FOLLOW THE LEADERattracts other people. People are drawn to a leader who is consistent...
persistent...predictable.
Principle:
“One of a leader’s greatest abilities is his stick-
ability. He is consistently persistent and persistently
consistent.”The late Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, said this: “The one thing
that distinguishes the organization that wins is staying power.” Successful
organizations have staying power because they have a CEO with staying
power. If the leader is not consistently persistent and persistently consistent,
people will not be attracted to his leadership. A leader must first of
all model what he wants to call forth in his followers. If he wants his
followers to persist with him toward the accomplishment of his vision, he
must first of all model a life of consistency and persistency in that pursuit.
There must be a dogged persistence at the top – in order for there to be
an overflow of persistency to the other members of the organization.
Persistence is persuasive – seeing it in action gives others “staying power.”
“Th e one thing that distinguishes the
organization that wins is staying power.”
(Bob Pierce)Because leaders are persistent and have staying power, they do not easily
or quickly give up. By nature they are not quitters. They do not allow
negative attitudes to linger long in their own minds – nor do they tolerate
that attitude in their closest associates. Defeatist words like can’t...quit...
give up...it won’t work...throw in the towel are not in their dictionary or
vocabulary! Difficulties, obstacles, problems and failures do not stop true
leaders. These things may set them back or slow them down – but they will
not stop true leaders for good. Leaders who go the distance understand
that “blood, sweat and tears” are the down payment for success. They are
not looking for someone to carry their load – someone on whom they can
dump their responsibilities. Leaders are willing to “pay the price” in order
to reach their goal. Oswald Sanders says this about the persistence that is
needed in Christian leadership: