Each person is a leader in some capacity: as a big brother or sister, a parent, an employer, a manager, or a mentor. Each person also chooses whom they will follow. Our choices are either going to encourage or discourage those who look to us for inspiration.
Dr. Tim Elmore, a leadership expert, likes to teach using word pictures. One that has stuck with me is the Iceberg illustration. Ten percent of the mass of the iceberg is visible above the water line while ninety percent of its mass remains invisible below the water line. The visible part of the iceberg is not what sinks a ship; it is the invisible part. In his illustration, Dr. Elmore likens the visible part of the iceberg to the ten percent of our character that we show the people around us, and he likens the invisible part to the ninety percent that is the real us. That ninety percent is how we act when we think no one is looking at us and is what will determine our success as leaders. If we compromise in our character and integrity in our private lives, it will sink our proverbial ship in our public lives, but no one will have seen it coming.
As leaders, it is essential to be diligent to maintain our honor and integrity in all areas of our lives. Our success is not measured in bottom line profits or losses, but rather by the positive or negative impact that we make on the lives of the people around us. Personally, I endeavor to leave people in a better place in their lives for having met me. I want to be a blessing to people not a source of hurt or frustration. I encourage you to take the time to examine your life ‘below the water line.’ Are there any changes that you need to make so that you do not sink your life or the lives of those around you? If so, make the necessary changes, or have the courage to ask for help to make them.
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