How To Lead When You're Not In ChargeSample

Although I’ve never spent a night in jail, I did get sent to detention a few times in high school. I remember the mood I was in. I wasn’t fit to write anything positive about the world. My view on the world was fearful, angry, and quite negative. Not Paul though. Paul was in chains when he wrote the following verses: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ” (Phil. 1:12–13, emphasis mine).

What the what?!? Somehow, some way, Paul was able to lift his head in the midst of his dark situation and see the bigger picture of the opportunities in front of him. He was convinced that God was up to something, despite his situation. His chains said that he was useless, facing a dead end. But he did not allow the chains to determine his vision. Instead, he saw his chains through a panoptic view. Instead of being limitations on ministry, his chains now appeared as useful things, indicating that he was blessed and advancing God’s purposes.

The way you see is more important than the tragedy.

The way you see is stronger than any calamity.

The way you see is bigger than the details of the catastrophe.

One of your greatest responsibilities as a leader, whether you have influence or not, is to choose positivity about the situation you’ve been handed. No one has more control over your attitude more today than you do. And as you choose a hope-filled, forward thinking, can-do attitude, you can cultivate more influence than you ever thought you could. But it begins with choosing positivity, no matter what the situation is.