Monthly Archives: June 2012

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Obedience From A Weak Position!

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If you have been in business long, you have likely found yourself in a weak position from time to time. Maybe key personnel left for other opportunities or a new competitor came onto the scene. Whatever the case, you knew your organization was vulnerable. What if God asked you to do something right then that could potentially wreck your fragile situation? Would obedience be easy for you?

obedience

Fragile Situation

Not too long ago, I had a key, long-term member of our company’s executive leadership team come to me and resign. His reasons were valid and I supported his decision though I did not want him to leave.

While there could have been worse times for this to happen, it was certain to cause massive change within the organization. I was seriously concerned about the ripple effect it would have on others in the company. I knew I had to tread lightly through the transition to minimize collateral damage.

A Choice To Make

Unfortunately, within days of this news I had to face another, more significant issue which violated one of our core values. This issue, if addressed, had the potential to do tremendous damage to the entire organization – especially in its weakened position! If ignored, there was a good possibility that nothing more would come of it – at least in the near term.

I prayed about the decision. I sought godly counsel. I wrestled with it from every angle. God’s answer became clear.

The problem was that certain circumstances muddied the picture. Whenever I looked at all that was involved in this picture, I got confused. It was easy to rationalize actually sweeping the whole thing under the rug without many people even knowing it ever happened. That was certainly the easiest thing to do.

Obedience?

I had the choice between obedience and ignoring the problem altogether.

Based on the feedback I received from godly counsel, the answer was simple. I must address the issue and face it head on. I had sought godly advice and received it. I had prayed about it. The only step remaining was obedience.

Similar Circumstances For Joshua

While the circumstances are not exactly the same, take a look at Joshua 5. The Israelites have just entered the land God had promised them. Unfortunately, it was still enemy territory. They were just miles from Jericho and everyone in that town knew they were coming to attack.

It was at this point that God told Joshua to have ALL the men circumcised! If Joshua followed God’s direction, his army would be incapacitated and completely vulnerable to attack (see Genesis 34). This condition would last for several days. How could he even consider doing this?

Just like me, Joshua found himself in an extremely vulnerable position. God gave him clear instructions. He had the choice between obedience and rebellion.

Choosing Obedience

Joshua chose obedience. God honored that choice.

In my situation, I chose obedience as well.

I truly hated the decision I had to make, but I hated the alternative of ignoring God even more.

God Is Faithful

Now that I am on the other side of the decision, I promise you that God is faithful when we choose obedience. None of the fears I had ever materialized. In fact, I found out my team is even stronger than I imagined.

What I really found out (again) is that God honors our faith in Him when we choose obedience. I cannot guarantee I will always choose the right path, but I know I will remember this particular situation for years to come. I encourage you to do the same and see how faithful our God truly is.

I recently read the following quote in Wiersbe’s study on the book of Joshua, called Be Strong.

It has been well said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence.

How do you see this quote applying to your situation?

What does it say to you?

Where do you need to choose obedience despite the consequences?

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Where Is Your Dependence?

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As I continue to deal with storms at work, I keep going back to the Bible for guidance. What is funny is how certain verses or passages pop up in unusual places to give me the encouragement I need. Just a few minutes ago, as I was scrolling through my notes for future posts, I came across the some verses (Psalm 33:13-22) that remind me where my dependence should be.

dependence

For context, let’s look at verses 13-15 first.

13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
He observes everyone.
14 He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth
from His dwelling place.
15 He alone shapes their hearts;
He considers all their works.

Here The Lord is looking down from heaven and it is clear He is complete and total control. He is observing us and considering our works.

Then come the key verses (16-19) for us…

16 A king is not saved by a large army;
a warrior will not be delivered by great strength.
17 The horse is a false hope for safety;
it provides no escape by its great power.
18 Now the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him—
those who depend on His faithful love
19 to deliver them from death
and to keep them alive in famine.

Let’s break that down a little so we do not miss a single morsel of value from it!

1. A king is not saved by a large army.

    There are numerous accounts throughout Scripture and other historical accounts of kings being soundly defeated despite having the advantage of a larger army.

    The lesson here is that we cannot depend on the apparent strength of our company to save us in tough times (or good ones!). If we place our dependence on the strength of our company, we risk failure.

