MURPHY'S LAW
I had only been on the USS PRINCETON for a few short months. It was my first tour of duty, and I was assigned as a division officer in the Weapons Department. Like many fresh officers, I was working to obtain my initial qualifications to earn my Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) pin. SWOs in the U.S. Navy are ship drivers, but I didn't yet have enough knowledge, experience, or trust and confidence from the Captain to take the deck and navigate the ship independently. I was doing what most of us unqualified junior officers tried to do during the early days of our careers: maintain a composed outward appearance despite feeling utterly overwhelmed.
All ships in the U.S. Navy must meet specific training milestones to be considered "mission-ready" for deployments, and we were just a few months away from receiving the assets needed to fulfill the remainder of our certifications. The ship and members of my department prepared for PRINCETON's next deployment (my first one), verifying that our equipment was ready to respond to whatever came our way.
One day, something went very wrong in our home port of San Diego. A significant set of equipment that my division owned and maintained suffered untimely casualties. These issues could have jeopardized our ability to certify in the coming months, and as one might imagine, the Navy dislikes when its ships miss tasking. At that time, I was still learning how to lead a division of sailors and oversee the equipment we were assigned to maintain. My chiefs (senior enlisted personnel) explained the technical nature of the casualties so I could quickly update my department head (who was also my immediate boss).
As I absorbed what my chiefs told me, I realized I was ultimately responsible. Despite not being a technician or an expert in the subject matter, I was the officer in charge of the division. I failed to ask the right questions or establish the proper expectations for my team, and unfortunately, Murphy's Law reared its ugly head.
I could sit here and recite everything I "didn't know" because I was "fresh out of college" and "inexperienced," but that did not change the fact that I was responsible for what had happened. There were no excuses, and I knew it. Despite wanting an easy way out, I knew the best thing I could do was be honest with my department head, who would likely take the fall for this because he was ultimately responsible for what went on in our department. That is the burden of leadership. I felt the shame of my errors gradually overtake me.
LOOK AT THAT SUNRISE...
I was anxious; sweat formed on my forehead as my heart raced like an engine. I couldn't help but wonder about the eventual outcome of the situation unraveling before me. Everything I cared about had been put on hold for this very moment. I walked dolefully through the ship's decks and headed to the officer's country, making my way to my boss's stateroom. I knocked on his open door and found him sitting at his desk. He was an average-looking 31-year-old man named Adam, but to me, he was "sir" or "WEPS" (an abbreviation for "Weapons Officer").
He looked at me attentively as I recounted the events. Slowly, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes widening as if he had just stumbled into oncoming traffic. I could see the gears turning in his head as he processed the information I shared. "Oh, fudge," he muttered (although he didn't say "fudge"). "That's not good," he commented, gazing out through the open doorway to his stateroom.
Suddenly, he looked at me inquisitively and asked, "Do you want to get some coffee?" I struggled to process his question but responded with an uncertain "yes." At that moment, I clung to him like a cat to a tree branch with an angry dog barking up from below. I didn't want to leave his side in my moment of panic.
He promptly stands up from his seat and strides to the wardroom (officer's mess) with dazzling determination, and I follow closely behind. He pushes open the door earnestly; we grab our mugs from the wall and head to the coffee machine. Adam pours coffee from the carafe into my mug first, then his own. After a long, soothing sip of black Navy bean water, he nods approvingly and lets out a meditative sigh. He stares off towards the back of the wardroom, lost in thought.
I could never know what was going through his head in those few seconds, but waiting for him to speak felt like an eternity. We had a whole day ahead of us; it was still early morning, and the thought of making it through the rest of the day after learning the state of our equipment turned my stomach to rot.
Adam looks at me, his eyes quickly darting to meet mine. "Hey, what time is it?" he asks. I peek at my watch and tell him. Immediately, his eyes light up as he exclaims, "We can still see the sunrise! Come on, man." Confused but intrigued, I walked with him to the wardroom exit, carrying our mugs of coffee, and stepped out onto the helicopter flight deck. We gaze at what was left of the sunrise because it had already risen nearly an hour earlier. Nevertheless, the sight was undeniably beautiful as we watched it slowly lift north of the horizon.
