“On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: “Israel’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed. Praise the Lord! “Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you mighty rulers! For I will sing to the Lord. I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Judges 5:1-3 NLT
Actually it was a duet. Samuel tells us, “Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song.” I’ve never heard a leadership song that sounded like a bold proclamation. Leaders took charge and people gladly followed. Sounds simple right?
Leadership is so interesting. First, I believe that people WANT others to lead. Leadership is hard. It’s hard because of the second reason, and it’s absolutely necessary, but difficult.
People also want to criticize others leadership. It’s hard and necessary because leaders love consensus and momentum, but the they also love friction – just enough opposition to make an idea even better, but not enough to lag or drag the whole idea, project or motion to failure. I also believe that most people do not want to lead because there is a big price to pay. The price is possible failure, or figuring out how to fix a plan WHILE it’s in motion. There’s a common phrase when it comes to new ideas, you feel like you are “building the plane while it’s flying.” There’s no amount of planning or foreseeing every detail that guarantees a successful flight. There’s also the pressure of an idea, plan or product working in real life – not theory.
For its success – it MUST SHIP. Software companies take a lot of heat for what’s called “beta” products. At some point, the software must ship and that’s exactly the point all the bugs (problems) show up. So often there’s 1.0, 2.0, 3 and so on. With small 2.1 or 3.5 improvements. Here in Judges Deborah and Barak break out in a leadership chorus. Whatever they were doing, it must have been successful. Israel’s leaders led and people followed. Write it down, sing a song about it, but certainly celebrate those moments.
PRAYER:
Dad,
Leading others is so exciting, yet so full of its own ups, downs, goods and bads. I can understand why people don’t want to do it, it is MUCH easier to sit back and say things like, “someone should do something!” And, even criticism is easier.
The problems with a plan or idea just seem to JUMP out at folks who are not actually responsible to make something work. That part can be frustrating for me. I have made a commitment over the past five years to not only lead more and better, but not let my personality or character hold me back from pushing forward. I know you are with me and help me in so many ways. Thank you for those times.