries to protect those values resulted in me doing major damage to my leadership roles and responsibilities. In retrospect, I can see I had lofty values, which I could articulate, but they did not translate to convictions in my heart. Your values must move from your head to your heart if you are to live authentically.

Living authentically will be very tough and painful at times. You may lose your job for choosing to live authentically. You may lose some acquaintances or even those you’ve valued as friends. But you will discover it is better to lose some things than to live a lie.

Authentic living will keep you from losing your way as a leader.

Get Support. Trying to go it alone was probably the biggest factor leading to the damage I did to my leadership in the past. You will not survive on your own as a leader. Although our culture wants us to believe we can, I venture to say you will not survive on your own as a person.

You need the support of people around you. You need people with whom you can be honest. You need people who can hold you accountable when you mess up and celebrate when you get it right. You need them to hear when you are both rational and irrational.

You need to have at least two or three people, or be part of a group where you can be completely transparent without the fear of being judged. It should be a place where you can express your deepest fear and your greatest joy.

I have learned my lesson: I never want to try life on my own again. I now recognize that we were hardwired by God to need each other. And whenever we try to go it alone, it does not end well.

An African proverb says, “If you want go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Don’t be deceived by speed; choose distance.

Be a Servant Leader. I know many books have been written about this form of leadership. So this is likely nothing new to you. Let me give you the simplest way to go about applying this leadership style in your life. As a servant leader you will be more concerned serving people, especially those you are leading, than about your own recognition, success and power.

Servant leaders know that people are more valuable and important than things. People who are led by such a leader feel safe, cared for, and respected. And when people feel safe, cared for, and respected, they generally will give their best to their leader. They will go the extra mile for the servant leader, while they will not budge an inch for the self-centered leader who does not respect them or make them feel safe.

All leaders face the possibility of losing their way if preventative steps are not taken. As the say goes, “Been there, done that.”

What steps have you taken – or what steps do you need to take – to protect yourself from losing your way? Go to coffee with a friend and ask them to help you review what you have in place to protect yourself as a leader so you do not lose your way.

If you would like help in achieving your goals in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.

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