Opportunity Inc.

Expedition into Your Territory, Part 3

ahough — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:09:00 +0000

The Father gives us authority over time, starting with small areas to oversee as He tests us in stewardship. Steward – A person who manages another’s property or financial affairs. One who administers anything as the agent of another.

We represent the Father’s character by doing the work of the Kingdom, as stewards (or servant leaders, see posts from August), NOT as king.

But what are we stewarding? What is the territory?

* Our Territory is God-given.

Remember, we do not have ownership and ownership cannot be taken. Keep an open hand. It’s HIS plan.
Earlier this year, I heard a teaching by author Frank Ball, who stated “A lot of people’s plan to success is expecting God to follow us. You don’t have to have a plan if God has one.” It would benefit us all to meditate on Jeremiah 29:11
Maybe I can rephrase this a little for those who absolutely must have a plan (such as myself). Objective #1 Hear. Objective #2 Trust. Objective #3 Obey.

* Our Territory is Holy.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1 All its fullness includes time, relationships (strong emphasis on this one, please), finances and other resources, health and the gifts of the Spirit.

* Our Territory will require Faith and action

The Israelites didn’t just saunter into their land of promise. First they had to step into the Jordan river, while the river was flooded, stepping with faith that God would part the waters. (He did, by the way. Read Joshua 3.) Then, in Joshua 5, the Israelites circumcised all of the males, which was an even greater step of faith. The Jordan river no longer protected the people, and their men were now incapacitated. That’s risky faith.

Are you getting a clearer picture of the territory you are exploring?

Expedition into Your Territory, Part 2

ahough — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:29:00 +0000

What is authority, really? We have each been granted both God-given heavenly authority and (for most of us) earthly governmental authority in certain areas – both physical and spiritual. For instance, I currently do not have any rights or authority given by the earthly government of Canada or Mexico. I have however, been granted rights and authority within the earthly territory of the United States. For me to cross into Canada without going through the proper protocols and to begin demanding rights would be foolishness. I cannot be recognized in that place.

Definition of authority – The right to govern, the area or sphere of jurisdiction.

As I work with the leadership of a business, part of my interview process must be to establish my level of authority. What authority does the leadership wish to grant to me? Where can I speak on their behalf? What areas of the business can I NOT speak?

To not respect their anointing or to disregard their territory would be for me to trample an area that I have not been granted authority in. Picture a six year old child, your neighbor’s kid, jumping up and down on your garden full of luscious berries and tomatoes. He has no regard for the hours you spent, working in the heat, pulling weeds and tending the plants you carefully watered and coaxed to fruitfulness. This kid is trespassing.

Let’s make sure we aren’t trespassing this week. If a territory has been assigned to someone else, support their work at tending it!

Expedition into Your Territory, Part 1

ahough — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:36:00 +0000

In November of 2010, I visited with groups of businesspeople in Poland. One very dark and cold Saturday night in my hotel room, the Holy Spirit gave me an exciting message of hope and exhortation to share with the Believers in Poland. Great timing (of course), since I was invited to speak to a local congregation the next morning!

This message I delivered is applicable to every person on this earth. If you have a God-given calling, and I believe you do, this message will spark something in you. It’s about eternal worth. It’s about tending the territory assigned to your care. It’s about walking in the favor of God by knowing the territory you tend.

Your calling meets a need for some people, somewhere, at some time. Wow. Could it be more vague? We’ll use the word “territory” for this message, in lieu of purpose or calling. It paints an accurate picture for today.

Territory can only be assigned by God. Remember how the Israelites divided their promised land by tribe? Think of it this way: YOU had a territory picked out even before you were born on this earth. Jeremiah 29:11

Sure, we can get “jobs”. We can start a career, make a career move, or even stay on our current career path. The question is this: Do you want to work with the favor of the Lord? Do you want to make a significant contribution that will extend past your children’s generation? If the answer is yes, then we must press in and find the territory that has already been staked out.

Enough already, let’s look at how we discover our territory and explore it, as a Lewis and Clark expedition!

First, we must recognize under whose authority we are operating, and understand that authority. Matthew 8:9-10 The centurion knew of kingdom order. In the American culture, we are less aware of royal protocol. Jesus was amazed with this centurion! Look at Nehemiah. Study how his venture began with holy order. Nehemiah was given authority first from God, then from earthly king Artaxerxes, which allowed him to carry out his task in Jerusalem.

In Matthew 12:30, Jesus made it clear “He who is not with me is against me.” Search my heart God, see what pride is in me that keeps me from recognizing your authority. I don’t want to wander through a territory without trusting the Father. There could be all sorts of dangers that I’m not prepared to face on my own.

One of my regular (yet scary) prayers is for humility. God, humble me so I can receive from you.

