Thinking Outside The Box

There are many characteristics which are important to effective leadership. One, that I would like to talk about could be best described as “thinking outside the box”. Every organization has a culture, or a way that things are done. An effective leader has the ability to meet the needs within this culture, but also, looks for ways to improve or perhaps just explore other ways of doing things. Tradition is a very strong pull for people, it can be a good thing, but it can also be a detriment to growth or change. A leader who thinks outside the box, is a leader who loves new ideas, outside input and is eager to learn.
I have had the privilege of working with such an individual. James Robbins who is also a minister and a professional speaker, is one of the most pure hearted leaders I know. His willingness to seek out solutions, ideas and input is unbelievable. I remember a time when our churches were getting stuck in a way of doing things and in a way of thinking and James reached outside of this and pulled in new thoughts, new relationships and new ideas. This, took a lot of humility and eagerness to just want to grow and do our best. The outcome of his leadership is still felt in our church and in my life. He taught me to explore outside my own thoughts and experiences. He also, demonstrated that through this type of reaching out, not only can new ideas be fostered, but great relationships can be formed. There are many, many effective people outside our organizations, who can offer us so much. We, as leaders just need to reach out and invite them in.