So for a couple of months now I've explored important aspects of fly fishing and related them to leadership.  I write about fly fishing because I have a passion for it.  And it so happens that I have found great relevance to all aspects of my life by looking at the process behind the things I love to do as I put a lot of energy into those activities and I'm usually very good at them.  By applying the aspects that make me good at the things I love to do to other aspects of my life, I expand my base of knowledge and I bring the best of me to other endeavors.  This in and of itself is an important skill for a good leader to have. 

 

This month I want to share with you the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of being a great fly fisherman - The Secret if you will and how we apply this to our leadership - leadership of our Prayer Chaplain Program, ministry, community, workplace, and family.  The ONE thing that distinguishes a great fly fisherman from a good fly fisherman is "intention."  Yes, it really is that simple - or is it?  Webster's Dictionary defines intention as "an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result; purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct."

 

When I'm planning a fly fishing trip with my Dad, there's a process we go through that is about setting our intention.  We've never discussed it but upon reflection it became quite clear to me.  We pick our dates and our destination which is often our favorite spot - the San Juan River in New Mexico.  We talk about our time frame for driving one day, fishing three days, and driving home one day.  We plan our menus carefully because dinner and swapping fish stories is a ritual that has deep meaning to us both.  We inventory our gear, pull out our rods and reels, and Dad intently sets out to make the flies we know we will need when we're on the river.  Our actions are driven by our intention which is to catch fish and create an experience of being together that we will hold in our hearts forever.

 

So at the beginning of this New Year - 2010 - I ask you, what is your intention for your leadership activities?  What intention is going to drive your actions this year knowing that your purpose and attitude will effect the results you achieve in all that you do?  Your intention is important because it will not only drive your actions but insure that they are consistent and moving in one direction.  Establishing your intention is not complicated but it is prophetic.  Setting your intention is the difference between leaders who are good and leaders who are great.  Your intention could be to be more loving, hold better boundaries, share more of your knowledge, expand your knowledge, feel more gratitude, reach out more to others for help, or experience more peace.  You can see how any one of these intentions will determine the nature of your activities and insure that you are about "being" and not "just doing."  You establish meaning behind all that you do even in those things that feel hard or that you struggle with.

 

I invite you to take some prayerful time to establish your intention for your leadership.  Reflect on other things in your life that you are very intentional about and bring that experience to your leadership.  I can assure you that it will serve to inspire your actions in a way that will bring about transformation - for you and those that you serve.