Dr Paul Allen

Image via Wikipedia I probably shouldn’t admit this, but sometimes it makes me feel better to know that other organizations are feeling the pain as well. For example Borders was in the news last month. They announced they are  shutting 200 bookstores .  They’re faced with liquidating $350 million of inventory. Though people are still  reading books, Borders is stuck. A couple of years ago, you and I became owners of General Motors . The U.S. government had to use a $50 billion (that’s with a “b”) bailout to keep the company afloat. GM went from a 45% market share in 1980 to  under 20%  thirty years later. People are still buying cars, but GM is stuck. The United Methodist Church has  lost about three million members  since 1970.  The number of people attending at least one Church of England service each month is down by 50% since 1968. Today  less than three percent of the population attends services . Denominations are stuck. I get to work with and communicate with

Image via Wikipedia I have seen leaders get prideful, greedy, and demanding. Sadly, it has increasingly become the norm in a world that values charisma above character. To paraphrase Jim Collins in his epic book,  Good to Great , you can build an enduring organization with charisma, but it is more difficult. As I have reflected on my own experience and observing prominent leaders, I see them struggle with four temptations: The temptation of priorities.  Weak leaders put themselves last. They mistakenly think this is more spiritual. It is a dangerous temptation that has left many leaders  cynical  and burned out. But successful leaders face the opposite temptation. They put themselves first. In fact, some are outright narcissists, putting themselves at the center of their own universe. The correct position, I think, is  second . Strong leaders put God first and  themselves second . They know that they can’t meet the needs of others unless they attend to themselves. The temptat