By Elaine A. Lankford

Those of us who grew up in Southeast Virginia take great pride in our state because of a little settlement known as Jamestown. On May 14, 1607, Jamestown became the first permanent British settlement in North America.

Why do I bring up Jamestown? Because the settlement of our country didn’t happen overnight; it was a process.

After many failed attempts prior to Jamestown, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke, grit and determination took over and finally won out.

However, building shelter and staying here was only the first step. Settlers would have to learn their new surroundings, establish successful food chains, fight off disease and death and establish relationships with the Native Americans who were already here.

With that picture in mind, let’s talk about the Law of Process as it relates to leadership. The Law of Process states leadership develops daily, not in a day.

Sounds simple, right? Then why do we resist the teaching of this law probably more than any?

The Law of Process, which is all about incremental steps, versus expecting everything at once, is completely foreign in our current American culture. If the first settlers had not shown such resolve, taking one day at a time to learn how to live in this land, America as we know it would not exist.

Leaders should lean into the process of becoming better leaders. Skipping steps, or pushing further ahead than we are ready for, will only frustrate us and confuse others. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell outlines five stages to becoming a great leader.

In Stage One, we are unaware of what we don’t know about leadership. We are most likely influenced by various myths concerning leadership and really don’t see ourselves as potential leaders. Therefore, we make no steps toward growth.

As life moves on, we start to find ourselves in leadership positions, whether at work, home or elsewhere. We sense that we are fulfilling the role of a leader, but that no one has taught us how to lead.

Once we become aware of our problem, we recognize the need to learn leadership skills. Stage Three becomes a crucial step. If we are determined to take on our role as a leader, we will choose to begin acquiring the knowledge base and skill set we need for successful leadership, not randomly, but systematically.

As we make the commitment to grow, something amazing happens. Stage Four is filled with hints that our hard work is paying off. People notice a change in our leadership ability and some even start to follow us. If we are motivated to become great leaders, we continue the process.

At the final stage in the process, our skill set will be so sharpened that leading others becomes more automated. Our ability to leverage that influence and power of persuasion we have been working on is effortless. You’ll know you’ve reached this level when your return on investment is more than you could have ever hoped for. But it only happens when you obey the Law of Process.

“See what a person is doing every day, day after day, and you’ll know who that person is and what he or she is becoming,” Maxwell wrote.

Can you imagine if Sugar Ray Leonard had stopped conditioning himself as a boxer, if Johnny Bench had practiced catching a little less, or if Richard Petty had decided he had taken enough practice laps?

As leaders, we need to work the process, grow daily, and be willing to pay the price if we expect our leadership ability to bring a big payout.

Elaine Lankford is a John Maxwell certified coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker. She is the founder of Transforming Love Ministries and a board member of the Christian Business Coalition of Hampton Roads. Email her at elaine@elainelankford.com.