FOLLOW THE LEADERthat can literally “drive them crazy!” While all grown on the outside,
their stunted and unfulfilled inner child drives them throughout life.
People like this who become leaders tend to be slave drivers rather than
servant motivators.
Good conscientious leaders can easily cross the mental and emotional
line into perfectionism. If they have not found healing and balance in this
desire and drive to excel, it will mar their leadership skills with a growing
negativity. They will never be satisfied with any job. They become obsessed
by the unrealistic expectations they place upon themselves – and upon
others around them. This can easily degenerate into a personality
disorder known as obsessive-compulsive behavior. They can never bring
finality...closure... completion to a task because there is always something
more that they feel can and should be done. An obsessive-compulsive leader
bent on perfection will ultimately damage or destroy every interpersonal
relationship he touches!
This perfectionism to the extreme makes it difficult for many leaders to turn
over a task to others. Their perpetual dissatisfaction will prevent them from
ever fully relinquishing the reins of leadership to others. They always feel
that they can do the job a little better. They find it difficult to fully give up
control. They become “control freaks!” Nothing is ever fully completed
until they themselves have put on the final “finishing touches!”
One of my mentors, Dr. David Seamands, taught me an important
principle in this area early in my life and ministry. He said:
“J.L., one of the hardest things you will often have to MAKE
yourself do is to sit back and sometimes watch the job be done
second best. Whether in parenting or discipling, you can often step
in and do the job quicker and better because of your training and
experience. However, if you always do that in the lives of your
children – or with the people you are mentoring – you will stunt
their spiritual and emotional growth.”That was very wise and seasoned advice I have never forgotten. Even
though I have not always perfectly applied that principle, I believe it with
all my heart. This wise friend and mentor knew that by nature I was
a perfectionist – with strong obsessive-compulsive tendencies! He also