A convicted leader is one who is bound by their mission and cause.

One of the defining traits of a leader is that they believe in their cause. They are convicted by the belief that what they are doing truly matters. You will never meet an effective leader who does not have a strong conviction for their cause. A leader without conviction will never make it to the end of their mission. There are too many obstacles that will derail them. However, when a leader has conviction, they are able to stir others with that same conviction. When conviction for a cause is present in a team they will accomplish the goal! Conviction drives action. Professional Soccer player Mia Hamm said, “If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion.” Leaders get others to buy into the vision of their cause. An aid group in South Africa sent a message to missionary and explorer David Livingston. It said, “Have you found a good road to where you are?” To this, Livingston replied, “If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come even if there is no road at all.”

When someone has conviction about their cause they don’t wait for things to happen, they make things happen. Conviction causes people to do more than is asked of them. They will work with more than their hands, they will work with their hearts. American Journalist Vance Packard said, “Leadership is getting others to want to do something that you are convinced should be done.” If a team believes in their cause with a deep conviction, nothing will be too lofty for them to achieve. People respond with enthusiasm to a leader that truly believes in their cause and the people who can accomplish it. When the people believe in their leader it is a great thing, but when the leader believes in his people it is even a greater thing! Leaders have a motto that says, “If it’s to be…it’s up to me!” They are convinced that the time is now, and that they are the ones to help others move forward. Because of a leader’s strong convictions toward a cause, others begin to see beyond the practical tasks and into the heart of their mission. Projects become more than duties, they become opportunities. Meetings become more than informational, they become transformational.

A convicted leader is the best.