Leaders get things done. They don't merely mobilize others to accomplish great things, they know how to work hard and are willing to keep their head down to do whatever it takes. The only problem is that if you keep your nose to the grindstone too long, you get blood in your eyes. The ability to lead with sustained creativity and clarity requires time and space for reflection.

At 7:14 this morning, a phone call told me that a very good friend was shot and killed last night. Emotionally I’ve spent the day vacillating between shock, sorrow, anger, and indignation. There are many things I could tell you about my friend, but since you don’t know him I need to write about the personal reflections I cannot escape.

I want to talk about having goals and plans. I think they really matter. I am not compulsive about them and don’t let them rule my life, but for me they are essential to living an intentional life. However, there are some complicating factors. How do you balance having goals with being sensitive to the ongoing leading and direction of the Spirit?

I have often quoted the axiom, "a difference between a leader and a follower is PERSPECTIVE. And, a difference between good leaders and better leaders is better perspective." But, perspective is more than a strategic issue. The greatest perspective is actually spiritual, and as such, it calls for the work of the Spirit.

Drift happens. It happens in all areas of life and it happens in marriage. Last week we celebrated our 32nd anniversary with one of the most important annual traditions in our lives. So, before you get lost on how people as young, hip, and fun as we are could be married that long, check out my blog on the tradition of our little black book at aboutLEADING.com.

I had a breakthrough I hadn’t sought. I recognized the linkage between annual, monthly, and weekly rhythms that are key to maintaining perspective and focus as a leader. Being a “P” and not a “J,” I think I’ll call it "the Pirates’ Code for Greater Leadership Focus." If I wanted more grandiose phrasing, I might call it, “Keys to Strategic Life Management for a Leader.”

How big is the wake behind your "boat?" Do you cut through the waters of life without leaving a mark, or do the waves of your wake reverberate in people long after you are gone? The 5 "C's" of Leadership Capacity are qualities that translate into the breadth and depth of a leader's influence: aka. the wake behind "your boat."

Character-deep leaders understand the relationship between character and competency. While character may be the key to influence, they have also learned to rely on their competencies much like a master-mechanic relies on tools.

We all joke about it, but there is part of us that still believes, "he who dies with the most toys wins." We are seduced by the illusion that the legacy of our lives will be measured by the cumulative value of the stuff we create-acquire-build-plan-say-do. What if the true legacy of our lives is something completely different?

In spite of the fact that we blaze through the demands of our daily lives at an impatient pace, the truth is, life is long.