John Maxwell has been quoted as saying that Attitude (the right ones) can give you Altitude. This parallels what we read in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Now I've said that so I can say this:

Teamwork, real teamwork, the kind which not only accomplishes a goal but also is personally fulfilling at the same time, the kind which values people and still functions at high levels, this kind of teamwork is a matter of personal choice, daily choice, on-purpose choice, life-orienting choice. It's all in your mind!!

YOU choose your attitude and YOU choose to operate from a mind-set which sees the team instead of self, which operates from the perspective of we instead of me, which really lives out God's design found in Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition, or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

Ironically, this is the essence of a mature holiness lifestyle in everyday practice.

Try this sometime, ask someone if they have change for a $5 bill. If they reply they only have $3 or $4 dollars, say that’s OK you can keep the difference. You will be amazed at the response. Most people will either refuse your offer or go out of their way to figure out how to get the rest of the money back to you.

People as a general rule, have a keen sense of what is “fair.” While that definition can be bent in times of crisis, most people try to live by that standard, and expect to be treated the same way. To be fair is to be just and this is where our understanding of Justice comes from.

For a leader, justice has to be more than an automatic response to the day-to-day happenings of life. Real leadership demands a personal lifestyle of justice, and the practice of the principles of justice in every transaction. Any recent headline of a “fallen” leader can be traced back to a perversion of the standard of justice. When a leader bends that sense of “fair” to benefit themselves, scandal is sure to follow.

When I hear someone described as a devoted follower, because of publicized events, my mind immediately brings up pictures of some cult. When I hear someone described as a devoted spouse, I get a different picture, one of love and unity.

It is interesting how the same word brings up two entirely different emotional images, depending upon the context. The definition of devotion includes wording such as “profound dedication.” It is an important topic when discussing leadership because all true leaders are devoted, that is they all exhibit a “profound dedication,” from the very worst to the very best.

Leaders are passionate about their vision and translate that passion into action toward accomplishing that vision. But it begins with that sense of devotion. Two obvious lessons stand out here: Devotion is an important part of leadership, and where that devotion is focused will dictate a leader’s course of action.

An old saying goes like this, “earn as much as you can, so you can save as much as you can, so you can give as much as possible.” Probably an easier way for us to understand this is in the phrase “knowing the value of a dollar.” You might think the topic of money is unusual for a discussion on leadership until you consider that Jesus spent more time discussing financial issues than any other, that money problems are the source of most marital fights, and that the way money is handled by an individual can lead to success or poverty.

So . . . what is the value of a dollar? It’s value lies entirely in the understanding that everything costs something. Money is not the end, but the means to an end. It plays an important role in our lives because it is the measure of our priorities, and our discipline. Since most of us have a limited amount of money, what we purchase clearly identifies our priorities. What do you count as a necessity? What is a luxury that may have to wait? The answer will vary but two things should hold constant, first a responsible person will recognize the value of earning a stable income, and, second, evaluate your priorities so you can spend wisely.

Leaders know how to “count the cost.”

You might appreciate it when someone slows down and let’s you turn into traffic. You might appreciate it when the check-out clerk actually smiles and is pleasant when you go through the line. You might appreciate it when you get home and the chore you were dreading the most was done by another family member. In fact, if you think about it there are about a hundred things to appreciate in every single day. I think for most of us it is easier to see those things which frustrate us, and it seems as if that number could climb to a million in the course of a day. Cultivating a sense of appreciation has a remarkable effect upon our ability to successfully navigate the daily hurdles of life. Those who take the time to “smell the roses,” find their lives more enjoyable and their work more productive. Numerous studies have shown that those who focus on appreciation have better health and are more likely to live longer. One step at a time, turn your focus from the frustrations to the opportunities. Start out by taking a few minutes of your day to think about the many things you have to appreciate, before you know it the frustration count will drop and your quality of life will go up.

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