Reproducing Leaders
In my leadership readings for the week, I’m learning about reproducing leaders, or mentoring. The question for today is this:
Are you ready to begin thinking beyond your lifetime?
The truth is, I’m not. I continue to soak up leadership material, and to learn as much as I can from leaders who have been in the trenches of various organizations. But in the end, it is very difficult for me to begin thinking about my legacy when I’m so young.
Perhaps as I get older, or perhaps when I’m not in a startup organization, it will be easier to see that I have a legacy that is being created. For now, it is really hard. I’m surrounded by people older, more experienced, and in many cases wiser than I. How am I to mentor them? I really don’t have an answer yet.
In the Bible, there is a verse that says something like: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”
I think that’s my goal right now. People may look down on me because of my age, but if I live a life that is excellent in what I say, what I do, how I care for others, how I am consistent in what I believe and how I behave, and how strongly I hold to my convictions, I’ll eventually earn the respect of those who know me well.
For now, I feel like I’m still at the trail head, and have yet to travel very far down the trail. Eventually, others will follow, but today I’m hoping to just lead myself effectively.