Zondervan Inspire

Avoid Drawing Blood

From the Editor: Good advice for us all.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith

Author Catherine Johnson wrote a book fifteen years ago titled Lucky in Love. She's a PhD who was determined to figure out what deliriously happy married couples were so deliriously happy about. So she interviewed them — about a hundred couples in all. She found that at some point along the way, every happy couple had come to a critical point in their relationship where they would vociferously disagree but refuse to destroy each other in the process. "When we quarrel (and we will!), we're not going to do the kinds of things that will damage this relationship long-term," Johnson quoted these couples as saying. "When we disagree, we will not draw blood."

The moment I read that phrase, I decided to put it into practice in my work as well as in my marriage. Because I have deep feelings about so many kingdom issues, I have been known to express myself very passionately in meetings. And as you probably know, passion can beget passion. Effective leaders do not fear passion. They welcome it. But from time to time passionate discussions digress into personal attacks, and real people get really hurt. In my view, leaders must head that off before it happens.

From Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs

by Bill Hybels

Any comments or testimonies today?

Constantly Learning

From the Editor: Author Joe Hilley hits on an important truth in today's excerpt that I believe applies to most of us in this fast-changing world we find ourselves in.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

An approach of constantly learning is a style demanded by the age in which we live. With information growing at an incalculable rate, no one can hold command of every detail in every discipline. Leaders who are effective will develop familiarity with a wide range of subjects rather than a depth of detail in a few. By developing a working knowledge covering a wide range of subjects, leaders will be free to rise above individual issues to see the whole picture — the manner in which the issues are related, and the comparative value of each issue.

From Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader

by Joe Hilley

Values Matter

From the Editor: There are two things you’re never suppose to talk about at work: Religion and politics. Unapologetically, I talk about both.

No matter what side of what fence you find yourself on—or in what country for that matter—the question of values must be addressed when assessing potential leaders. This excerpt from the book Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader addresses well the importance of this.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

Everyone has a place in their character where values reside. Those values are formed from experiences that begin in childhood. As a person matures, those values coalesce around a central belief that sits at the heart of one's character. Whether religious or secular in nature, that central belief is the lens through which all other values are focused and by which all other values are colored. From those values, convictions arise — beliefs that form principles by which a person organizes one's life. Those convictions are the great organizing principles of effective political leaders.

At the end of the day, a leader's effect on the country will be a reflection of his or her basic values. History tells us of many who led by way of wrong values such as pride, hatred, greed, or a lust for power — all with devastating consequences for their country. It is impossible to overstate the importance of knowing what a leader really values.

From Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader

by Joe Hilley

Competing Values Cannot Coexist

From the Editor: I don’t know about you, but “balance” is something I fight with continually. Tom presents an interesting perspective here, yet other authors preach balance as an essential part of the modern workplace.

The other thing that strikes me is this: At what point do you cross the threshold from earning a living to loving money?

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

As we consider our priorities, three relational truths from Matthew 6:24-33 are vital. First, notice that Jesus said we "cannot serve both God and money." He didn't say "should not" or "might not want to attempt to"; he said "cannot." Jesus teaches us that competing values cannot coexist. One will overwhelm the other.

Our modern-day answer is, "I'll manage my life better, and then I'll be able to do more! I'll find time for being completely committed to God and for making money — and for recreation and career and hobbies too!" Jesus says, "You cannot serve both God and money," and we think, "Well, Jesus obviously didn't understand how to multitask!" It doesn't matter how well you manage your life or how many laborsaving, time-saving devices you buy; if you try to hold on to competing values, one will always overwhelm the other.

From The Relationship Principles of Jesus

by Tom Holladay

Just Say It

Even if they have to interrupt the person midsentence, the best leaders I know refuse to tolerate mushy communication. Instead, they say, "Time is valuable and we all have lots to do today. It's obvious you have something on your mind, so I'd like to give you total freedom right now to come out and just say it. We are all big boys and girls who actually enjoy candor, but we can't make any progress on your proposal until you make it clear. So once again ... just say it!"

