Leaders are products of their decisions.

Leadership

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. ~Stephen Covey

fork in roadEver felt stuck, boxed-in, or maybe like everything was happening to you and you had no control? We’ve all had those moments, some lasted longer than others. Someone who lives from the perspective of being a product of their decisions, not their circumstances, is a leader.

Numerous psychologists have written about the critical acknowledgment of our ability, and freedom, to make decisions. One of those psychologists is author and Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl. Frankl said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” He also said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” The key word in these quotes is to choose, and by choosing we are making decisions.

Another psychologist, Dr. Caroline Leaf in Switch on Your Brain, said, “One brain generates more energy (electrical impulses) in one day than all the cell phones on the planet (quoting Joe Dispaneza). So we have the power to make changes; we do not have a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind.”

A former Navy SEAL, Brent Gleeson identified seven tips for being a more decisive leader, to face the tough decisions (be a product of his decisions, not a product of his circumstances).

  • In the absence of orders, take charge.
  • Stop avoiding those difficult conversations.
  • Make that decision you should have made months ago.
  • Know that most problems are never as bad as they initially seem.
  • Actively decide to be a better leader.
  • Remember that you are not alone.
  • Make a decision to be positive, no matter what.

Dr. Leaf tells us, “This is the incredible power God has given us: to be able to think and choose and create reality.”

What decisions are you putting off? What decisions do you need to make this week? What decisions could make you a more impactful leader? In your leadership roles, how will you use the incredible power God has given you, to create reality?