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Next in our exploration of the 7 Traits of A Great Leader, we’ll be looking at the farmer…
“It is the hard working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.” 2 Tim 2:6
Today, we’ll keep it short and to the point…
- A farmer is early to rise. See John 8:2.
- A leader is the first to show up and is enthusiastic in pursuit of his vision.
- A farmer knows that to reap in abundance, he must sow in even more abundance. See 2 Cor 9:6.
- A leader knows that to truly build something great, he must invest tirelessly in his people.
- A farmer takes responsibility for reaping the specific crops of the specific seeds which he has sown. See Gal 6:8.
- A leader knows the things that he needs to do and he does them. He knows those things that he doesn’t need to do and he doesn’t do them.
- A farmer is patient, allowing his crops to grow and mature before harvesting. See Psalm 126:5.
- A leader sacrifices short term success at the hands of compromise for the sake of long-term success and the fulfillment of a vision.
- A farmer is diligent in tending his fields. See Prov 20:4.
- A leader does the important and difficult work necessary to succeed.
- A farmer protects his land. See John 10:11.
- A leader stands up for his vision, defends it passionately, and empowers his followers to do the same.
- A farmer holds himself accountable for his yield. See Matt 25:14-30.
- A leader isn’t afraid to take responsibility for his organization or his team’s success.
As a leader, what can you learn from the farmer?
I really love this series you are doing, Kenny! I believe something I take away from the farmer is continuing to plant and harvest even in seasons of drought or rough weather. That persistence and nurturing will eventually yield great results.
Thanks, Morgan. You're absolutely right. Persistence in the pursuit of vision is very important.
Kenny, great thoughts here. "A leader sacrifices short term success at the hands of compromise for the sake of long-term success and the fulfillment of a vision." That is a simple truth, but such a profound impact, especially in today's world. Everything is instant-gratification at any cost.
Looks like there are more posts in the series, looking forward to checking them out!
PS: Thanks for the twitter follow.
Thanks so much for reading my post and contributing, Brian. We do live in a world of instant gratification and the temptation is always there to compromise; to grasp something that may seem good right now, but will negatively impact our long-term goals. We've got to rise above that temptation daily.