Leaders are...You.

​What leader does your team
really need right now?
 
You.
​
Working definition of this
leadership concept:
To be you is to be fully yourself,
​not some fake version of you,
not someone 10% “better” than you--
it’s being who God made you to be.

Benefits for leaders who are themselves:
1. Being yourself is the only self you can ever be “well.” And you are the only person who can ever be you at all!
2. Being yourself as a leader allows you to take the energy you would invest in trying to be (or appear to be) something other than yourself and instead invest your energy into more worthwhile pursuits, such as focusing on others, on issues, and on solutions.

Benefits for the community when leaders are fully themselves:
1. When a leader is comfortable being themself it helps create a hospitable environment for others to be themselves.
2. When a leader is fully themself the team gets the full benefit of all God has done in that leader’s life as well as the benefit of the leader’s God-given personality, strengths and gifts.
 
Biblical inspiration and support:
God is a God of truth, not of deceit. He “never lies” (Titus 1:2, ESV). In fact “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18, ESV). He is all light and no darkness:
 
“5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:5–6, ESV)
 
So, to walk with God we need to walk in the light – authentic and without deceit. We read in 1 Peter:
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” (1 Peter 2:1, ESV)
 
Put away hypocrisy – put away masks—put away deceit. God does not work through deceit; He works through truth and authenticity. God does not call you to “fake it.” He is calling you to be authentically you.
 
And he knows you, He formed you–designed you on purpose—before you were even born (Psalm 139:13-16). And every day of your life was clear to Him before you were born (Psalm 139:16). Every word you say He knows before you say it (Psalm 139:4). You are fully known, and He has brought you to be in this place of leadership in your home, workplace, volunteer team or church. You. Not some version of you that you’ve worked to project, but you. It is relieving to recognize that we did not make ourselves – God made us. He must have known what He wanted when He formed us!
 
If we are honest with ourselves, we all have weaknesses and failures. This can make being ourselves challenging. But there is good news, God has made us sufficient. Paul teaches the church in Corinth:
 
“5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:5–6, ESV, emphasis mine)
 
We are right when we sense we are not sufficient in our own strength to meet all the demands around us…or even to feel equal to the work God has called us to do. Yet God has made us sufficient to do His will.
 
It is freeing to know that, wherever we find ourselves, we are called to be who we truly are, not some different version of ourselves we think would please people more or be more productive.
 
Sometimes it can be intimidating to be a leader. We may feel like we are not enough, or not what the team wants. We may feel the pressure to have all the answers when we do not. As humans, it is natural to want to impress others in order to gain their trust.
 
What if it is okay to admit we do not have all the answers?
What if it is okay to have weaknesses like everyone else?
 
In the end, you must be you. Not fake. Not a hypocrite. Because God does not lie. And so, He doesn’t require you to be someone you are not. He’s inviting you… to be you.
 
Illustration/Example:
Be WHO you are.
Be ALL you are.
RIGHT WHERE you are.
 
When this statement first came to mind in a time of prayer, I was a stay-at-home mom of toddlers. It also came to mind when I was trying to manage a radio show. It has also guided me when leading in a church and when leading a team of volunteer Bible study leaders through a non-profit ministry. It came to mind again when COVID-19 upset all my plans and projects. It seems to be God's invitation to me in every season.
 
Be who you are.
To be you is to be fully yourself, not some fake version of you, not someone just a bit “better” than you…It’s being who God made you to be. Be who you are, not who you wish you were, not someone you admire. Be you.
​
Be all that you are.
Don't hold back! Don't worry about being too much. Let your gifts flow out into this world! We desperately need your ideas, energy, perspectives and gifts.
 
Right where you are.
Your life is not about to happen... it's happening right now. You do not have to wait for some big opportunity. Be you, all of you, right where you find yourself right now. Get in the fray.
 
Please…
Be WHO you are.
Be ALL you are.
RIGHT WHERE you are.
Today.
 
Practical applications 
Take stock.
Give yourself a minute in prayer to ask the Lord if there is any place in your life or leadership where you feel pressure to appear 10% better than you are. What would it take to have the courage to stop trying to present as “better”? For example, stopping might look like saying, “I do not know” or “I’m sorry” more often. Pray and ask the Lord for grace to be more fully yourself in those situations.
 
Spend some time soaking in God’s word.
Read Psalm 139 slowly a few times. Is there anything that really speaks to your heart today?
 
Where is God inviting you to be more fully yourself?
If you were to survey your life and relationships, where do you sense God is inviting you to be more yourself? Ask Him for grace to begin walking that out in your everyday life.
 
A final word:
Be who you are.
Be all you are.
Right where you are.

Comment: 
Think of a competent leader who is comfortable being themself and comfortable not always meeting others’ expectations. How would you describe the impact of their leadership?