As we enjoy our coffee, Adam remarks, "Wow, isn't this great? Look at that sunrise." He goes on to talk about the harbor, the ships coming in and out, and the different types of buoys and lights. He then shares some fascinating history about the port of San Diego and Coronado Island with me. As we continue to admire the sunrise and I listen to Adam, I can't help but wonder why we are on that flight deck, just the two of us, watching the sunrise and discussing nautical information and history without having yet addressed the damage to our equipment.
After a long pause and more admiring, Adam finally says, "You know, Chandler, you gotta take time to appreciate the good things in your life despite the bad things happening around you, like stopping to enjoy this sunrise. Our job isn't easy, man. If anyone could do it, they would, but they can't. We messed up, and it isn't even lunchtime yet! But it'll be okay... I'll talk to the Captain, and we'll identify a solution and move forward. Let's just hang out here for a bit, yeah?" He takes another long sip of coffee and gazes contentedly at the horizon as if it were the most important thing we could be doing at that moment in time.
I couldn't believe how differently this scenario had played out in real life compared to how I had imagined it as I made my way to his stateroom moments before. "Won't the Skipper be upset?" I asked in a meek voice. "Yeah, probably," he responded matter-of-factly (his usual M.O.). My heart sank further. "But you let ME handle that, yeah?" he said with a slight grin under his notoriously bushy mustache. At that moment, I knew I could trust that things would be okay, just as he said. He patted me on the shoulder and calmly walked off, opening the hatch next to us to reenter the ship's interior, telling me to "have a good day" as he did.
I continued to stand on that flight deck, dumbfounded. My heart filled with gratitude. I didn't know if Adam had believed in God, but at that moment, it didn't really matter; God had sent me a shining example of a man and a leader who played the role of both at a time when I needed it most.
WHAT DOES "BEING A LEADER" MEAN?
Leadership is about influence, not titles, rights, or privileges. Leadership ultimately starts with an objective that spurs a journey of sorts. Something has to be done, and someone must be appointed to ensure it comes to fruition.
As I write these words, the present definition of leadership is to "lead a group of people or an organization." I don't know about you, but that definition does not satisfy me, personally. You see, leadership has always been a passion of mine; it is ultimately why I joined the military in the first place. If I were to take a crack at defining leadership, it would be "one life positively influencing another to achieve a specific goal, resulting in greater flourishing for the entire organization and its future members."
Not all influence is good. There is such a thing as bad leadership because negative influences exist in our world. The topic of poor leadership deserves its own article and is beyond the scope of what I want to discuss in this particular post. I want to focus on good leadership and what makes a good leader. How do I know what is good or bad, or right or wrong? Well, I rely on what I believe to be the world's ultimate source of truth: the Word of God (the Bible).
We need good leaders in today's world because every organization has a leadership dynamic. Throughout my personal leadership journey, I've come to believe that Jesus Christ was the greatest leader of all time. His influence has made Him the most transformational leader ever. Christ knew how to show love, provide encouragement, inspire, and motivate His followers to take action and perform in ways that increased influence and promoted meaningful change. This is what it means to be a transformational leader.
RULE #1: SERVE YOUR PEOPLE
At the heart of every leader is love for their people. If we cannot love our people enough to serve them well, we cannot lead. Nobody knew this better than Jesus. He took it upon Himself to serve others, not to be served. He washed the feet of His followers and ultimately gave up His life for them (present and future disciples).
When Adam walked into the wardroom for coffee, his first thought was to pour my cup before filling his own. This seemingly small act is quite meaningful as it reveals his character. Despite the bad news I had shared with him only moments before, and even though I was his subordinate, he chose to prioritize my needs over his own in that brief interaction, even with something as simple as pouring a cup of coffee.