Thirty-three years into my ministry run, I still find myself having to speak those words. Which goes to show how much effort a leader must expend toward creating an environment where people feel safe enough to speak clearly and directly.

From Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs

by Bill Hybels

Any comments or testimonies today?

How Are You Doing ... Really?

In American culture, when you ask people how they’re doing, they’re nearly always "fine." So if you want to convey that you are actually interested in hearing the truth about what’s going on in that person's inner world, and if you want to give the other person permission to answer you honestly, then you have to pose the question just a bit differently: "How are you doing ... really?"

In Galatians 6:2, the apostle Paul says that we fulfill the law of Christ when we agree to "carry one another's burdens." The people you lead have to know they're part of a burden-carrying team. They have to know there's an avenue for them to convey whatever personal or professional calamity they face. They have to know they can trust their colleagues to hear them out. Simply put, your followers have to know it's legal to admit that while they may be sitting across the conference-room table wearing a smile and a trendy outfit, nothing is fine or fitting quite right on the inside.

From Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs

by Bill Hybels

Any comments or testimonies today?

It's Not By Accident

Anytime you see God-honoring values being lived out genuinely and consistently, it's fair to assume that a leader decided to identify a handful of values and put a Bunsen burner underneath them. Every time she or he taught about the value or publicly praised someone for living that value out, it was like raising the temperature of that burner. Perseverance. Compassion. Servanthood. Generosity. Whatever the value, if it's alive and well in a local church today, it's not by accident. It's only there because of intentional, committed, dedicated effort.

When you heat up a value, you help people change states. Want to jolt people out of business as usual? Heat up innovation. Want to untangle confusion? Heat up clarity. Want to eradicate miserliness? Heat up generosity! New "states" elicit new attitudes, new aptitudes, and new actions. It's not rocket science. It's just plain chemistry. Which is a lot about heat.

From Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs

by Bill Hybels

Any comments or testimonies today?

Strength and Security Precede the Ability to Be Free

 

You do not see a hungry baby walk away from her mother. She does that years later, only after she has had her needs met. You do not see a weak, dependent spouse walk away from an addict. He does that later, after he has joined an Al-Anon group to give him the strength. You do not see people who have no savings or little chance for another job tell an abusive boss to stick it. They do that later, after they have saved enough money or gotten a further degree or gotten another job. You do not see people who are spiritually and/or relationally bankrupt walk through tough circumstances unscathed and do well right after. You see them transcend those circumstances as a result of having spiritual and/or relational equity in their lives.

From The One-Life Solution: The Boundaries Way to Integrating Work and Life 

by Dr. Henry Cloud

Any comments or testimonies today?

Land that One Good Idea

My good friend Bob Galvin was the brains and heart behind the Motorola Corporation's record-setting pace during the 1970s and 1980s. When he was at the operational helm of the company, he'd make senior leaders come to strategy meetings armed with a hundred good ideas about how to increase sales or improve R&D or generate greater market buzz. You couldn't get into the meeting unless you showed your list. Why? Because he knew what too few ministry leaders know: in order to land one good idea — one breakthrough idea that will kick your organization's activity into high gear — you have to allow for hundreds or even thousands of mediocre ideas. After all, if your big aha is number 78, you'll never discover it unless you discipline yourself and your team to think through numbers 1 through 77.

From Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs

by Bill Hybels

Any comments or testimonies today?

Focus on a Limited Set of Targets

Business consultant Nido Qubein says, "Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets." The apostle Paul showed his focus when he said, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

In my observation, ministries that have it tend to be focused on a limited set of targets. They do a few things as if all eternity hinged on their results, and they do these things with godly excellence. Their vision is characterized by specificity. Selectivity. Exclusivity.

From It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

by Craig Groeschel

Any comments or testimonies today?