loneliness

Spiritual Fatherlessness

"Be careful, sweetie,” my dad’s strong voice cautioned me to avoid the object in the road. He’d just removed the training wheels on my Schwinn; so even though I was seated securely on the banana seat, both hands on the handlebars, the front tire still wobbled a little. I focused intently on the path ahead, “Yes, Father,” I said. I veered to the left just a little and swerved to avoid the obstacle.

“Father is one of the most familiar and commonly used name of God."

However, some cannot relate to God as a caring, tender and involved dad, like mine, because they've been disappointed by their own negative personal paternal experiences. So what's the big deal about 'spiritual fatherlessness'? A lot.

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The Lie of Lonely Leadership

Are you lonely at the top?

Isolation comes when leaders make unpopular choices, enforce difficult executive motions, balance ragged budgets or make risky solo decisions. At these times, leadership can seem like a forlorn and friendless wilderness.

A recent survey cited in The Harvard Business Review states “half of CEOs report experiencing feelings of loneliness in their role, and of this group, 61 percent believe it hinders their performance. First-time CEOs are particularly susceptible to this isolation. Nearly 70 percent of first-time CEOs who experience loneliness report that the feelings negatively affect their performance.”

As leaders, we can guard against any looming temptation to prefer seclusion. We must refuse to believe isolation is an essential ingredient in our leadership role. This is a lie. We walk in truth when we choose to make intentional connections with our team an indispensable and an essential priority. Team relationships are not just good for leaders, these associations are needed for team vitality.

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