To serve means to love. Leaders do not lead by sitting atop their "throne" and demanding things from their subordinates. Instead, they lead well by serving others selflessly (just as Christ did) and ensuring that they remain good stewards of the people they are called to shepherd. This means that a leader must sacrifice for their people, go to great lengths to remove roadblocks from their paths and make decisions that are in their team's best interest.
This first rule is fundamental, which is why I've listed it at the very start. If someone who is called to lead a person or a team cannot find ways to serve their people, then they cannot garner influence, and they cannot truly lead.
RULE #2: FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIPS
Leadership and management are often used interchangeably, but they are different. Management focuses on results-driven processes and systems, whereas leadership is about people and their constantly changing dynamics.
To build influence, a leader must establish relationships with others. Leadership involves developing meaningful relationships with their team members; it entails caring for individuals and helping them grow and develop so they can succeed and potentially become leaders themselves one day. On the other hand, management involves utilizing people's skills and expertise to achieve specific outcomes and doesn't require meaningful relationships.
Adam was interested in our relationship when he took me to the top of the flight deck to watch the sunrise. Despite our equipment challenges at that moment, he took the time to talk to me and take an interest in my professional development as a prospective SWO. He put our relationship before the work that needed to be done. This is so difficult for many prospective leaders to recognize, but it is a trait that truly separates the kingly leaders from the middling managers.
There is no leadership without relationships. When it comes to working alongside others, the heart must come before the head, regardless of the work we are involved with. No one wants to work for someone they can't stand to be around. It makes getting work done much more painful than it needs to be, and we can't truly be fulfilled by the work we do, much less succeed in it long-term, if we don't enjoy it. To invest in relationships with those who would follow us is to make their lives and work more enjoyable and rewarding, trust me.
I have encountered people who think the job and the organization's mission are "all that matters." Relationships with others are "not as important," but that isn't the way of an effective leader. A manager's mentality focuses strictly on the organization's results and nothing more.
Don't get it twisted. Results and productivity are vital to leading because they are the fruits generated by the team's labor, but they aren't all that matter. If a person cares only about "getting the job done" and not about the people who do the actual work, then understand that they are strictly managing, not leading.
Leadership requires much more from each of us. We don't get to decide what kind of baggage we inherit when we must work with others, just like we don't get to choose any of the circumstances we sometimes face in life. Leading is about taking what we have and making it better by investing in our most precious asset, people, because, without them, there is no leadership, growth, or longevity for success.
LISTEN TO OTHERS MORE THAN YOU SPEAK
Anyone who knows me well enough will tell you I can easily dominate a conversation. The truth is that people never learn anything by talking more than by listening.
One of the fastest ways to gain influence over others as a leader is to take a genuine interest in their lives. The best way to do this is to shut up, listen, and ask meaningful questions. If we are trying to win hearts and minds, we must start by taking a genuine interest in what is important to our people.
If you think that because you're the leader, you have the right to ask the questions and do all the talking, think again! None of us can learn how to meet the needs of our people by cultivating strong relationships if we don't allow them to tell us what they need.
GIVE FREQUENT PRAISE
When we pay others genuine and honest compliments, their admiration for us increases. You can bet that the person receiving the praise will feel more inclined to listen, engage, and follow you due to your generosity and good-naturedness. After all, it feels good to be recognized for our efforts; words of affirmation uplift everyone.
Of course, always hold others accountable and keep your standards high, but just remember that a good measure of kindness (whether by words or deeds) can go a long way to foster healthy relationships with those who would choose to follow you.
RULE #3: BUILD INFLUENCE
HAVE A VISION
Jesus had a vision for the world—to seek and save the lost and wayward, forgive their sins, and give them hope to turn their lives around and be "born anew."
It all begins with having a vision, and like Christ, a good leader must have a vision for where to take their team. The leader must often see what others cannot and then formulate a plan to get the team where they need to go.
TAKE PEOPLE ON A JOURNEY
Leadership is about guiding people on a journey driven by the leader's vision. One of my favorite leadership authors, John C. Maxwell, often says, "If there is no journey, then there is no leadership."
