Everybody’s afraid of something, and that’s not always bad. Fear of falling keeps us away from the edge of a cliff. Fear of wrecking (or getting a fine) stops us from ignoring a red light.
The last eleven months have sparked fear in the world in which we live.
Fear of a virus.
Fear of politics.
Fear of one another.
Fear of the unknown.
But when fear drives how you lead, your ability to lead will suffer. Here’s what I mean.
Read MoreIt’s usually sad when a person is institutionalized.
When your aging grandmother becomes too confused to take care of herself, her children institutionalize her.
When your elderly uncle becomes too weak to live alone, your cousins institutionalize him.
When a child with a physical or mental disability can’t function in normal society, he or she is institutionalized to keep them safe and help them survive.
Institutionalization is about protection, not propagation; guarding, not going; building a defense, not mounting an offense.
It’s often necessary for the weak—or the wayward; we institutionalize criminals, too. But when thriving enterprises become institutionalized, it’s never a positive sign of strength.
Read MoreIt is easy, and perhaps even appropriate, to criticize, and perhaps even condemn, Jerry Falwell Jr. for his multiple indiscretions that finally led to his departure from Liberty University last week.
Most reports of his resignation also include a few facts about all that Falwell did to benefit the university: the property acquisitions, the fundraising, the endowment building, the enrollment growth. The school’s financial situation is exponentially stronger today because of Falwell’s accomplishments. So I’m pondering who’s really responsible for whatever negative fallout the school will receive because of this scandal. And who is responsible for the scandal itself?
Clearly, Falwell himself must shoulder significant blame. His repeated lapses in judgment and then clear violations of evangelical and Biblical norms leave him without excuse.
While some of these happened in private and the details surrounding some of them are in dispute, Falwell’s missteps have been known for years. Were those responsible for the school unable—or unwilling—to keep Falwell on a proper path?
Read MoreHere’s a fact every leader must face: leadership is a fight. Yes, the leader will enjoy positive experiences and wonderful people, but meanwhile he will be forced to tackle one battle after another. Here are six fights you must face when you step into the ring of leadership.
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