2. A warrior will not be delivered by great strength.

    Just like above, too often the strong warrior has gone down despite appearing invincible. Just consider at Goliath. God is clearly telling us here that we are not to rely on our own strength to win the day.

    We may be brilliant in business or in our specific field, but we are not God. There are too many factors that are out of our control. We should not place our dependence on our own strength.

3. The horse is a false hope for safety.

    The horse was a great advantage in battle for centuries. If you were on a horse, it was much less likely that you would be killed. Unfortunately, even this advantage is not enough to guarantee safety.

    What is your horse? Do you have a can’t-miss product or service that you feel can carry the day and keep you out of financial trouble for years to come? Maybe your horse is a portfolio of “solid” real estate investments from 5-10 years ago? If so, I am sorry, but I think you get the message. Do not place your dependence there!

4. (The horse) provides no escape by its great power.

    Though we addressed the horse above, this line actually takes the advice a step further. Not only does the horse not provide safety, now we are told it provides NO escape.

    This is kind of like an exclamation point on the previous line. Just in case we did not get a clear enough picture in the first line, the second line comes along to blow away all the smoke. Obviously, our “horse” is not where we want our dependence!

Rest of the Picture

So, what is the rest of the picture? Other than telling us what NOT to do, what is the author saying?

I think the next two verses (18-19) will answer your question!

18 Now the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him—
those who depend on His faithful love
19 to deliver them from death
and to keep them alive in famine.

He Wants Dependence On Him

These verses give us a picture of what God is looking for. God is seeking out those who fear Him – who place their entire dependence on Him and His provision. God wants us to seek Him for deliverance from death and provision in famine.

A similar verse (also one of my favorites) is found in 2 Chronicles 16:9…

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

He Wants Dependence In ALL Areas

A consistent theme throughout my blog is that we must be FULLY committed to God. Our FULL dependence must be on Him. We cannot say that we are committed to him and only include him in our church life.

He must be our focus throughout every segment of our lives. Obviously, my passion is about teaching others how to do just that in the marketplace. I hope you are inspired to begin this very journey.

He may ask you to get your feet wet from time to time, but I promise you it is worth it!

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Are You Getting Your Feet Wet In Following God?

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As I have mentioned several times in my posts lately, I am going through some storms at work. I am sincere in my efforts in following God and His lead so I am redoubling my commitment to spend more time in His Word and in prayer. It is amazing the insights He gives me when I do this!

following God

Be Strong!

Just this morning, I was reading in Joshua. I started here because I remembered God’s charge to Joshua to “Be Strong!” I felt I needed a little of that kind of encouragement!

Step Out In Faith

So anyway, I was reading in Joshua 3 when I came across what I think is a critical passage for us as Christian business owners and leaders. No matter who you are or where you work, there are going to be times in your relationship with God that He asks you to step out in faith. Following God will sometimes require that you step out before you know what you are stepping into!

That is where the faith comes in!

Crossing The Jordan River

Take a moment to read this short passage (Joshua 3:9-17).

Joshua is instructing the Israelites in how they are going to cross the Jordan River to finally enter the Promised Land.

Major Miracle

Now keep in mind that the Jordan River is typically 100 feet wide for most of the year. However, at the time of this passage, the Bible says it was at the spring season flood stage. That means it was swollen to as much as a mile wide!

They have no boats and yet they are being told to prepare to cross this mile-wide river. This is not just a few people either. The Bible said there were 600,000 fighting men that crossed at this time. Based on that, and including other men, women, and children. scholars estimate the total number of Israelites that crossed the Jordan at roughly 2.5 million!

This was no small miracle, but it was not like the similar crossing of the Red Sea. In this case, the priests had to step out into the water before God acted to stop the flow.

Big Deal with God

You may not see that as a big deal, but I think it IS a big deal with God. He does not always do it the same way. Sometimes he just moves (like with the Red Sea) and then we know what to do next – it is clear.

Other times when following God, He asks us to move first.

Examples with Abraham

Consider a couple of situations when Abraham was following God. God asked Abraham to leave his home to go to a place to be named later. Abraham had no clue where he was going, but he was obedient. Later, God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Again, Abraham was obedient without knowing what the outcome would be.

