I had some friends back in High School that I imagine you can relate to. You had friends and classmates just like these. Some were superior athletes that never played beyond High School and some were not even on the field for their senior seasons. I had other friends who had “off the chart” intellect. They trumped my intelligence by dozens of points, but made bad grades and never went to college. In most cases, these friends went on to live lives that were far below their potential and quite frankly have made a mess of their lives as adults. It’s sad. They had high I.Q.s (Intelligence Quotients) and natural physical attributes, but were sabotaged by low A.Q.s.
I have observed that a high Attitude Quotient is superior to high I.Q.s, degrees, good looks, or family heritage. You can observe this in a classroom in a local school. Children and teens with lower I.Q.s possessing good attitudes out performing academically other students with higher I.Q.s combined with bad attitudes. This is the great dynamic of maximizing leadership. Your I.Q., while it can be slightly raised, is primarily inherent while an attitude is a daily choice that can be dramatically improved by anyone who is willing. I have found the same principle to be true in ministry. For example, in the enlistment of Bible study leaders for my church, and while theology is very important, I would always prefer a leader with little theological training, but possesses passion and a great attitude over another who is intellectually knowledgeable of theology but lacks passion and has a poor attitude.
I have expectations for those who serve alongside me. Give me someone with a great attitude and their skills will improve. Give me someone with a great attitude and they will overcome mistakes and shortcomings. Give me someone with a great attitude and they will help create a much better environment to work in. Give me someone with a great attitude and we will move forward. Give me someone with a bad attitude and I will quickly give them back! While tolerance may be a virtue I admittedly have no tolerance for bad attitudes. This should be a “no-brainer” in the Christian community since believers should seek the “attitude of Christ.” As I said, “it should be.” Always be attentive to your A.Q. as well as that of your team members and you will maximize your leadership!