In First Corinthians, Paul quoted the Greek poet Menander when he wrote, “Bad company corrupts good character“. It matters who we allow into our lives. As a leader, you may find yourself surrounded by people who are overbearing, crass, or downright irritating. Would you believe even these people can help you become a better leader?

Forbes Magazine published an article entitled “6 Types of People Build Your Mental Toughness”. You can read the entire article by clicking here but allow me to share the list:

  1. The Doubters
  2. The Leeches
  3. The Critics
  4. The Envious
  5. The Victims
  6. The Noise

Our inclination is to avoid people on this list or tell them “Get out of my face!”. For the ministry leader, these are the very people we are called to serve.. The ability to deal with people like this is a sign of your mental toughness and leadership capacity.

I encourage you this week to observe your interactions with the people around you (staff, volunteers, members, even friends and family) and determine are youavoiding, fighting, or truly leading them today?