Stepping Out of the Boat

Even more appropriate, look at Peter. In the boat with the other disciples, he is called out by Jesus to step out and walk on water! Peter likely could not envision exactly how it would work or what it would look like. Plus, he was in the middle of a storm!

As we all know, Peter took the steps of obedience and was given the thrill of walking on water! Of course, it did not last long because he quickly lost his focus and went down. But Jesus was right there to pull him out. That is another whole lesson in itself!

Following God

Folks, when you are truly following God and seeking His guidance in your business, or any other part of your walk with Him, you need to be ready to get your feet wet. Pray that He would give you the boldness and faith you need to step out and trust His lead.

You will not regret it!

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In This World, You Will Have Trouble!

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troubleOne of my favorite verses in the Bible is found in John 16. Jesus and the disciples have just finished the Last Supper. Jesus is soon to be arrested.

In between these two major events, He is teaching the disciples some of His most critical lessons. He knows He is near the end and I feel the intensity is climbing. Then He says it…

“In this world, you will have trouble.” – John 16:33

Am I sick or out of my mind? Why in the world would I see that as one of my favorite verses? I must be missing a screw somewhere, right?

    Because I am guest posting today for Kari Scare over at her blog “Struggle to Victory,” you can read the rest of this post by clicking on the link below. Make sure to give Kari your comments on this post!

Read the rest of this post by clicking here.

Also, be sure to check out other posts on Kari’s blog! A couple of my favorites are listed below:

A Foundation with No Building is Just a Swimming Pool

Do You Need Vision Therapy?

Do You Have Broad Shoulders?

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Solomon’s 8 Steps to Discovering God’s Will

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Recently, I have had an avalanche of fairly significant issues overtake me. Fortunately, God gave me (a little) advance warning that the storm was coming! As a result, I have been able to prepare myself by refocusing on my morning quiet times and devoting more energy to my prayer life! My ultimate goal is to allow God’s will to direct my decisions as I navigate this minefield.

God's will

Proverbs’ Advice

In thinking about this, I remembered some applicable advice in Proverbs 2 that addresses seeking God’s will. Starting in the first four verses of Proverbs 2, Solomon gives us eight directives. Read these verses slowly and pick them out.

1 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 listening closely to wisdom
and directing your heart to understanding;
3 furthermore, if you call out to insight
and lift your voice to understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it like hidden treasure,…

Solomon’s Eight Steps

If we are truly looking to align our lives with Scripture, then this passage is ripe with opportunity. Like a machine gun, Solomon quickly rattles off eight action words or phrases. If you are not paying close attention, then you could miss one or more of them. Each of these phrases is a directive to the reader.

1. Accept my words

    I have to first accept that the words given here are absolutely true, not up for discussion. If I am unsure of this, then there is no need to read on.

2. Store up my commands within you

    I have to memorize these words (along with other Scripture) for the purpose of recall when needed.

3. Listen closely to wisdom

    When it is offered or available, I must listen to (Godly) wisdom and be prepared to apply it. There should never be a time that I ignore it.

4. Direct your heart to understanding

    I need to point my heart in the direction of understanding. It also means to “stretch out” toward understanding. The path of my heart needs to be headed toward understanding.

5. Call out to insight

    I need to actively call out (prayer) for insight. Waiting on it to be downloaded into me is not enough. I need to be vocal to God!

6. Lift your voice to understanding

    I need to increase the intensity of my voice as I cry out for understanding from above.

7. Seek (understanding) like silver

    I do not need to just sit still and call out for understanding. I also need to be active in going to where I will find it! Whether by reading Scripture, seeking wise counsel from other believers, meditating, etc., I must not be content without it.

8. Search for (understanding) like hidden treasure

    Sometimes understanding will not be in obvious places. I must not allow that to stop me. I must look with intensity as though I am searching for something hidden (that I am confident actually exists!).

Additional Emphasis

Notice how Solomon knows that not everyone will heed his words here so he begins by saying, “if you…” three times – typical in Jewish teachers for emphasis and effect. Let’s make sure this effort is not in vain!

Sincere About Seeking God’s Will?

