The Inspired Leader: 101 Biblical Reflections for Becoming a Person of Influence (33 page)

I doubt you’ll find any secular business book to disagree with these concepts. In fact, there’s a good deal of research supporting these actions to develop high performance executives. As Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church, says, “No matter what your business card says, we are all in the people business.”

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Are you more of a “task”-oriented person or a “people”-oriented person? How has that affected your relationships at work?
   

2. What are three things you do that make people at work better?
   

3. What is one habit or behavior you practice that has had a harmful effect on your colleagues? How might you address that?
   

Paul Spence

CEO, The STI Group

GEORGE MÜLLER
(1805-1898) was a Prussian-born English evangelist and philanthropist He was a man of faith and prayer who established orphanages in Bristol, England. Müller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered. Many times, he received unsolicited food donations only hours before they were needed to feed the children, further strengthening his faith in God. For example, on one well-documented occasion, they gave thanks for breakfast when all the children were sitting at the table, even though there was nothing to eat in the house. As they finished praying, a local baker knocked on the door with sufficient fresh bread to feed everyone. He frequently and periodically led his staff to pray for specific and documented prayer request. Müller prayed in millions of dollars (in today's currency) for the orphans and never asked anyone directly for money. In his lifetime he cared for 10,024 orphans and he never took a salary in the last 68 years of his ministry, but trusted God to put in people›s hearts to send him what he needed. He never took out a loan or went into debt. And neither he nor the orphans were ever hungry.

Shortly after reading
The Autobiography of George Müller
, I was asked to speak to a group of college students about the subject of living out my faith in the workplace. As I prayed and sought God’s face on what He would have me speak to the students, I began to reflect upon the significant events in my business career. In each of these significant events, without exception, a period of serious prayer with other committed believers preceded each of these events. These events included times of major expansions within the business, times of difficulty where there seem to be no solution, and in some cases possible bankruptcy – needs that only God could provide. Psalms 91:15 states, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will
be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.”

At the beginning of 2010, our business, like most American businesses, was facing a faltering economy and an uncertain future. Following the example of Müller, a group of business leaders within our company agreed to meet with me every Monday morning for six months to fervently pray for our business. We also decided that we would make a specific documented list of needs, continue to pray, and watch to see how God would answer our prayers. It was amazing how faithful God answered every specific prayer request in ways that we couldn’t even imagine!

The scriptures are replete with promises and instructions to believers to come to God in prayer:

• Psalms 32:8,
  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”
  

• Jeremiah 33:3,
  “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
  

As business leaders, it is expected for us to cast the vision of our organizations, lead out in times of uncertainty, and to make wise decisions for those that follow us. As leaders who are committed to Jesus Christ we have been given the most powerful privilege to call upon the God of the universe to guide us. But I wonder if we are all guilty of ignoring what could transform us as leaders as well as invoke the blessings of God upon our businesses? As business leaders, are we leading out in prayer within the business or is prayer an afterthought only to implore God to bless our humanly devised plans? Let’s continually encourage one another to make prayer a cornerstone of all we do in the marketplace.

OUR LIVES ARE the product of the decisions we make. We can’t always control our circumstances or what others do, but we have complete autonomy over our own decisions. Poor decisions lead to an impoverished life. Wise choices result in joy and contentment. The writer of Proverbs wrote, “
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”
(Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom begins by taking God and His word extremely seriously! Wisdom is also something that accumulates. The apostle James offered, “
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him
(James 1:5).

Thriving in the marketplace requires sagacity. Temptations come by the bushel. People will attempt to deceive you. Problems can escalate with growing complexity. There are times when it may appear that there is no “correct” answer. Yet a decision must be made. In times like these, wisdom is indispensable.

Could the decisions you have recently made be characterized as “wise”? Has the fruit of your decisions been palatable? Are you growing in wisdom? God has provided bountiful wisdom to you as you live out your life. Are you making full use of it?

STEVE JOBS RETURNED to lead Apple in 1997 after a string of disappointing quarterly results led to CEO Gil Amelio’s resignation. Upon his return, Jobs found that Apple had widely diversified its product lines. He concluded, “Apple is in serious financial straits and we can’t afford to do anything extra…We’ve got to focus and do things we can be good at.” Under his direction, the company reduced its offerings to just four computers: two desktops and two laptops, providing two for personal consumption and a pair for professional users. This narrowed focus would ultimately contribute to Apple’s remarkable turnaround.

For over 20 years, Starbucks had been a model of success and innovation. Yet in 2008, Howard Schultz returned as CEO after he grew concerned that the company he had founded was losing its way. Despite its phenomenal growth, he sensed it had strayed from fundamentals. Stores now brimmed with DVDs, CDs, and various coffee-drinking accessories, but the actual coffee-drinking experience had deteriorated. In 2007,
Consumer Reports
rated the quality of Starbucks coffee behind that of McDonalds
.
Something had to change, so Schultz took extreme measures. He closed 600 stores, eliminating 12,000 positions. He also removed numerous items that had crept onto store shelves, and returned the company to its primary business: coffee. In February 2008, all 7,100 Starbucks stores closed at 5:30 p.m. so the baristas could be retaught how to make a perfect shot of coffee. As the company regained its focus, it also returned to profitability.

Successful leaders have always understood the power of focus. Andrew Carnegie’s business philosophy was simple, “Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket.” It was said that General Dwight Eisenhower’s great strength lay in his attention to detail, “complemented by his intuitive knowledge of which detail to pay attention to.”

Business leaders today, more than ever, must be diligent to maintain priorities as they lead. Do they open new stores? Enter new markets? Diversify their products? Enlarge their leadership team? Executives must constantly be intentional about how they allocate their valuable time: Work? Family? Health? God? Church?

Jesus offered straightforward counsel for businesspeople, “
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”
(Matthew 6:33). Jesus understood that our life’s focus determines our success. It is impossible to have a dozen priorities. To have many priorities is to have none. We make personal progress when we focus our life, over time, in the same direction. Talented business leaders will always be inundated with new opportunities and a myriad of challenges. Clients, colleagues, and causes will clamor for their attention and investment. The key is to stay riveted onto our specific calling and purpose. To grow and thrive in our walk with God is not to allot to Him leftover minutes seized from the scrap-heap of more pressing responsibilities. Other than Jesus, who has impacted the world for the better more than the apostle Paul? Paul was a busy, talented, driven leader, but his desire to know and serve God was his life’s supreme goal. He determined, “
One thing I do…I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 3:13-14). How long is the current list of your life’s priorities?

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Are you a focused person? Do you keep your eyes on the goal and refuse to become distracted? Or, have you lost your clear focus on your mission and goals? What would you need to do to regain your focus?
   

2. Jesus commanded us to seek first His kingdom. Are you doing that? Or, have you made Christ’s kingdom a secondary priority? If you have, take time with the Lord and let Him help you make the kingdom of God the most important priority in your life. Let Him show you what needs to be reordered, or even removed, from your life so you can regain your proper focus.
   

3. Have you allowed urgent issues to crowd out crucial ones? Do you let the loudest voice drown out the most important concern? Have you become a slave of technology rather than using it to serve you? Jot down those things that continually distract you from getting the most important tasks accomplished. Make a plan to address those distractions. Plan to live your life intentionally and wisely.