Try this: close your eyes, and for the next 30 seconds do not think about a pink elephant. Remember, you are not to think of a pink elephant.

Ready, set, go.

How far did you make it? And what does that tell you about the way the mind works?

Some of the most powerful influences in our lives are invisible, sometimes very small, often hypothetical. Ideas. They fill our minds, they motivate our actions. They shape how we view reality and—just as important—possible new realities.

Ideas are also at the core of spiritual influence. They are powerful realities that move invisibly from one person to another. They change and develop. It is almost like they have a life of their own. Leaders should always be asking, "What are the very best ideas I can flow to others? Is there one big idea God has influenced me with that ought to be the big idea I pass on to others?

Planting the seminal idea

When we think of the great leaders of the past, we may remember their accomplishments, ...