It was president Harry Truman who said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” There are certain things that “go with the territory” as it were. Leadership is not simple and it’s not easy most of the time. It can be lonely, and you will not always be the most popular person around.

“If your goal in life is to keep everybody happy, don’t become a leader, sell ice-cream” – Eric Geiger

Here are a few “Goes-with-the-territory” I’ve thought of:

Which of these are you willing to live with, to take responsibility for, and expect as you trust Jesus?

1.  You are okay with being misunderstood, disliked, and unpopular

2.  You can delegate responsibility for making decisions to others, not just tasks 

3.  You are willing to feel alone and lonely at times

4.  You can make decisions without second-guessing yourself or being fearful of what others may say or think

5.  You can get over trying to keep everybody happy

6.  You are more interested in being trusted and respected rather than being liked

7.  You are willing to lose friends or followers. Many, perhaps most, of the early followers will leave

8.  You are comfortable with change and ambiguity

9.  You can say with authenticity that we did it rather than I did it

10.  You can think outside the box and color outside the lines (What lines? I didn’t see any lines!)

11.  You see people as valuable for who they are in Jesus, not just a means to your ends. We should love people and use things, rather than love things and use people.