If we are sincere about seeking God’s will for our lives, our businesses, then we must not ignore the advice Solomon gives. We must heed his words and follow with action! I encourage you to apply this advice to the situation in which you most desire to know God’s will for you.

Rest Of The Story

Now that you understand what you are to do, I will let you in on the rest of the story! This is my favorite part of this chapter! The cool part is what follows in verses 2:5-22, when Solomon describes the results of taking this action. Like before, read this section slowly and think about how nice it would be to see all of these results in your business!

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up success for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity
8 so that He may guard the paths of justice
and protect the way of His loyal followers.
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and integrity—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your mind,
and knowledge will delight your heart.
11 Discretion will watch over you,
and understanding will guard you,
12 rescuing you from the way of evil—
from the one who says perverse things,
13 from those who abandon the right paths
to walk in ways of darkness,
14 from those who enjoy doing evil
and celebrate perversion,
15 whose paths are crooked,
and whose ways are devious.
16 It will rescue you from a forbidden woman,
from a stranger with her flattering talk,
17 who abandons the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death
and her ways to the land of the departed spirits.
19 None return who go to her;
none reach the paths of life.
20 So follow the way of good people,
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those of integrity will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous uprooted from it.

Source Of Energy

I don’t know about you, but these results of seeking God’s will with intensity excite me! I know I have a long way to go and many storms to face, but at least I have instructions on how to proceed. I hope you get the same energy as I do after reading this chapter!

Does this chapter excite you as much as it does me?

In what situation could you seek God’s will like Solomon advises?

Who else do you know that could use this advice right now?

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Are You Living (Or Just Loving) The Story?

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livingI love what I do! I love to tell others about what I do!

I get to go to work every day and use my business to try to impact people all around me for eternity! I have the privilege and opportunity to mentor and teach what I believe is Truth to everyone who works in our company. I get to work with people of like mind and overcome the challenges inherent in running a business from a Christian perspective! I really do love what I do, but I have a problem.

Background

Before I disclose the problem, let me tell you how I discovered it. At the Catalyst conference in October, I had the surprise of hearing a potent message from someone that I had never heard of before. The speaker’s name was Eugene Cho, pastor of Quest Church in Seattle, WA and founder of an incredible organization called One Day’s Wages. You really need to take a look at what this organization does!

The message that Cho gave was very simple, but extremely powerful! He talked about how our nation is one of abundant resources. Our families are extremely wealthy in relation to the rest of the world. We have basic amenities that the rest of the world considers luxuries. We have an incredible capacity for ideas and creativity. The problem he sees with all of this is that we are in danger of being more in love with the ideas than with the actions that should result from them!

Did you catch that last statement? Take another look!

…we are in danger of being more in love with the ideas than with the actions that should result from them!

Telling vs. Living

livingLet’s take a closer look at what this means. How is this evident in our daily lives? For an example, think about how social media has exploded with people telling stories to everyone that will listen. Every day, people talk and talk about what is going on around them – sharing the stories with their friends and coworkers. We all love a good story, whether we are telling it or hearing it! The problem, as Cho put it, is that too many are busy telling the good story and not enough people are living a good story!

Look at this picture of an actual sign that reflects this very problem!

I Am Guilty

So, what does this have to do with my problem? I think I have the very problem that Cho described. While I may not have a terminal case of it, I can certainly see symptoms of it in my life. Too often, I enjoy telling the story about what I am doing in trying to integrate my faith into our business. Too often, I like to learn about new ways to run our business according to our Christian faith. Too often, I am in love with the story of a Christian business. The problem is that too often, I am not taking enough action to make it happen!

As a result of this message from Eugene Cho, I am committing to:

    (1) Quit just telling the story
    (2) Quit just loving the story
    (3) Make more effort to be actually living the story!

In my life and in our company, I am going to make more of an effort to address the gaps between ideas and actions! I am going to close these gaps and take more action. I will continue to tell this story on this blog, but I will be making more of an effort to describe actions rather than just ideas. I hope this makes sense to you. If so, I encourage you to do the same.

What are the gaps between your ideas and actions?

Are you comfortable with them?

What are you going to do about it?

(Originally posted 11/02/11)

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Step Three In Developing An Inner Circle

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inner circleThis is the fifth post in a series on developing your own inner circle of leadership in your business. We are on step three of Dave Anderson’s three-step process from his book, How to Run Your Business by The Book. The first steps in developing your inner circle dealt with choosing, investing, and empowering them. In this post, we will discuss holding them accountable for results.

Higher Expectations

While it is common business sense to hold individuals accountable for results on a day-to-day, project-by-project basis, this concept goes even further with your inner circle. If you, as the business owner or leader, are going to carefully select, invest in, and empower a few of the higher-potential members of your team, then you are certainly going to expect a higher degree of “fruit-bearing” from them.

Jesus’ Example

Your goal should be multiplication of impact through your inner circle, just as it was Jesus’ goal with His disciples. Jesus did not expect His disciples to just go around winning people one at a time. He taught them to multiply themselves. That is why they delegated the feeding of the widows to the deacons in Acts 6:1-7.

This idea is also illustrated in the story of Jesus’ encounter with the fig tree in Matthew 21:18. Most people notice that it says Jesus was hungry and was therefore upset at the fig tree with no fruit to eat. But have you ever thought of the other God-given purpose of the fig’s fruit? The fruit of the tree is where the seeds are – its God-given system of multiplication! Could it be that Jesus was more upset about this than His hunger? What are the possible parallels here?

The fig tree was accountable to Jesus for fruit. As a result of its lack of fruit, Jesus cursed the tree and it died.

The lesson of the vine (John 15:1-8) is another example of Jesus holding us accountable for our fruit when He said the branches not producing fruit would be thrown in the fire. While I do not recommend this exact punishment to be inflicted on members of your inner circle, it certainly shows us a clear example of accountability!

Your Inner Circle

So how do we apply this to your inner circle? I think there are several things to consider in holding your inner circle accountable.

    1. Where did they start? If you began with really green members of your inner circle then your expectations are going to be different than if you started with tenured and experienced leaders. You need to refer back to Part 1 of this series when I told you to look at where your group is right now and determine the gap.
    2. The key is progress. Regardless of where you started with your group, are they making progress? Are they growing as a result of the development efforts you are making? Look at them both as a group and as individuals. Are they moving forward together? Is any one individual holding up the progress of the group?
    3. Address shortfalls. If there are shortfalls in their progress – either as a group or as individuals – you must address it. Find out what obstacles are in their way and remove them. Help them see the gap between your expectations and where they are. Then help them close that gap.
    4. Cut the fruitless branches. In the event you chose poorly or if outside influences have taken one of the members of your inner circle off course, you are to try to correct that. But if your efforts to do this have been ineffective and the gap remains, then you must act. It is better for you, the team, and the company as a whole, to cut this member from your inner circle than to continue trying in vain to bring them along. While this is certainly a decision that requires prayer and a lot of thought, it must be made.

Are you holding your inner circle accountable?

If so, are you pleased with their progress (and yours)?

If not, what are you missing? What do you need to do next?

(Originally posted 10/21/11)

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Step Two In Developing An Inner Circle

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This is the fourth post in a series about developing your own inner circle of leadership in your company. I am following the three-step process outlined in Dave Anderson’s How to Run Your Business by The Book. In my last post, we discussed how to identify your inner circle and how to intentionally invest in their development. Now we will turn our attention to the next step in the process – Give up power to go up higher!

inner circle

You Cannot Do It Alone

If you have been in business for long, you already know that you cannot do it all alone! If you want to grow and expand your business (and the eternal impact that comes as a result), then you must learn to get more done through others rather than doing it all yourself.

Giving up control is tough for most business owners and leaders – even when it is a simple task. So asking them to give up real power and authority to anyone else is almost incomprehensible! Unfortunately, this very issue causes many entrepreneurs to fail (worst case) or stunts their growth (best case).

Give Up Power To Your Inner Circle

If we are going to avoid this issue, we must learn to give up power in order to grow. In the context of our inner circle of leadership, this is going to require us to give up more than just day-to-day tasks to them. We must be able to let go of some of the more executive tasks as well.

Of course, this is not a step to be taken lightly. Nor is it a step that should be taken quickly. We must slowly and methodically grow into this or we could run into serious trouble.

