The column "Leadership Whiteboard" provides a short visual leadership coaching moment. It introduces and explains a new sketch in each issue, provides leadership coaching for further development, and shares a leadership quote and recommended book.

Leader as Learner

Leaders distinguish themselves by inspiring people to be more than followers thought possible and by changing the culture together. Inspiring or influencing a group of people is no easy task.

Leaders who decide their call is greater than managing status quo must see beyond the status quo. Complacency and leadership cannot coexist for healthy, organized groups. Vision, by definition, suggests an attainable goal not yet achieved. Paul modeled “pressing toward the mark.” Goals, marks, achievements—all require moving forward to new ground. Habits may be the mark of discipline, but the lack of honest reflection is a sign of stagnation.

How can you break out of stagnation? Network with other leaders, attend conferences, and read books. Begin by seeing yourself as a leader-learner. Find other leaders who solved the problems you face and learn from them. Network with stronger leaders in an iron-sharpening manner.

College is about a third lecture and two thirds reading. The problem comes when people stop reading after completing their last level of education. Is education ever really complete? Absolutely not! If you are not learning, you cannot cast vision for what is next.

Even while imprisoned and near death, Paul asked Timothy to bring his scrolls (books). Paul never stopped learning, and thankfully, his epistles reveal how God stretched him. Read Scripture for principles to live by and read books to contextualize how you practice those principles. John Maxwell called this the law of the lid—the people you lead can only rise to the lid you set over them and collectively they will only grow as you grow.

About the Columnist:Ron Hunter Jr., Ph.D., is CEO of Randall House Publications.