05/17/2024
✉️ this weeks email:
Unfair Advantage
In this week's email I want to share with you a small section from my book "Leading with Insight, 31 Days of Wisdom for Leaders." I titled this particular chapter "The Unfair Advantage."
"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. They you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation." Proverbs 3:3-4
These are amazing words of wisdom. That when we allow love and faithfulness to become such a part of who we are that they are written on the tablet of our hearts and become our operating system or default mode. This leads to favor and a good reputation with both God and man. Samuel became one of the most recognized prophets in the Old Testament, and 1 Samuel 2:26 says that he continued to grow in stature and favor with The Lord and with people. Luke 2:52 says that Jesus Himself grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.
The Hebrew word translated as “good reputation” is actually defined as shrewdness, insight, or understanding. This really implies that when we make love and faithfulness our default mode, we have a reputation as one who wins at life. Think about that for a moment, when we are led by love and faithfulness we receive favor. Favor is defined as:
To show approval or preference toward, to give unfair preferential treatment to, or an act of kindness beyond what is due.
I do not know about you but having preferential treatment toward me or acts of kindness that are beyond the expectations from our Father and the people of this world would really help me in my leadership. I think it’s obvious that we would want to grow in our relationship with The Father and see that result in favor but we may not consider the need to have favor with people but it’s just as important.
We cannot lead people that we do not have influence with. For us to truly lead people into their potential and for our teams to do great things, people have to actually like us and want to help us. People will not go along with you if they can not get along with you. If those that we lead have a reservation of trust in us, then there will also be a reservation in their willingness to give their best. We as leaders must be able to answer three questions that all followers have:
1. Do you care for me? That’s a question of the heart. Do you actually like me is the question. People can tell if we are just putting up with them and tolerating them or if we truly care about them. It will come across in the way we engage, interact, and offer opportunities.
2. Can you help me? People want to be on winning teams and this question really comes down to, if I come underneath your leadership will I improve. Will I see growth? Can you help me be bigger and better than I currently am?
3. Can I trust you? This third question comes down to can I trust you enough to give you my very best. Trust is a two-way street but as the leader it begins with you, it begins with me. If we prove to be a leader unworthy of trust then those we lead will always hold back and never give their best. What if we started off the relationships that we have with those we lead with trust instead of them having to prove their trust. It would probably change the way we engage and interact but I also believe it would change the expectations. Most leaders I know start out with no trust and act as if you must prove trust. Let’s flip that model. I like how John Maxwell says it, “I put a 10 on everyone’s head. I put a 10 on your head, but you are the one that takes it off.” So, start out with trust and let others prove or disprove that trust instead of starting out at no trust and trying to earn it. I know what you may be thinking. If I do that, what if they take advantage of me or try to accuse me, use me, or abuse me? Well, the reality is that when we open ourselves up there will be some that will take advantage of you. But the majority will not.
To wrap this email up, I want to share with you something that Mother Teresa once said:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives, be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
- Mother Teresa
Drawing wisdom from the Bible and time-tested principles, Leading with Insight: 31 Days of Wisdom for Leaders is written to empower faithful leaders so they can navigate the their calling with wisdom and grace while staying true to their Christian values.