Jesus took His apostles on a journey by serving them so that they, in turn, could serve others. Christ envisioned how He wanted to heal a world broken by sin and redeem humanity. His followers quickly embraced this vision, and the course of history was forever changed. A leader first envisions where the team needs to be and then leads them on a journey to get there, adapting and overcoming obstacles along the way.
SEE WHAT OTHERS CANNOT SEE
Jesus had a unique perspective. He saw things others couldn't, spoke words no one had ever heard, and experienced emotions beyond anyone else's. Most importantly, Jesus saw people differently. He didn't just see who they were but who they could become.
Jesus recognized the inherent value in every individual, regardless of their background, actions, or current state. Jesus saw potential in ordinary fishermen and inspired them to be greater. He believed in them, guided them, and loved them, leading them to become "fishers of men."
Adam had a unique ability to see potential in young junior officers who aspired to become ship drivers, a trait that others on the USS PRINCETON did not possess. I recall a specific period when a young officer struggled for months to build proficiency in ship driving and earn his designation as a SWO.
Many other higher and lower-ranking officers spoke ill of the young man behind his back and treated him as though something was wrong with him, like a "broken toy" that didn't work correctly on Christmas morning. Looking back, I wish I had supported him more, but I was focused on earning my own pin then. (Still, no excuse.)
Adam was the only person who didn't ignore the young man when he needed a mentor. He reached out to offer a helping hand, spending time with the young officer and teaching him when others wouldn't. Adam believed in him when no one else would and stayed late into the night on the ship to help him study (even though Adam could have gone home to his wife and children).
Adam would invite the young man onto the harbor aboard the weekend ferries, pointing to buoys and navigational aids, teaching and telling stories, always with the same reassuring smile. This is why all the young officers seeking to qualify for their pins went to Adam first for help; we all knew he was a great influence on us.
RULE #4: COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY
Communication is a top priority for most organizations, and for good reason. Without effective and open communication, any team's success will be short-lived. All leaders must communicate their vision effectively to those who follow them so that the team's goals remain clear. However, I find that most organizations focus more on the act of communicating and not enough on alleviating the barriers to communication.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
I have observed this issue in multiple naval commands: people often don't communicate with each other because they do not like or respect their colleagues or superiors (I have found myself in this group at times). Effective leaders inspire and create healthy cultures and environments in which people can communicate respectfully and learn to work well together.
While achieving perfection is challenging due to team members' differing worldviews, good leaders strive to create a work environment where people are not mistreated or needlessly stressed.
ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY THINK & CHECK IN WITH THEM
As leaders, open communication is not just about sharing important information to ensure that tasks are completed but also about building relationships with the people we are in charge of. Whether planned or spontaneous, the times when we sit down, listen, and have honest conversations are crucial. It's an opportunity to ask and answer questions about each other sincerely.
Jesus asked over 300 questions throughout the four Gospels, and those are just the recorded ones! In most instances, He asked people what they thought about the events around them. A good leader should always ask questions to understand their people. Leaders must communicate effectively by taking precious moments to learn about the people they are leading. As mentioned before, relationships are critical in leadership and serve as the foundation for trust. By communicating well, a leader can build trust and earn respect more easily.
Adam often asked me about my thoughts on various topics, such as workplace issues. He even took the initiative to ask about my personal background, family, and upbringing. I will never forget how it made me feel to be known and cared for by my boss at the start of my career as a naval officer. Often, we all need to be heard and asked for our opinions by those in authority over us.
Having an open-door policy certainly helps with this as well. I don't remember a time when Adam's door wasn't open. Even when I went to deliver the aforementioned bad news concerning our equipment, his door was already opened (just as it always was), which communicated that he was willing and ready to discuss anything at any given time. Good leaders recognize the value in this as they seek to communicate up and down the chain of command.
RULE #5: LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION
People use the phrase "position of leadership" far too often. John C. Maxwell said it best in his book The 5 Levels of Leadership: "The position does not make the leader; the leader makes the position."