Work Might be Boring, Significantly

ahough — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:54:00 +0000

It was one of those mornings. I woke up with a sense of disappointment, wondering if anything I had on my schedule was of some significance. Nope. Didn’t seem as though I would be advancing Christ’s Kingdom this week. Normally there are plenty of meetings that I can get excited about; there are visions to cast and people to meet. No excitement this day. Laying face down on my bed, I couldn’t think of a good reason to get up. Do you ever have mornings like this?

My wonderful husband Chris made breakfast for me. I still moped around, explaining my predicament of an insignificant schedule. Before leaving, Chris told me I had a choice… I could choose to be depressed about it or ask God what His agenda was. Thank you very, very much. That sounded a lot like what I might say if roles were reversed. Grr.

Later I was getting ready in the bathroom when I heard, “Do you believe that everything you do is worship unto Me?”
My heart melted. Oh, yes, of course I do! My choice was this: do I choose to worship Him this day? Is the Father worthy of worship? Do I do all things as unto the Lord? There is simply no debate.

I choose to trust the Father today and every day after. I will not box Him in and limit His ability to use my seemingly mundane tasks for His glory and purpose.

The Downside (?) of Servant Leadership

ahough — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 01:05:00 +0000

Servant Leadership isn’t an easy leadership style, especially in the short-term. But don’t just take my word for it.

Sometimes, those airline magazines really pay off. I was on a domestic flight, and desperate to occupy my mind (invariably, I forget a book unless it’s a lengthy international flight). The Star Trek movie my husband was engrossed in was not engrossing, so I started digging through the “seat back pocket in front of you”.

An article in the airline magazine focused on an applicable report from the Harvard Business Review, titled “Why Fair Bosses Fall Behind”.

We’ve looked at the upside of Servant Leadership, the style which helps those whom we lead to reach their full potential. It seems Harvard is in agreement so far, under the section “When Can Fair Bosses Get Ahead?”

Managers whose style is based on fairness can gain power under the following circumstances:
- When they cultivate a reputation for ethics and morality
- When the organizational culture is highly cooperative
- When they are going for positions that are… uncontentious and that draw on their mentoring and collaborative skills

Harvard’s research asks “Can you have (both) respect and power? Decisions about high-level promotions most often center on perceptions of power, not of fairness.”

The article considered students observing two different managers as they interacted with employees, Manager Rude and Manager Respectful. At the end of the study, students rated Manager Rude as the powerful person.

Even though the costs are higher, companies often make the same choice as these students. Many see servanthood and power as polar opposites.

The conclusion revealed that companies and employees are benefitted more when led by people of fairness, or use the Servant Leadership style (for our purposes here). “Our early follow-up research suggests that managers whose style is based on respect can gain power. Their path upward may be difficult, but it’s one worth taking, for their company’s sake as well as their own.”

Well said!

Standing Firmly on the Servant Leader Stepstool

ahough — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Integrity. Honesty. Character.

What’s your reputation built on? If your company has the reputation of integrity, you’ll be more likely to: attract customers who value honesty, retain employees with integrity, and sleep well at night, since you’re not worried about legal burdens creating havoc in your life!

In Called to Excellence, Heeth Varnedoe writes about proven teachings regarding ethics in business. “You may be striving to become the best, but it needs to be underlined with integrity and character. When you have those qualities in place, you’re eventually going to become a success.”

A position of authority can enable the business owner to keep from walking in character. I’ve known leaders who live a life of “It’s my way or the highway”. Yes, she gets her way, but the costs are great. She’s unable to retain long term relationships. How long do you believe this success lasts before there’s no one to help in times of need?

This autocratic style is not true leadership. You cannot lead if no one willingly follows.

The typical leadership model we have seen in the past is the pyramid – CEO at the top, with the employees supporting him. I challenge you to reverse the pyramid; with leadership supporting and promoting the employees who make the vision happen.

I hope that this message will cause some to think about your leadership style. Do you lead with a heavy fist, using others as the stepstool to achieve power? Do you go wherever the wind blows, causing a sense of instability and insecurity? Or, do you lead with the desire to make others successful, while succeeding in the process?

In no way is this series on servant leadership complete. The exciting part of leadership is the fact that we have help. The Holy Spirit is ready to assist with discipling true leaders, if we just ask.

Leg #4 The Servant Leader Doesn’t Know it All

ahough — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Admit it. You know you don’t know everything. Everyone else knows it too. But is it really OK to not have all the answers?

Our employees can see when we don’t know what to do next. Here’s the challenge: THAT’S OK! Who said the boss is supposed to have all the answers? We are only deceiving ourselves when we don’t need the experience and knowledge of others. The employees that are around us daily are oftentimes the best people to ask, when we need ideas and input.

When success is achieved, you are able to take your employees with you. The servant leader recognizes that without her employees, she wouldn’t be where she is today. She applauds her employees, and praises their accomplishments the loudest.

