It takes a savage to finish off an opponent. It takes a whole new level of personality to put in that final knife thrust through his heart to silence him forever.
This is similar in our pursuit to overcome obstacles we encounter in life. There are a lot of struggles and most often than not we are able to win halfway through the battle. If we are strong enough we might be able to win three fourths through.
What happens?
From the start of the battle we are able to put in a great amount of energy and enthusiasm into it. We are full of hope and aspiration that we will prevail. But later on, as the times go by and the battle begins to drag; our energies begin to wade, the voice of enthusiasm becomes weaker and weaker. We begin to have self-doubt in our capacity to win. We are left just too tired to finish things off. The cumulative time, effort and energies we have put in are already getting back at us. We start to feel the result of “diminishing returns”
How can we finish things off?
As Michael Jordan would put it — “Our opponents are good for 3 quarters. We are good for 4 quarters.” At this point towards the finish line a leader is needed in order to win. Not just an ordinary leader; but a leader that has the heart to win. The leader that can go through pain and withstand any negative force that comes the teams’ way. The leader is the last resort to hold the team’s morale up high, to show enough confidence in order to inspire every member of the team that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Simply put – the leader has the “killer’s instinct” to help and lead his team across the finish line.
Is the leader the appointed one?
Most often the answer is yes; but not always. The leader could be weak at times like this. This is when a team member who has the heart of a bear could sense danger in his leader’s capability to bring them to winning. This is the time that a person’s true personality is revealed. It is during crucial, pressure cracking times that the person’s leadership qualities rise.
What does it take to be a leader in this kind of situation?
It takes a leader who has deep healed wounds. The one who has faced an enormous battle in the past. Someone crushed but survived to live. No amount of education and training could make a person like this. Only God given circumstances in life that built him into the kind of person that he is.
Now ask yourself. Are you a leader?
Total Leadership – The Essentials
Killer Instincts
