I was thinking tonight about being a leader.  Being a good leader.

George Washington (1732-9… Buy From Art.com

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I have noticed in my years of working outside of the home that not everyone can rise up and be a leader.  Some people are born leaders.  Then there are other people who make up their minds that they need, or want, to lead and they teach themselves to become leaders.  And some people, no matter how hard they try, simply cannot elicit the enthusiasm and respect from a group of people to drive them toward a common goal.  Some people just cannot lead.

Napoleon Crossing the St…. Buy From Art.com

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There have been famous people who, despite their personal failures, would have been followed by their men to the ends of the earth, simply because of their ability to incite a common desire to achieve a goal.

I was thinking tonight about the qualities I admire in a leader.

• Honesty.  I admire a leader who can graciously say the truth, tell what needs to be done, and deliver it without making it a personal attack or hiding behind someone else.  My respect is diminished for a person who is afraid to fulfill their responsibilities and must make up a reason for what they are asking you to do.
• Steadfast commitment.  When a group of people are working together, one strong person who is unwavering in their commitment to the common goal can bring about hard work, noble deeds, and even great acts of courage from others who have it in their hearts to reach the goal.
• Someone humble enough to give place to the wisdom of the others.

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• Singleness of mind.  When working towards an important goal, getting sidetracked with thoughts of things going on in another time and another place is not helpful.  Of course, there’s no place for the cruel dismissal of others’ needs, but in the end, the person who leads with singleness of mind is priceless.  I can think of quite a few times in my life where I had an initial respect for my superior only to lose it upon finding that they were unable to keep embarrassing, unnecessary personal details of their lives out of their conversations and stay away from conversations that had nothing to do with the large task at hand.

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Perhaps you are wondering what has me thinking of all this.  Honestly, I have watched a coworker struggle with leadership and I have wondered at the reasons. 

That, in turn, set me to thinking about how I lead my children.  Yes, my husband is the head of our home, but a mother certainly has a role to play in leading the children and running the home.  Do I accept my situation and stay focused on the end goal?  Do I know what the end goal is?  Do I keep my personal complaints and disappointments in their appropriate places, or do I cloud my children’s learning with mixed messages that include having to focus on aspects of my personal feelings that they shouldn’t necessarily have to deal with?

And homeschooling.  I believe whether we are unschooling, pursuing a classical education, or doing a very eclectic mix of things, there must be leadership involved. 

 I have asked myself tonight:  how am I doing?

I hope I’m being a good leader.

Lynn