Anyone can hold a position of power or authority, but true leaders recognize that titles and positions don't matter. According to Maxwell, positional leaders care more about their territory than the teamwork they can enjoy with others. They love the rights and privileges that come with their title or position and care more about being "big" on the outside.
Conversely, a good leader cares about being "big" on the inside. Leadership must start with a position, but that is simply the beginning. A position is merely an opportunity to grow into becoming a true leader. The question then becomes, "At what point does someone actually become a leader?" Contrary to popular belief, no formal education, number of course certificates, amount of money, or time in business or the military makes someone a leader (not even close).
As a naval officer, I have often been asked to reflect on my performance as a leader in my assigned units. The idea is to initiate a dialogue that engenders self-reflection, often with my direct superior. When asked if I consider myself a "good leader" in the workplace, my answer has always been the same: "Go ask the people I have been charged with leading, and they will provide the answer."
Some people with experience managing others may shake their heads disapprovingly at this notion, prioritizing their organization's results over how the people under them feel about their ability to lead well. However, while results certainly matter, they do not necessarily indicate a good team leader.
We must all recognize that no one is a leader until it is ratified in the minds of those who would follow us. If we assess our achievements solely based on tangible results and not on the impact we make in people's lives, then we cannot consider ourselves leaders. Leadership demands more than just outcomes; it also encompasses the feelings of those who follow us when we are in charge. People should follow us because they want to, not because they must.
During my time in the Navy, many would often say, "It's lonely at the top." With clear ranks and authorities established for our military, this remark made a great deal of sense. However, as I began investing in professional relationships with those lower in rank than me, I realized that I felt less and less lonely. This was because I had discovered that when we take others on a journey, we bring them to the top. A leader should never feel "lonely" as their responsibility is to build and expand their influence enough to bring others to the top along with them.
Anyone who wants to be a leader for self-serving reasons is motivated by the wrong reasons. They think in terms of "ME" and not "WE." These are weak leaders who care only for themselves and not about serving others. Leadership is not a position but a responsibility to be taken seriously!
COMMAND RESPECT (NEVER DEMAND IT)
While working under Adam, I noticed that he naturally commanded respect without having to assert his authority. Whether he was entering a room or speaking up, people noticed that he stood out because of his calm, collected, professional demeanor and ability not to take himself too seriously.
Adam's success as a department head was due to his dedication to his team. Instead of seeking attention or recognition for himself, he focused on caring for his people. As a result, the members of our department chose to respect him.
Adam's approach centered on serving his team rather than focusing on personal gain. This approach leads to stronger relationships and a more unified organization. True leaders earn and maintain respect through their actions rather than demanding it outright.
RULE #6: MAINTAIN THE HEART OF A TEACHER
ADD VALUE TO PEOPLE
To be a leader means having the heart of a teacher and adding value to people. A good leader understands the difference between sending people up and bringing them up in the world. To "send" someone up in any instruction is to provide vague directions and use unclear language while trying to guide their actions. To "bring" someone up in any instruction means to lead by example, which is exactly what a leader should do as a mentor to others.
We must be kind, willing, and patient to grab others by the hands and embark on a learning journey with them. A bad and lazy leader makes lame excuses such as "I suffered, so you have to." Or worse, they might even profess that they "don't care" and "shouldn't" because they have already "arrived" in life for themselves. This is no behavior for a genuine leader; it is the behavior of a lazy fraud.
Leaders take teaching seriously because they recognize that success and progress can be better preserved when we take the necessary actions to develop and instruct those who will eventually replace us. They see the big picture and prioritize adding as much value to people as possible to safeguard the future.
Adam always taught me new things. He was genuinely interested in my long-term success as an officer and never missed a chance to share his knowledge. His love for teaching made him the most sought-after department head in our wardroom by other junior officers. We all trusted his expertise and experience. Unlike other more senior officers, Adam never made us feel foolish for not knowing something. Instead, he made learning fun, engaging, and rewarding because he wanted to add as much value to us as possible. He always seemed to see the bigger picture.
