Leaders Who Chase Success Chase the Wind.

A Proverb
"...most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind."1

A Thought

"Business success is good: personal significance is what matters."2

A History

Figure 1

Sometimes the pursuit of success gets in the way of achieving personal significance. This is not any kind of significance - I mean the kind of life that adds meaning to other’s lives, is a positive force with those we “touch” and gives energy and does not take energy from others.

You may be driven, in some subtle way, to achieve some sort of status - success. You behave in ways that will yield the recognition you consciously, or unconsciously seek.

Relationship-building people, unlike status-driven people, respond to different modes of behavior – behaviors that seek to serve others - significance. The concepts surrounding the principles of servant-leadership are based more on relationships (personal significance) than status (success), for example.

The “things” that hinder our progress on our journey to significance often are hidden simply because we don’t move with intentionality toward the kind of significance that adds meaning to others. Our culture stimulates our drive for success. Scriptural culture drives individuals to achieve humility – the ultimate in personal significance.


Which are your chasing?


Copyright © 2011, P. Griffith Lindell.
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1 Eccl. 4:4

Figure 1 "significance." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 08 Mar. 2011.

2 Lindell, P. (2011). Struggling With Your Business? 10 Questions to Consider Before Investing A(nother) Dime. (pg. x). Woodburn, OR: Lindell Associates, LLC.

Servant-leadership: CONTROL YOURSELF: Saying the Right Thing at the Right Time

Proverbs 15:24 (AMP) A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment--how good it is!

Giving voice to thought – now, for me, that sometimes is very hard to control. As the Apostle Paul noted “…and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

The mind matters. Its thoughts must be taken captive – for a purpose. Why? Because out of the mouth flows the intents of the heart. The one follows the other.

Controlling both our thoughts, and our voice takes intentionality – in other words, CONTROL. You want to practice servant-leadership, get control of your thoughts and your talk.

The result of that control is “joy.” Giving a right answer. Building up: not tearing down. Encouraging. Providing advice. Saying the right thing at the right moment. The fruit of our words should be sweet and tasty – delightful to the ear. That’s not always the case for me. Tonality. Body language. I’m working on it – all the time.


How about you? Got the talk down? The timing right?


Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell

Sweet Success Starts with Wisdom

Proverbs 24:13-14 (NLT) My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.

Honey is a powerful food. Not only is it sweet, but also it has healthy attributes and has been used through the ages to treat various ailments. Its sweetness is not open for debate. Once tasted, no arguments can be set forth to convince you otherwise.

Exactly like The Truth, right? Well, not exactly: many have grown up around beehives, honeycombs, various containers of honey – even been schooled “in honey” – but have not actually tasted the honey.

Tragic, really: this metaphor is a picture, however, of many who have been schooled in religion but never tasted the sweetness of an authentic relationship with Christ.

“Tasting” Wisdom is a life-altering experience – it sweetens the soul; brightens the future, and secures your hope. This attributes allows leaders to first focus on others in a way that moves a team, an organization, a family forward. That kind of personal success is attractive – especially in the today’s workplace.

Does your life pass the “taste test?”


Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell