Leadership and Expectations

How do you know when your business practices, your products and/or services, your relationships, and your life style are acceptable to the Lord? What do you think God expects from you? Many times I have heard a businessperson say, “my business, or my company, or my employees.” Well the truth is they are not yours, they are God’s. In Deuteronomy 10:14 (NIV) it is written: Look around you: Everything you see is God’s – the heavens above and beyond, the Earth and everything on it.” No, it is not yours, but you are God’s steward. How is your stewardship lately? Are you fulfilling God’s expectations for you? I believe there are three key topics for business people who want to serve the Lord. They are: Expectations, Empowerment, and Excellence. If I worked in your organization, would I know my expectations, including the rewards and punishments? Would I know what excellent performance looks like in the organization? Have you been consistent in application? Have you been faithful and followed through when necessary? When you have not, what have been the results? Tough questions. But, as God’s steward you must be in a position to answer these questions. You and the members of your organization need to have clear expectations for everyone. What are your core values? Have you taken time to identify them? Are they written? Did you involve your stakeholders? Do people in the organization know them, accept them and live them? Do you have basic operating principles in writing for your leadership team? Do other teams have clear and written operating principles? As a Christian business leader, how can you not have these? What does your Savior expect from you? The Lord requires you to act justly. I am not sure how you can do that if you do not have clear expectations. Your Lord is just and merciful. You too must balance your justice and mercy in dealing with others. But, you cannot do that if you do not have clear expectations. In Micah 6:8 it is written: “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” I hesitate to use the word empowerment since I believe it has been abused and over-used. However, as Christian leaders it is your responsibility to empower others. Jesus left and put the disciples in charge. Unlike some business leaders I know, he did not abdicate, rather, he practiced effective delegation through giving them the tools they needed and a direct link to the Father through him. For three years he coached, mentored, and taught them. That’s empowerment! Too many business leaders fear having associates with more talent or skill than they possess. They withhold information, do not coach and mentor. How small must be their minds! If you want to be a Christian leader, then lead like Jesus! You should be rejoicing in the growth and development of your associates. I have a stack of books in my office all on the topics of quality and excellence in the work place. Most of the books address quality not only as a way to profitability, but also to just staying in business. As a Christian, I always wondered why it took books on quality for us to do what is expected of us. As it is written in Colossians 4: 23-25 (The Message): “And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being Christian doesn’t cover up bad work.” If you want to have excellence and empowered associates, you must give them clear expectations and you must set the example. You have to become a servant leader, not one who expects to be served by others.