Setting Yourself Apart As a Leader

Recently I Twittered the question: How does a young leader breakout & set him or her self apart from the crowd?

I received lots of great responses via reply and direct message.  The basic and most repeated answer was that it was God who sets a person apart and that a young person’s role is to lead without looking to get ahead as much as to do a good job at what he or she is called to do.  I like that and I agree with it in premise.

Several wrote that a young leader should “leave his ego at home” or something similar.  I agree with that too, but I think the issue here is more of the motivation of a person’s heart, not in their objective.  There is nothing is wrong with a person wanting to grow in their leadership and influence, provided their motivation is for good and God’s glory, not their own.  I do not think there is anything wrong with a young leader desiring to improve his or her skills as a leader or in their desire to become the best leader he or she can be.  In fact, I would encourage it.  We approve of this ideology in other fields, such as the area of sports, so why not in the area of leadership?

Going back to my original question, how does a young leader set him or her self apart from others?  I am reminded of a story in Numbers 13 where two young leaders set themselves apart from their peers.  Joshua and Caleb “rose to the top” in their field and were recognized for their ambition.

Having watched and studied leadership for many years, here are the ways I have seen a person rise from mediocrity to excellence in their field:

• Having the right connections and by networking – Sometimes knowing the right people puts a person on a fast track.
• A great idea and the faith or “guts” to go for it – There are lots of great ideas, but few are willing to risk it all or have the tenacity to see them through.
• Working harder and smarter than everyone else – Hard work does still pay off in the long run.  The one who plows through the difficult times and keeps working is more likely to see the victory in the end.
• Being at the right place at the right time – You cannot mistake this one.  It happens all the time. You can call it the Holy Spirit’s work and certainly it can be that, but there are times when a person just happens to be there when it counts most.

It could be a combination of these things or just one of them, but that is what it takes to be set apart.  I know too many people who are depending on the last one to get them through life.  Personally, I believe each of us has more God-given responsibility to invest in our own success.  Consider Jesus’ parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-27.  Even Jesus seemed to value hard work, ingenuity, and efforts to succeed.

What do you think it takes for a person to set himself or herself apart from mediocrity?