Do you want to be a great leader or just a good leader?

• A good leader is busy.
• A good leader leads by example.
• A good leader works with the boys or girls.
• A good leader models leadership to his leaders
• A good leader is sorely missed by staff and kids alike.
• A good leader makes a meeting great.
• A good leader knows just what to say, when to say it, and how to put it just right.
• A good leader is the backbone to their organisation.

Contrast this with the great leader.

• A great leader is not necessary.
• A great leader is not needed.
• A great leader is not missed.
• A great leader is not visible.

I ask the question again,
Do you want to be a great leader or just a good leader?

This is a motive check.
This is a passion check.
This is a destiny check.

If you were to be run over by a bus (why is it always a bus?) tonight - would your troupe, outpost, company, group function without you tonight?
Next week? Next month? Next year? Forever?

As leaders of leaders we have a responsibility to the longevity of our organisation.
It must outlast us.

As leaders of leaders we have a responsibility to our leaders.
They must pass us by.

As leaders of leaders we must pour as much of ourselves into our organisation, its leaders and its rank and file so that when we're not there we are there.

I had a commander ask me once "When will you let us take the kids camping by ourselves?" My answer was short and simple "When I'm here even though I'm not here"

That is when you have caught the essence of my ideals of the camping experience. When you would answer a child as I would. When you would schedule activities as I would. When you would react, respond, instruct, teach, share, play, romp, cook, sing (well maybe not sing) as I would.

When the transfer of passion, vision, purpose and commitment from me to you is complete.

When that happens - I don't need to go. Because I am going anyway.

Do you see what I mean here?

This is the perfect world. Or as some of you might know - it's the perfect outpost. The way I see my outpost operating - even though it doesn't operate like that now.

If I were to leave my outpost today, it would continue probably to the end of the year. It may start again next year - probably with half the enrolments. It would no doubt fail by June.

What a failure that makes me.

No - my job is not to run a great program.
My job is to put myself out of a job.

And that should be your job too.

A great leader is "useless".

Hmmm - maybe this will be a new management stream "Useless Leadership" -
right up there with "Leading by Disaster"!