[header size=”1″ type=”single”]AFFIRMATION AND POPULAR OPINIONS[/header]
Secure Leaders enjoy affirmation but don’t have to have it. They get their fulfillment in their purpose, not from popular opinion.
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“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations-that’s what I had in mind for you.” But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!” God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’ I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there. I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid of a soul. I’ll be right there, looking after you.” God’s Decree.
Jeremiah 1:5-8 MSG
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It’s always been amazing to me how important the opinion or affirmation of others is to a leader. I think every leader, if they are being honest, can remember times when the claim or approval of others was entirely too vital to them. This is a significant difference between a secure leader and an insecure leader: how the support of others determines how they feel.
The insecure leader needs constant affirmation. To move forward, they must have people who vote for them and tell them how great they are. It’s almost as if affirmation is the fuel that keeps them going. This need is concerning because there are times in every leader’s life when they must stand alone. It’s the essence of leading; sometimes, you stand out front by yourself.
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Secure Leaders find their satisfaction in their purpose not in popular opinion.
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The secure leader wants their followers to be with them and happy. However, their main goal is to reach their destination and accomplish their purpose. They find their fulfillment and satisfaction in their sense, not in popular opinion. The insecure leaders will never get very far because they are dependent on the emotional responses of others. (We all know how inconsistent that can be!)
The secure leader will likely achieve their goal because they keep leading no matter what! They realize that’s what leadership is all about—getting people from where they are to where they need to be, whether they like it at first or not and whether it’s hard or not. Like Jeremiah, we need to focus on what we were created for and our purpose as leaders, not on fearing those we lead. Remember, affirmation and approval can be addicting. Leadership is not a popularity contest. It is a journey of purpose, and a Secure Leader knows that.
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