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The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

There are 5 Pitfalls of Leadership. These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one finds freedom from them.

The 5 Pitfalls of Leadership Are Interconnected and Work in a Descending Order:

1. 1. One’s work becomes confused with one’s worth.
   2. One’s performance begins to be valued more than one’s presence.
   3. People become things.
   4. In order to be an example to others, one isolates his/her true self.

• Secrets sap one’s passion and purpose.

This episode will focus on Pitfall #1: One’s Work is Confused with One’s Worth.

Leaders can draw crowds, get things done, or set themselves apart from others through accomplishments or talents. This work can be good and true. However, a leader can confuse the crowds, the feedback, and accomplishments with his/her worth as a person.

Sadly, A leader’s sense of confidence and value can begin to go up or down based upon the applause they receive.

While pursuing one’s worth in the “workplace,” being a “Dad” or “Mom” loses its importance and sense of value/purpose.

This effect can happen to professionals, little league coaches, church volunteers, and PTA presidents.

A leader can easily forget that their worth comes from being human. Worth is inborn; we don’t lose it.

The crowd looks for what the leader can give.

God and loved ones look for the heart of who the person is from the inside out.

Worth tied to the crowd can mean loss of recognition of worth as a person.

Finding Methods of Prevention

When leaders fall or fail, so often they are simply replaced to keep the mission or agenda going. That is not a bad thing related to the responsibilities of the mission; however, we need also to be curious enough about what created the fall or failure to find prevention methods that can reduce negative, even tragic, outcomes.

There is Always Hope

If a leader doesn’t catch himself/herself in the early stages of Pitfall #1, it isn’t the end. Very often, the failure becomes a “doorway” into a new world of a new life, even a better life. This “better” life requires a recovery process with guides and helpers; otherwise, the negative process usually continues.

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