30 TOP GREAT INSIGHTS FROM YOUNG LEADERS’ EQUIP IN 2013

 

Hello! As 2013 finally departs from us today and remains forever memorable in our hearts, I want to leave you with these inspiring thoughts from the brilliant young leaders in Young Leaders’ Equip this year. I hope they challenge and encourage you to grow in 2014.

Here you go…

1. “Not until we are ceremonially crowned leaders do we become leaders, but right from now, we can begin to lead.” — Adedeji Oluwadarasimi Blessing

2. “What spurs me the most is that I realized [that] we as potential leaders can and will use what destroys others to get stronger and we will be doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way. Let’s keep the legacy!” — Apela Msuur

3. “Many world leaders [or men] we will remember to have made great impact in our world today are men who found a way to improve on their immediate environment, not men who gathered people and could not make any impact on their immediate environment.” — Arogundade Shina Fatai

4. “Leaders don’t escape leadership positions. It’s visible and it’s MTN — everywhere you go.” — Babawale Peter

5. “When I was much younger, I usually thought that when I grew up, I would do a lot of nice things and show great kindness to others. As I grew up, I realised that I could actually begin to do those things even as a young person. Indeed I could, and it paid off well.” — Israel O. Peters

6. “Being young has so much advantage over growing older. We can assimilate more, remember easily, are flexible … Now is the right time to bring a change and make a difference. There’s no time better than now!” — Kyepari P. Buma

7. “Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly, your wholeness when you are broken, your innocence when you feel guilty and your purpose when you are confused.” — Michael Scofield Ekanem

8. “We must understand that leadership, when a well instituted team is involved, is all about completing one another and not competing with one another. We must appreciate one another, so that our efficiency and productivity as a team will not decline.” — Akinropo Damilola Ayodele

9. “Many think getting saved is only an escape route to a blissful paradise, Heaven. That is half true. Even though we are destined to make heaven as believers, God still wants us to be earthly relevant. We are to be His representatives here, and establish His kingdom here.” — Adeyeye Samuel Adedeji

10. “Notice that the first seven letters of competence are c-o-m-p-e-t-e. A group with a competent leader can compete [with any other group] and win.” — Omolola Oparinde

 

11. “In the real sense, leadership is an intentional commitment great enough to be responsible for others through service and informed enough to be accountable to someone. It is an interesting adventure that one can engage for a lifetime.” — Israel O. Peters

12. “Be a team player . . . No matter how ‘Lionel Messi-like’ a player is, he cannot win a match all by himself — he needs the assistance of his teammates.” — Adeyeye Samuel Adedeji

13. “It might take a man two weeks to clear a plot of land. Doing this takes time and energy. But teamwork helps to divide the task and double the success. When a team gets to work on a farm it might only take just two days to do the task with less energy, stress and strength.” — Babawale Peter
14. “Stand up tall with your shoulders raised and your hands glued to your partner’s, and run towards your goal. You’re unstoppable when you move as a team.” — Israel O. Peters

15. “You need God, yourself and the right people — [though] not everyone — to get to the peak of your success.” — Kyepari P. Buma

16. “It is only the dead who have no problem. Problems are only opportunities in work clothes. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Every problem hides a possibility.” — Blessing Igwemadu

17. “If you don’t see greatness in yourself, you can’t make efforts on actualizing your potential. … It’s in you and me. You’re a genius. You are the change the world needs. You’re the light they look up to. Come on, get up! Face the truth and be in the group of the courageous. For whatever you do, people are bound to talk. It’s an unavoidable fact. It’s up to you to either let it ruin or build you.” — Kyepari P. Buma

18. “It’s rational to desire success in life but irrational to detest challenges.” — Babawale Peter

19. “It’s not just about knowing what’s happening around you but all about changing for good what’s happening around you.” — Israel O. Peters

20. “Leaders are experts in bringing out the best in others — making evident internal excellence.” — Adeyeye Samuel Adedeji

21. “Credibility is the foundation of leadership.” — Ken Solomon Ajiduku

22. “A true leader is one who is always ready to receive people regardless of whom/what they are.” — Soladoye Olusegun John

23. “Let this [phrase] ‘thank you’ not depart from your mouth, but you must utter it day and night, to mean every letter of it; then will you make your way prosperous, and you will have a resounding success.” — Adeyeye Samuel Adedeji

24. “There’s nobody that goes beyond what he sees impossible … The farther you see, the more you read possibilities in impossibilities. Your vision either drives or limits you. Avoid blurred visions and fire on. You can do better than you imagined.” — Kyepari P. Buma

25. “You can find that thing you are looking for but you just need to look in the right place … Never give up no matter what. We all know that a great work is done against gravity while trying to move up. So don’t be lazy. Look around yourself and you will find many opportunities.” — Moses Otunla (Fearless Privilege)

26. “Many think getting saved is only an escape route to a blissful paradise, Heaven. That is half true. Even though we are destined to make heaven as believers, God still wants us to be earthly relevant. We are to be His representatives here, and establish His kingdom here.” — Adeyeye Samuel Adedeji

27. “This is the time we should be alive and bubbling with a vision, knowing that the time is very short. An effective prayer and intercessory life is one of the major ways you can make a solid contribution to the fulfillment of the Great Commission.” — Ayansola Ayomideji Olamilekan

28. “The world suffers a lot not because of the violence of bad people but because of the silence of good people. Don’t keep mute when you have to speak up, come out of the multitude and make a difference.” — Kyepari P. Buma

29. “Great leaders don’t wait for all the resources to gather before taking a leap. Rather, they always take the giant and bold step first, then the resources fall in [place].” — Adeyeye Samuel Adedeji

30. “I charge you today to be a youngster with purpose, whose life is precious to others and who has brought the future closer for good. Be a map to the lost, a light to those in darkness, hope for the hopeless, eyes for the blind, joy to the world and indispensable to God.” — Israel O. Peters

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CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING LEADERS (Part 6): EXCRETION

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.” — 1 Corinthians 13:11, AMP

 

As leaders ascend the ladder of effectiveness, they make mistakes, they learn, they discover, adjust and grow. And for young, inexperienced leaders, this is an important phase of the leadership journey.

