As we continue our focus on Leadership Lessons from the Apostle Paul today we turn to counting the cost. Before we can be or become effective leaders in any field we must count the cost of leadership. In Paul’s case, he was a leader in the nascent church of Jesus Christ, a dangerous role that often cost leaders their lives. Before following Jesus in that era, a person had to ask whether he or she was 100% in, because those in leadership were often arrested and even executed.
Thankfully, most of us will not have to pay that kind of cost for our leadership role, but leaders always pay a cost for being leaders. Sometimes the cost is extra time. Sometimes the cost is extra training. Always the cost is extra responsibility. To be a leader means to take on more than being a line worker, or a volunteer, or a typical employee. If we’re leaders we already know that, but sometimes we forget, and if we haven’t counted the cost on a regular basis we can become upset because we must pay the costs.
When I’m having a bad day, or when I’m feeling sorry for myself because of something that’s happened, because I’m a leader, taking a moment to remind myself that I signed up for this is helpful. After all, along with the costs of being leaders, we also experience benefits. The benefits of leadership are the subject of a post for another day, but I raise them here simply to remind us when the going gets tough, that’s part of who we are–we are the ones who signed up, got drafted, or were called to take on the tough times and situations and to lead the way through them.
So, have you counted the cost recently? Have you sat down and reminded yourself that along with the benefits of being leaders, we will always be expected to show up earlier, stay later, and address matters that others will never even have to consider? Have you remembered that being leaders is a responsibility that goes beyond the role of showing up to fulfill your quota or collect your paycheck? Being leaders is seldom easy, and it’s never without challenges. That’s why counting the cost is so important.
Here’s to being a better leader by counting the cost and living into the benefits–today!