Conflict: Why we need it!

As a leader there are a few labels you don't want to be branded with. Two of them are:

1. Non-Confrontational, which we'll cover in this post.

2. Arrogance, which we'll cover in the future.

In each area of life we encounter conflict and confrontation.They're unavoidable. Speaking from experience these times will create an enormous amount of stress and discomfort if we are not prepared.

To be an effective, VALID leader, we must not back down from conflict. We are clearly commissioned as Christian leaders to confront and face conflict head on.

The bible talks about conflict in 2 Cor. 7:5 (NIV), this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.

And about confrontation in, Gal. 2:11 (MSG), I had a face-to-face confrontation with him because he was clearly out of line.

Defining conflict is simple. Two differing viewpoints toward a similar subject. It is not fighting or arguing to win the battle. When this occurs it is generally due to lack of leadership and/ or misuse of power.

Allowing conflict, in its proper terms, provides clarity. Focusing on the topic and allowing everyone to speak candidly paves the way toward resolution. We can also expect to reach consensus and establish collaboration within our teams. These are far better than settling for compromise. Plus, great decisions often result from allowing conflicting viewpoints.

Don't shy away from healthy conflict. Your leadership and credibility depend on it.

All scripture provided by Bible Gateway.

Character Revealed

I have heard it said many times, character is shaped by adversity. It is also said character is revealed through adversity. Which is correct?

Both.

What others see during our stressful times is a combination of our experience, wisdom, and integrity. These three areas are the primary make up of our character.

Realize though, our character is never fully formed. Every time we encounter a stress point we are not only revealing our existing character; we are also re-shaping and reinforcing it for the next display.

If we are not happy with our reaction to adversity, we can change. Positive change takes time, but in the end pays huge dividends.

Romans 12:1-2(MSG) spells it out perfectly,

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Remember when our character is tested others see right through the facades into our hearts. This leads us back to demonstration once again.

To be an effective, VALID leader, our character traits must to be real. We all fail at some point in our life. When this occurs, don't make excuses. Make it right and press on!

How Do You Demonstrate Your Leadership

What we do and how we act, or react, is heard loud and clear. Our actions drown out the words we speak. VALID leadership describes this as demonstration. It is the external expression of our integrity. Integrity consists of everything we think, say, and do publicly and privately.

We demonstrate this with every breath we take. Our credibility is formed by our external expression of integrity. It is either developed or destroyed depending on our actions. Building credibility takes time and patience--losing it can take seconds.

It is much easier to preserve our credibility than to regain it. Regaining lost credibility is nearly impossible. I contend once it is breached, it is gone.

Two scriptures from the book of Proverbs express this perfectly. They are:

Proverbs 11:30 (MSG), A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.

Proverbs 29:19 (MSG), It takes more than talk to keep workers in line;mere words go in one ear and out the other.

Emotional Intelligence has this listed as Self-Regulation or Self- Management. The way we handle our emotions and reactions.

Preserving credibility is a key component to effective leadership in any field. All it takes is to think before we speak, or delay our reactions when faced with a crucial situation long enough to settle our emotions. When we master this our level of integrity will flow and we can build our credibility with others and become a VALID leader.

All scripture is from The Bible Gateway