Leadership Shortcuts

For this week’s look at leadership, I found a great post from an associate pastor in Oklahoma.

I read a statement today.  “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”  Sounds pretty generic and obvious, but oh how I wish for a short cut.  The problem with shortcuts…

1. Not a lot of experience is gained in a shortcut.  Instruction + Example x Experience = Success
2. Few mistakes.  Sounds like a good thing, but mistakes are some of the best teachers.  “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”  Abraham Lincoln
3. Lack of true fulfillment.  “There are 2 types of people who never achieve much in their lifetime.  The person who won’t do what he is told, and the person who does no more than he is told.” Andrew Carnegie
4. No a lot of building blocks.  “Success is a continuing thing.  It is growth and development.  It is achieving one thing and using it as a stepping stone to achieve something else.”  John Maxwell

Shortcuts can be very appealing but real success is gained over the journey.  How about this quote, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.“  Apostle Paul.

Leaders and followers alike, can get sidetracked by looking for that magic pill that will somehow move them past the sitiation that they’re in and into the much improved version of their life. I have to constantly remind myself that this is a process; each interaction, conflict resolution, and victory is taking me one step closer to the leader that I am supposed to be.

Have you ever taken a shortcut then wished you hadn’t?