Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Leaders Take the Time for Counsel

Proverbs 20:18 (AMP) Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.

Of course, you might say, leadership asks for advice. Not according to a new survey of 1,400 leaders and managers (by the Ken Blanchard Group) as reported in by Nic Paton www.Management-issues.com.  It seems that a whopping 81 per cent of the respondents reported that leaders failed to listen or involve others in the process of planning. Listening to the team and collaborating drives businesses success. God, who promised us wisdom, often imparts His wisdom through others and the growing success of groups like Christ@work (http://www.fcci.org/) or www.wisecounselonline.com/ or Internal Coalition of Workplace Ministries (http://www.icwm.net/) demonstrates the benefits of wise, Biblically based business counsel.

Are you connected for wise counsel?

Copyright © 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell

Monday, June 19, 2006

Learning to Live Untouched by Trouble


Proverbs 19:23   (NIV) - The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

God-confidence vs. self-confidence – one is driven by faith, the other by sight. Disappointment, discouragement and despair can dog a leader – or any person. It is the discipline of the will that does not let disappointment lead to the others. That discipline, for the Believer, has a solid core, driven deep into the bedrock of faith. Fearing God is not a trivial thing, or easily grasped and held on to. It is the opposite of self-reliance and yet, paradoxically, the more we rely on Him, the more confident we appear to others. "Untouched by trouble" is not about circumstances, but about our attitude born of faith about what's happening.  Got faith? You got attitude.

Copyright © 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell     

Friday, June 16, 2006

Servant Leaders

Proverbs 16:2 (NLV) All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the thoughts of the heart.

In the Forward of Insights on Leadership: Service, Stewardship, Spirit, and Servant-Leadership, Stephen Covey posits, "the power to cultivate servant-leadership comes from the individual. It's an inside-out approach." And therein lies the real problem. "Google" servant leadership and you may find as I did 6,980,000 results. Hot topic and not all are in agreement with the concept. The reason may be quite simple: the "inside" of humans must be changed before an authentic servant-heart emerges. When the "going gets tough" for those with hearts unchanged by their Creator, self-serving drives decisions. Motives can be hidden except from the One who will judge the living and the dead. When what we do is about us and not about Him, our motives are wrong. Hard to weigh that one: our scales are weighted in our favor.

What motivates you - really?

Copyright © 2006 P. Griffith Lindell

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Out Of a Leader’s Mouth Flows What’s In the Heart

Proverbs 15:7, 14, 28 (NIV) 7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. 14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. 28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

A few years ago, Sorcher and Brant in the Harvard Business Review suggested that leadership is really more about "soft" skills—and it is those "soft skills" to which the word heart in these passages refers. From the failure of Enron’s management (who had an Ethics Manual that was over an inch thick) we learn that it is not in the writing of the words on paper that counts; rather, it is the writing of Word in the heart that matters. What leaders say has meaning beyond the simple words. Grad school can well prepare the mind for leadership: it is only God who can prepare the heart. Feed on eternal ideas and then apply the principles of Best Business Practices in a way that will differentiate you from those who feed on folly. What are you feeding on?

Copyright © 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Leadership With Insight

Proverbs 14: 8 (NLT) The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves.

Effective leaders not only understand the business purpose (its vision) but also they clearly understand the mission and they observe what is happening today while looking ahead, determining strategy based not just on some static document, but on the reality of a dynamic marketplace. They know the difficulties of the mission and break through them while not violating the core values that shape the culture.  These behaviors do not happen in a vacuum - they are shaped by the values of the leader. Believing leaders value their Creator's insights, and follow His guidelines, consult Him in prayer and meditation, asking for wisdom to be acutely aware of what is coming not only in the business, but also, more importantly, in the shaping of their lives to be more like Christ.

Who and what do you value?

Copyright © 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell                           

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Leaders Embrace Trials

Proverbs 13:15 (NIV) Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard (the unfaithful does not endure). James 1:2 (NAS)  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

For the Believer, God's providence must be the foundation of our value system. That core sustains our belief that God cares and is dynamically in charge of all of life, especially our trials.  Christian business leaders understand that God cares far less about the business, than he does about the person, for it is our belief system - our faith in operation - that is of interest to Him; for, "without faith it is impossible to please God." How you endure (respond to, react to) business setbacks, failures, and persistent problems not only wins favor with those watching you (Your attitude answering the question, "Is the Christian stuff for real?"), but it also is of interest to God who is working in our lives to conform us to the image of His Son.

Are you embracing God's work or expressing unbelief by questioning it?

Copyright © 2006 P. Griffith Lindell

Monday, June 12, 2006

Leader's Words Inspire Others for Change

Proverbs 12:18 (MSG) Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise.

In his book, Leadership Without Easy Answers, Harvard professor Ronald Heifetz posits that the role of leadership is changing: the new role is “to help people face reality and to mobilized them to make change.” Change is at least painful and at worst potentially destructive. People are sometimes “destroyed” by what is said and how it is said as they spontaneously react negatively to the change. The wise leader recognizes the various impacts of change on the team and speaks words that heal by creating value and meaning for each person experiencing the change.

Are you leading with words that heal or maim?

Copyright ©2006 P. Griffith Lindell

Friday, June 09, 2006

Leaders Learn to Focus on the Right Things

Proverbs 9: 1, 10  (MSG) 1Lady Wisdom has built and furnished her home... 10Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-GOD, insight into life from knowing a Holy God.

A special house has been built for Believers and it should be enough - but many times, we spend time looking out the window at other buildings that seem bigger, better, bolder. The world does this as the their practice of living. Always seeking another way - one's own way. Often, we focus on “building something,” but it is skilled living that’s the key. Christian leaders have the opportunity to demonstrate what God can do with a business wholly committed to him -- one that thrives, grows and is profitable - an enterprise run for His glory. Dickens would not have had much material to use if Christians at the time were committed to running Christ-enabled businesses. Businesses run God's way should be better - the leader more skilled at living because she/he isn’t trying to build a house. That leader is focused on walking the path of skilled living.

Are you walking on the path that leads to the house Wisdom has built?

Copyright ©2006 P. Griffith Lindell

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Leaders Are Present

Proverbs 8: 34 -35 (AMP) Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me [Wisdom] finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord.
How important is “being present” in business conversations. Connecting. Practicing active listening. More important, however, is being present in the process of letting God superintend your life and your work. This concept is found in two words: “watching” i.e. being diligent every day to connect with the Lord, and “waiting” as being “first at the door” or eager. Both attributes demonstrate being connected to the process. Both are attributes of leadership – eager and diligent to learn from both other people and from results of our actions. The if/then quality (finds life – draws forth - the image is of drawing water from a well-favor) of these verses is simply a group of consequences, not motivations to get on God’s “good side.” Leadership is not about wealth, power or prestige – it’s about influence. Your positive, Kingdom-building influence begins with the simple process of diligently and eagerly listening to the Word and then drawing what you need to impact your world.


Copyright © 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell