The Paradox of Ambition in Leadership

If I may quote from James Champy's book, The Arc of Ambition:

We see [ambition] as dangerous yet essential. We disapprove of those who abuse it, but we dismiss those who lack it. We see too little of it as a failing, too much of it as a sin. We sense that ambition is combustible, a form of energy that can bring us immortal glory but also destroy us forever, depending on how we use it. Simply put ambition is what makes us go. Ambition is the spirit of success, of striving for something worth achieving.

Ambition is the gas to our cars; the food to our workouts; the batteries to our toys. Without it we are stuck holding onto potential. The potential of a car to bring us from Florida to Ohio for the holidays. The potential of our bodies winning an Iron Man competition. The potential of our power drills hanging our family portrait above the fireplace.

Human potential is realized through ambition and ambition develops leaders. -Tweet This!

Ambition left unchecked gives birth to sin. 

As James Champy articulated in the quote above, ambition can produce sin. If a leader is overly ambitious, he could wrongfully interrupt resistance to his vision as incompetence, bias, jealousy, or even unwarranted mutiny. This usually results in leaders manipulating and intimidating their followers.

Humility + Ambition = Servant Leadership

In John 13, we learn from the ultimate Teacher that we are to humble ourselves and lead by serving others. Here we see Jesus washing his disciples' feet after the Last Supper.

The lesson: "You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Clearly no task was beneath Jesus and the same should apply to all leaders. Jesus was ambitious. He was driven to fulfill the work God had given him to do and nothing was going to stand in his way. Think about all the adversity he faced! Yet nothing stopped him from fulfilling his work. He had Divine gas (ambition) fueling his efforts. But Jesus coupled that with humility as an example for all future leaders to follow.

How to Keep Your Ambitions In Check:

• Network. Create mutually beneficial relationships to make sure you are giving MORE than you are receiving.
• Surround yourself with honest friends. No matter the leadership position you are in, you should always surround yourself with honest, trustworthy people willing to talk straight with you. If you begin leading with selfish ambition, these friends will surely let you know and help you refocus your ambitions.
• Take the cookies when they are passed. When an opportunity presents itself, take it. Especially when you are not ready to do so. This will likely lead to failure and failure is GOOD! It keeps us humble. It provides valuable insight. And it helps us build character.
• Wash the feet of your followers. If you're business man, serve your employees. If you're a politician, serve your constituents. If you're a clergyman, serve your congregation. Do something that separates you from your title. Prove that you truly care about your followers.
• Count the stars, touch the moon, and bottle the wind! Remind yourself how great God is. Humble yourself before Him and know that all good things come from His grace. Kneel when you pray. For every achievement, give all glory and praise to God and thank Him for using you as His earthly vessel to accomplish His will.

Can you think of an example of how a leader has fallen or succeeded due to ambition? If you feel inspired to do so, please leave your comments in the section below.