RULE #7: EXERCISE HUMILITY
Many potential leaders lack humility. Jesus taught that true leadership requires tremendous humility, and He demonstrated this better than anyone else. Despite being God in human form with the power to do anything, He chose to live on earth as a man, humbling Himself to serve, heal, and redeem society's outcasts.
Through His actions, Jesus healed and liberated people from pain, loneliness, suffering, illness, and misery, all in the name of God's perfect love and righteousness. When the time came for Jesus to sacrifice His own life to pay the costly price for the sin that had ravaged God's world, He humbled Himself and bore the sin of many to make intercession for the transgressors.
When I was on the USS PRINCETON, no task was beneath Adam. He would often take certain things off my plate in the workplace. It didn't matter that he was "in charge" or that doing a division officer's work was "beneath him" as a higher-ranking department head. On more than one occasion, Adam would take a folder of reports from me late in the day and tell me to "go home," promising to handle it for me, always with that reassuring smile.
Humility also allows leaders to combat pride by forcing them to be honest with themselves. Great leaders recognize and own their shortcomings, never attempting to conceal them. In my view, Adam was the best shiphandler aboard the USS PRINCETON. He knew his stuff, yet every time he set foot on the bridge (also known as the pilothouse) and participated in the navigation of our ship, he took it seriously and remained honest about his nervousness.
He never shirked his responsibility, but he also never allowed himself to be consumed by pride by boasting about his knowledge. He maintained respect for our work as ship drivers while demonstrating that he knew what he was doing.
RULE #8: ASSUME NOTHING
I've learned that good leaders are slow to anger and quick to ask questions. This tendency to be inquisitive rather than implacable indicates a leader's steadfastness. People will always look to those in charge to carefully study and consider their reactions to certain situations. When we make assumptions rather than pausing and asking the right questions, we often create more issues that can erode relationships and affect our team's cohesion.
Adam rarely made assumptions. He taught me the importance of asking numerous questions to uncover the full story in any situation. When leaders jump to conclusions without engaging with their team and asking the right questions, finding effective solutions to significant issues becomes difficult. Leaders must remain composed during any crisis, avoid making assumptions, and provide guidance and advice to their team. How a leader responds can significantly impact both positive and negative situations.
RULE #9: BE EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT & EMPATHETIC
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Emotional intelligence can be defined as "the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically." We can be the most intelligent person in the room and have an IQ that is off the charts. Still, if we can't control our emotions or consider the feelings of others as we work and live amongst them, then the successes we will enjoy in life will be exceptionally limited.
EMPATHY
Empathy goes beyond expressing pity or sorrow for someone. It involves understanding and connecting with another individual's pain and suffering. While sympathy is just a display of pity or sorrow, empathy means connecting and relating emotionally with others.
Empathy involves taking action and often requires us to support others through their suffering, seeking to understand their pain and help them navigate their struggles.
Empathy is a powerful tool and a necessary ingredient of any person's overall emotional intelligence. In today's world, hard-hearted people care only about their successes and give little thought to the feelings of others.
To be effective leaders, we must empathize and be present with others in their sorrow and hopelessness, just as Jesus did. Our goal should be to empathize, connect with others through difficult times, and support them as they work through their burdens.
We shouldn't dwell on others' hardships indefinitely. The best way to deal with tough times is to move past them, hoping to grow stronger after enduring loss or sorrow. Leading with the heart is important because every good leader recognizes humans as creatures of emotion. How we relate to those we are called to empathize with can make or break our ability to lead successfully.
RULE #10: MAINTAIN COMPOSURE
A leader maintains their composure. When things go wrong, a leader cannot lose their head. They must instead take control of the situation and make things better, not worse. Tyrants are the ones who lose their cool and become overly demanding in situations that call for calm.
Leaders don't abdicate their God-given responsibility by forfeiting their resolve; cowards do. When we encountered casualties to our equipment, Adam did not lose his composure. Was he stressed at that moment? Almost certainly, but just as he said on that flight deck overlooking the San Diego Harbor, "This job isn't easy, man. If anyone could do it, they would, but they can't. We messed up, and it isn't even lunchtime yet! But it'll be okay... I'll talk to the Captain, and we'll identify a solution and move forward."