Examples From The Bible

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples of giving up power from the Bible. First, consider Acts 6:1-7. The early church ran into a situation where there was too much for the twelve disciples to do alone so they were forced to delegate some of the daily tasks to others.

Note verse 7 in particular – “So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.” As a result of their wise delegation, the church saw tremendous growth!

What about Jesus’ actions in Luke 10:1-12? Here He sent out 70 disciples and gave them power over demons and power to heal the sick. He gave them clear instructions about what He wanted done and how He wanted it done. What was their response when they returned to Jesus in verse 17? “They returned with joy!” What about Jesus’ response in verse 21? “In that same hour, He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit…” It looks to me like it was a success!

Practical Tips

What can we learn from Jesus’ example here? Here are some practical tips we can pick up from this passage.

    1. Give clear instructions and expectations – Jesus was very specific in His instructions to the disciples. When delegating to your inner circle, don’t expect them to know what you are thinking. Make clear your vision of the process and the expected results. This will help you to avoid many problems!
    2. Have them report back – Jesus did not just send them out and hope they did what He asked. He had them report back to Him with their results. We don’t know if there was a specific time frame for this reporting back, but that certainly would be helpful if it makes sense. This puts urgency in the process.
    3. Coach them upon their return – Jesus was clearly pleased with their results (v.21), but He also took the opportunity to coach them in verses 18-20. This is critical for their development and future growth.
    4. Celebrate success and build them up – As we see from verses 21, Jesus was excited about their progress. He praised God and “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” when they returned. He also took an extra moment to build them up and strengthen their confidence in verses 22-23. Don’t miss this step if you want your inner circle to continue to grow!

What else can we learn from Jesus in developing our inner circle?

Are you willing to give up some of your power in order to grow?

What is the first step for you to take?

(Originally posted 10/20/11)

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Step One In Developing An Inner Circle

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In my last two posts, I described why you need to develop an inner circle of leadership. We looked at several compelling reasons you need an inner circle, including the example that Jesus set for us. I also identified and answered several common objections to this idea. Now that you are convinced that you simply must have an inner circle, let’s take at look at how you do it!

inner circle

In this, and the next two posts, I am going to break this process into three simple steps using material from Dave Anderson’s book, How To Run Your Business By The Book.

The first step in developing your inner circle is to:

1. Identify and invest more into those with the highest upward potential

Identify Your Inner Circle

Let’s start with identifying the people with the highest upward potential. So, exactly how do you go about doing this? Well, first and foremost, I would pray about it. I would pray for wisdom and discernment as I reviewed my employees for prospects. Ask for Him to reveal qualities and characteristics that you may not already be aware of. Pray for patience as well. Jesus prayed all night!

Next I would look at your current leadership structure. The easiest people to choose are already in your key leadership positions. Hopefully, assuming you have these positions, the people you have here are trustworthy and have the potential you are seeking. Mutual trust is mandatory.

For me, it was fairly clear because I had been fortunate enough to have people in my key management positions that fit this role perfectly. Not only did they have the highest potential, but they also shared the same values and beliefs and were quickly bought in to the mission as I presented it.

Your situation may not be the same. If not, you may have to spend more time on this step. You also may see that you are not positioned well with your key people. While that is likely not something you can change quickly, it is certainly something you need to address over time.

Here are three keys to choosing these people:

    Ready – The people you choose must be ready to take on the additional learning and responsibility. Regardless of where they are now in their leadership growth process, they cannot be immature, unstable, or short-sighted. They need to be ready to take on the challenge you will place in front of them.
    Willing – Another requirement is that they must be willing, even eager to join this group. You do not want someone that you are constantly having to sell on the idea! They need to see the opportunity you are presenting and value it.
    Able – The actual level of each members’ ability to take this on depends on the general ability level of the group. While every member of the group does not necessarily have to be on equal ground with all of the others, they need to be close. If you have one potential member that trails the others by a significant amount, you may want to consider another path for them. Otherwise, they will likely hold back the progress of the group.

One note, it is my opinion that you may need to start with only one individual that IS the right fit rather than trying to force two or three others that are NOT a good fit. Think quality over quantity! Personally, I have a total of five. I am not sure there is a magic number, but I would not have many more than this. Intimacy is also important for this group.

