Leadership Acceleration

A couple of years ago, I was asked to speak at a seminar in New York, USA. The journey from the airport should have taken about one hour. However, it was a freezing day and the visibility on the road was very poor. I missed numerous major turns and paid for unnecessary tolls as I maneuvered the cloudy roads. I re-routed time and again for almost three hours and just when I thought I was almost at the destination, my supposedly “charging” cell phone died.
I then drove into the next-sited departmental store, parked in the lot and waited for the phone to charge a little longer. Immediately I saw the apple sign indicating that my phone was booting, I hurriedly reached out for a pen and a piece of scratch paper from my purse to manually write down the directions to the venue, but alas, the phone died again. It was after multiple attempts that I came to the realization that I needed to exercise patience in allowing the phone battery to hold up enough power before signing in. I was stuck, literally stationary, for another half hour.
It was such a relief when, finally, I got the directions (which revealed that I was only two streets away from my destination…that’s right…. Just two streets away!). It was time to accelerate.
There are times in our own personal lives, ministry, and career when it feels like we are stuck and unable to move at any pace. At other times, openings begin to appear, and it is ‘time to accelerate.’
At this juncture, I will like to share three keys to an acceleration that is both exciting and challenging.

1. Expect opposition: Acceleration may lead to increased resistance, the higher the profile you have, the more criticism you can expect, even from those close to you. Many get discouraged at the slightest opposition, and they are ready to quit trying. The road to the top in any ramification (physical, spiritual, health, emotional, social, media and political) is not easy. We all live in a hostile world, however, with perseverance and a positive countenance, you are promised that ultimately you will overcome.
2. Embrace sacrifice: Acceleration will require that you make sacrifices. Nothing you do is wasted. When you sacrifice your time, energy and resources to lift others up and to make the world a better place, you will eventually accelerate. Say a kind word to a colleague who is having a bad day, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving usually goes a long way.
3. Enjoy the challenge: If you want to see an acceleration in the advancement in certain areas of your life, you will need to rise to the challenge. Do not be put off by opposition or the need for sacrifice. Wallow in the challenge. When we look back in history, there are many examples of men and women who inspire us by their passionate, dynamic and proactive lives. Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, to mention a few, have been used to change the world.
   Are you ready to accelerate? Great! Let’s head on together, so we all finish strong.