“Behind an able man there are always other able men.” (Chinese Proverb)

“Leading… does not mean coming up with the answers and then motivating everyone to follow your messianic vision. It means having the humility to grasp the fact that you do not yet understand enough to have the answers and then to ask the questions that will lead to the best possible insights.” Good to Great by Jim Collins

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out. Solomon, Proverbs 18:15

It takes a village to raise a business. Seek the counsel of other professional people. Who do you know that could be a trustworthy, reliable “sounding board” for you? When it comes down to decisions such as: should I open another location, should I buy out my competitor, or should I sell the company, hearing from another business person or two takes good judgment and shows wisdom, not weakness. Seek out help from those who have experience in these matters.

Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Solomon, Proverbs 19:20

A Successful Story on Delegation

ahough — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:50:00 +0000

Once upon a time, a young lady came to work for me. We’ll call her Sarah. Sarah started out as an administrative assistant – diligently learning how to file the massive stacks of quality reports, contracts and drawings large enough to blanket her desk. She sought ways to help make my life a little less complex, and as we worked together, I grew to depend on her as my right arm.

I really, really wish every employee was as open-hearted as Sarah was. Truthfully, I had it easy as her leader. As she proved her trustworthiness, I began to see the talents God had placed in her, and I could offer the opportunity to grow.

One day I asked if she was willing to learn and delve more into the world of manufacturing. She said yes, so I sent her out into the non-air-conditioned production area, where she worked on a punch press for a couple of days. This can be strenuous work, and not the cleanest environment by any stretch of the imagination. The smell from the lubricants at a metal stamping company are memorable, and stay with you… for a long time. But hey, it was only a couple of days.

Sarah learned a lot about manufacturing, and was eager to jump in. Every afternoon before leaving for home, she would sit in my office and ask questions. We would read trade magazines, look at engineers’ drawings and discuss our challenging customers. It was a delight to teach her, and Sarah was one of the main reasons I looked forward to work during that time.

And then I left.

It was very disappointing that I wasn’t able to take her along, but I couldn’t offer any recompense. There was no insurance where I was going, let alone paid vacations! The beauty of this story is that she and I both enjoyed a successful delegation experience. It took a significant amount of my time… but was so very worthwhile, and an experience that I look forward to repeating again.

May the Father bring you a Sarah.

Leg #3 The Servant Leader Delegates

ahough — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:19:00 +0000

Are there times you just don’t want to delegate? How often I’ve said “It would take more time for me to teach someone else, than to do it myself”. Out of pride, I could say “I can’t trust anyone else to do this.” Or out of fear, I wonder “What if the employee leaves after I teach my knowledge and expertise to them?”

Be replaceable – for the sake of your business! The boss that must be in control of everything is setting his business up for failure.

“(Servant) leaders want to see the company even more successful in the next generation, comfortable with the idea that most people won’t even know that the roots of that success trace back to their efforts. In contrast, the comparison leaders, concerned more with their own reputation for personal greatness, often failed to set the company up for success in the next generation.” Good to Great, by Jim Collins

If I have unrealistic expectations of myself, and believe that the company’s success will only depend on my abilities, I will not only run myself into the ground, but watch some excellent people leave for other opportunities.

What if you needed a leave of absence for six months, due to health or family issues? Is your business ready for that? Would it come to a standstill, or begin to fail without you?

“The most immediate risk in your present way of operating may be that you could not be replaced, if there should be a need of that.” Robert K Greenleaf, Servant Leadership (pg 150)

As good stewards of the talents our Master has placed in our hands, we are to pass on our knowledge and expertise so the entire team will have the opportunity to bring growth to the company. How fun is that! Give others the chance to succeed today.

Leg #2 Used but not Abused

ahough — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:56:00 +0000

The servant leader does not allow himself to be abused by laying clearly defined boundaries, but does allow himself to be used. How can this be accomplished in a healthy and balanced way? 1. Know who you are. When the servant leader understands his identity in Christ, he can stand firm when the opposition comes. 2. Set boundaries in place. This brings confidence to your employees who, knowing what is expected of them, are able to move forward in their calling.

There is security in the strength of focused leadership.

The servant leader doesn’t say “Yes” to every request, but remains steadfast in his focus for the company. These steadfast leaders know what direction their company is headed in, and do not drift with every shifting wind. This causes his followers to become more confident in their role, too.

My husband Chris worked for a home designer in the 1990s who was not quite secure in his identity as leader. His boss did not display character that brought peace to the work environment. When an angry client came unexpectedly to the office, this leader of the business jumped out the window. He did whatever it took to avoid the conflict. (Fortunately, this office building did not have multiple floors!)

Think William Wilberforce and Eleanor Roosevelt. We know what they stood for, but more importantly, so did they.
“A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” Nelson Mandela