A Reality Observation for Pastors and Leaders
Here’s a reality pastors and leaders need to know:
The longer you do what you do well…the less praise you’ll receive for it.
Everyone loves to praise the new guy…the guest appearance…the surprise home run.
Once you do exceptional for very long…it’s the new norm.
It’s expected…
You’ll hear less approval.
It’s not necessarily that you aren’t doing a good job anymore. You’ve just set a new bar of expectation.
Congratulations.
Still, this post also serves as a warning of sorts.
The new norm…the quietness…can make you think you’re no longer appreciated. If you’re not careful, you’ll begin to doubt your abilities or the success you are having.
Those emotions…the reactions…are normal, even if they aren’t true.
I’m not ignoring times when you aren’t doing your best. Don’t be an unaware leader.
I’m not trying to convince you not to be normal. That would be abnormal of me.
I am encouraging you to seek your affirmation beyond the verbal praise of man.
I am saying that if you live for the praise of others, you’ll eventually be controlled by that praise (or lack thereof).
And I am suggesting you may be doing everything right, but seldom hear the good that you’re doing.
That’s part of leadership. And, the leader who can lead just as passionately towards a noble goal, without the praise of man, even when criticism seems more dominant, is on track of success.
Have you ever been in a “normal” season of producing good work, but not feeling valued for it?