Invest In Your Inner Circle

This step will be different for each leader, depending on the level of the members of the inner circle. Depending on your industry or your company’s mission, you may already have a ready-made path for leadership development. If not, you may have to create your own. The key here is to be intentional about their development.

Here are some simple steps to consider:

    Determine the gap – Look at where they are as a group right now. Look at where you see them in x number of years after you have invested in their development. Now try to plot out a path to close that gap!
    Gather material – Choose material that will reinforce your mission while moving them down the path you have chosen. Make sure it is not too far above or below their ability to absorb. Obviously, the internet is an almost infinite source of material! Consider joining a C12 group as one source!
    Schedule time alone with them – Jesus spent time with the crowds, but He also carved out time just for His twelve. He then carved out other time for the three. You have to do the same.
    Monitor your progress – Take time along the way to stop and check your progress. Document what you are doing. This will give you a sense of how far you have come as a group.
    Celebrate growth – Take time to celebrate your progress! While there is a lot of work to be done in this process, you need to enjoy the fruit of it as well!

Are you ready to choose your members?

What are your challenges here?

What is your next action step?

(Originally posted 10/19/11)

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Some Common Objections To Developing An Inner Circle

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In my last post, I told you why you need to develop an inner circle of leadership in your company. If you have not read that post, stop now and go back and do so. You really need to be committed to doing this if it is going to be effective.

Now that you know why you SHOULD develop an inner circle of leadership around you, let’s address some common objections to doing so.

inner circle

It Is Not Fair!

One of the first objections that arises at this point is, “But it is not fair to everyone!” The idea here is that those you choose for this inner circle will have unfair advantages and opportunities over the rest of your group. Folks, as Andy Stanley put it in his session at Catalyst recently, “Fair ended in the Garden of Eden!”

It is not your responsibility to give everyone in your organization equal and fair opportunities with your time and energy. Jesus did not pass around a sign-up list to those in the crowd, giving everyone an opportunity to be in His small group of twelve disciples. Nor did He give those twelve equal opportunity to be in His inner circle of three.

Instead, it appears that each time He intentionally chose those with more potential than the rest. Just like the master in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), you should give of your time and energy “to each according to his ability.”

I Don’t Have Anyone Qualified For An Inner Circle

What if you feel you really do not have anyone qualified to be in your inner circle? Well, there are several ways I could answer this.

First I will assume you have enough people from which to choose, but you do not see any clear stand-outs. In this case, remember you are looking for those with the most upward potential. You may have to start very small and do a lot of developing. You may have your standards too high or you may need to relook at your hiring process! Regardless, it will be worth it.

What if you truly do not have anyone with even a remote hint of potential for this type of group? What if you are such a small company that an inner circle would have to include all of your employees to be considered a group? In these cases, I would advise two things. First, find someone else to mentor you and help you develop as you grow your organization. Second, keep this inner circle in mind as you hire. Do not hire people that could not eventually be considered for this opportunity.

But I Am Not An Expert!

Another argument may be that you do not yet feel like an expert yourself. You do not feel worthy or qualified to gather an inner circle around you for furthering their development. Good point. You are not. Unfortunately, you will never be qualified! If you wait until you are, it will never happen!

To again quote Andy Stanley, he said “It is not your responsibility to ‘fill their cup’, only to empty yours!” You are not an expert, and as long as you keep learning, you never will be! But you do not have to know everything there is to know about your job or role in order to teach them what you do know. Empty your “cup” of all you know – that is your only responsibility here.

Lack of Time

You may object to developing an inner circle by saying you do not have the time to pour into them. This could be a legitimate short-term argument because some leaders truly do not have the time right now to spare for something like this. However this argument virtually ignores the long term necessity and benefits of doing so.

Instead of accepting your current situation, you need to take immediate action to work towards creating this time in your schedule through delegation and elimination of less-critical tasks. By replacing these less-critical tasks with leadership development of an inner circle, you will actually free up more time in the long run than you can imagine!

Do you already have an inner circle? Is it working?

If not, are you now convinced to start working on it?

What is your next action step? Have you prayed about it?

(Originally posted 10/18/11)