Yes, you read the topic correctly—leaders excrete. Well…perhaps it’s not what you’re thinking. For this post, the term excretion is used to describe a “getting rid of ____ (insert any silly habit)” process. Therefore, what I actually mean is that leaders get rid of the stuff—habits and assumptions—they find will place a lid on their abilities, limit their influence and have a negative impact on the legacy they desire to leave on the sands of time.

Eagleflair Consulting Ltd. consultant Cecilia Odok observed, “Most of life is habitual: we do the same things repeatedly. There are some habits that are labeled as bad while others are referred to as good.” As soon as they discover any of these negative labels, effective leaders—both young and adult—don’t hesitate to hit the “Delete” button. These labels are in form of heavy baggage of undesirable habits. They simply give up these habits for them to grow up and go up.  They also model the good habits by doing their best to make sure that they constantly put to check these four aspects of their lives. Effective leaders are continually improving . . .

1. Mentally

Everybody obviously feels secure to work with a mentally balanced leader. On the other hand, nobody will like to stay around a leader who has no clue about what to do when things begin to drift off course.

Leaders need a good mental conditioning to lead well and get their team to achieve anything worthwhile. You know the saying, “If the head is sick, the whole body is also ill.” A good mental conditioning allows leaders to think ahead, figure out solutions, solve problems and delegate duties appropriately to the people working with them.

To maintain and improve your mental conditioning, you need to spend less time thinking about problems and more time on positive options that will advance your team. Negative thinking is not only a bad habit; it is toxic and unhealthy. As you develop your leadership skill, remember to put aside negative thoughts and remain upbeat always.

2. Emotionally

Man is an emotional being, and that’s a fact. No matter how hard you try, you cannot “kill” your emotions. That’s how God created us, and we have no choice rather than accept the fact. But, fortunately, the good news is that you can manage your emotions. This is one area every leader finds difficult at first. If you however decide to start keeping a watch on it, and you manage that decision daily, I can assure you that taming your emotions won’t appear to be all that difficult any longer.

People who can handle criticisms, hold on under fire, spring back to their feet after a great fall without losing enthusiasm are said to have strong emotions. People with weak emotions can’t (or if they can, they simply don’t). They have no inner power. They go up and down with life. When things are rosy, you can pick them out of the crowd—yes, that individual over there with a huge smile across his face. Likewise, they aren’t difficult to identify when things start getting tough. They carry this colossal frown on their face as if they’ve never smiled all of their life.

How do you deal with the realities of life? How do you relate with the difficult people on your team? Do you patiently see the situation through their eyes and give them a positive response that tells them that you sincerely understand? Or do you just react immediately without considering the consequences of your actions?

Whenever I find myself in such situations, I often remind myself that it’s time to be tested. It’s either I let my emotions rule me and, sure enough, will get an immediate gratification; or I subscribe to a better option, act like the bigger person and rule over my emotions by focusing on the ultimate goal. Learn to manage your emotions well. Don’t just let your boiling emotions erupt. It could ruin your reputation in less time than it will take the volcanic molten magma to destroy a whole country.

3. Physically

Many youngsters need to be more intentional about improving on this area. It has to do with your appearance. If you desire to make any positive impact in the lives of every person you get the privilege to meet daily, you need not to be told to start showing up like a serious business personnel, responsible congressional representative, and in fact, if you don’t mind, like clergies appear!

I want to encourage you to let go of all the ‘wizzie’ jeans and ‘spaghetti’ dresses for the ‘small boys and chics’ to bubble with. The real ‘big boys and girls’ are often responsible ladies and gentle-men. They appear professional all the time, smart and simple—not gorgeous and gawky.

4. Spiritually

If there is one startling secret I know about great leaders, it will be that they are all spiritual. (Yea, all. And I mean it.) You may never find this in a secular book on leadership, but it’s the secret that is left untold. They draw strength from beyond-human powers. Some occultic. Some divine.

You see, you need to understand that the leader’s true personality is built behind the scenes. Leaders plan and prepare behind closed doors. Some pray to God. Some offer sacrifices to some unknown gods. Whichever way, I’m sure you get my point: great leaders all have a certain spiritual backup.

You and I need to start desiring to know more of God as we make progress on the leadership journey. You need to start learning to put your whole trust in God, constantly reverence His magnificence and keep growing in His grace and in the knowledge of Christ. You need to make a commitment to never disappoint Him in any way. Praise and appreciate Him daily for the privilege to witness the breaking of every day and the numerous opportunities to make a difference in the lives of other people who come your way. Be willing to say “no” to immoral acts—God hates sin! And if we as leaders must have a flawless victory and all-round growth, we must seek the Holy Spirit’s assistance to help us with this. Obviously, the only way a man can become limitless is when he has a limitless Tour Guide as he travels on.

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Reflection: Which of these four areas do you need to improve? Which of them are you already doing great at? Is there any other aspect that will require leaders to use the “Delete” button on for them to reach their potential? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.