Interim

#Beingaleader means you are an interim leader. You won’t be in that position forever. Whether your position is as parent, pastor, coach or CEO, it is temporary. You will be replaced. Either by death, retirement, leaving, or your own position advancement. It’s temporary.

Nothing lasts forever. Your leadership included. It will go away. So, what are you doing to keep it going? Interim means temporary. A placeholder between one event and another. There is a poem entitled “The Dash” that partially touches on this concept. The idea being that there is a beginning and an end date but what matters is the time that is encompassed by the dash between those dates. As it relates to today’s topic, I would ask, what are you doing in the dash to keep it going when the final date comes for you?

This is less about your legacy than it is about the practical application of the understanding that you are temporarily in this position. If you care enough about this position to give it your all, you should care enough about it continuing on after you. Practical things like teaching the next generation. Helping others understand your motivation. Helping them with practical steps so they can keep it going. Teaching them the insider information that you’ve gleaned throughout the years.

There is no glory in seeing your leadership fall apart when you leave. You are not indispensable but you do have a responsibility to care-give to those you were charged with leading so they can successfully lead after you.

#Beingaleader means you are an interim leader. Take steps to make it last after you.