In times of crisis, leaders must show up to do their best work; it is the burden of leadership. Adam knew this well and recognized that we must sometimes give in to the serendipitous nature of life. We cannot try to control the outcome of everything in our lives. Mistakes happen and are inevitable. What we choose to do with the challenging situations we are sometimes presented with is often more important than why they occurred in the first place.
Hardship and suffering come for everyone in this life, and no one is protected. Great leaders recognize that how we react to failures and shortcomings will ultimately dictate what kind of leader we will become down the line.
Speaking of failure...
RULE #11: ANTICIPATE FAILURE
Failure is life's greatest teacher. If you take any successful entrepreneur, businessman, military leader, or CEO and dig deep enough into their lives, you might just be surprised by what you learn about them.
Failure is inevitable, and to become great, we must resign ourselves to the reality that this is just one of many burdens of life. Of course, no one wants to experience loss, but nothing worth having in this life is easily achieved; the best things must come with hard work, perseverance, grit, and sometimes sacrifice.
Good leaders recognize the importance of failure and take measures to learn from it; so long as they keep moving forward and implement the lessons learned from their shortcomings, victories can remain in sight.
Additionally, organizations look to their leaders for guidance and wisdom when failures occur. When all eyes are on you to determine what's next, it's important to maintain composure and seek possible solutions. Once again, when any team is most defeated, a leader must shine to do their best work.
RULE #12: PRODUCE FUTURE LEADERS
Transformational leadership involves serving, encouraging, inspiring, and motivating our followers to take action and perform in ways that increase their influence and promote meaningful change. However, becoming a great leader also involves guiding our followers to become future leaders for themselves.
When Christ lived and preached his sermons, he chose His apostles as His followers and led them to become tremendous leaders who would go out into the world and spread the good news of the Gospel message. Christ knew that to fulfill His Father's plan for saving mankind, He had to work diligently to lead and prepare His followers to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations.
GREAT LEADERS CREATE THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW
The ultimate aim of leadership is to inspire and develop new leaders by adding value to them. Many consider this the "pinnacle" of leadership, where individuals have advanced up the ladder to the point of training future leaders to produce even more generations of leaders. No one exemplified this better than Jesus.
Reaching this peak of leadership requires many years, mistakes, setbacks, and heartaches. However, trust me when I say that there is no greater honor in the practice of leadership than developing the next generation of leaders who will, in turn, produce future generations.
CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP WHEREVER YOU GO
It all begins with one life positively influencing another, such as that fateful day on the flight deck of the USS PRINCETON in San Diego, California. Something had gone wrong, but my department head was the man and leader I needed most at that moment. Following that interaction, after having worked under different leaders, I encountered many instances in my naval career where things went awry, and those in charge took a very different approach than Adam often had.
I've encountered more bad leaders throughout my military career than good ones. However, Adam showed me what effective leadership looks like and gave me a great example. His influence still inspires me today.
After working under Adam, I had similar conversations with newly commissioned junior officers who felt defeated, confused, or discouraged, much like I did a few years prior. Just as Adam did for me, I would take them aside with a cup of coffee, reassure them with a smile, and remind them that they weren't alone. I promised to stand by them during tough times and often sought opportunities to lighten their workloads, just as Adam did for me on multiple occasions.
CONTINUE TO HONE YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS
We should always strive to improve our leadership skills continuously. Effective leadership involves serving our people by adding value to them and fostering healthy relationships that prioritize open and honest communication while maintaining a clear vision, even in the face of inevitable obstacles. During times of failure and crisis, a leader rises to deliver their best work, remaining composed despite fear.
Jesus Christ was the greatest leader to have ever lived, and He continues to inspire men and women every single day. He has much to say about living a prosperous life and treating others well. To learn more about what Jesus did for mankind by sacrificing Himself, you can read the Gospel of Jesus Christ here.
