The commandment to subdue the world was given to leaders (not managers). God did not create us to just manage his resources on earth but to lead the rest of creation, and to subdue everything he created. One of those things we need to subdue is FEAR. Fear has a way of attracting that which you are afraid of.
One of the lessons I learned from my many years of working in ‘corporate’ America is that there are differences between leaders and managers. In literature we see these two used interchangeably but ideally, they are different. One of the schools of thought has it that leaders decide what needs to happen and managers make sure it happens. Leaders set the expectation, managers implement the strategies that get the organization to the predetermined destination.
So it is the duty of leaders to do the right things so managers can do things right (as determined by the leadership). Even though we are called to leadership, at the macro level we all lead at different levels. This is because as the manager is implementing policies and strategies at his local branch which was decided by the leadership, he is leading his group and modeling everything the organization wants to represent.
So in effect, a manager is wearing more than just one hat, and so is the leader. We all wear more than just one hat in the present day world. If all you know is just one thing, how would you survive in the competitive work environment of this century? When you say ‘it is not my job’, check again. I know you went to college and have a masters degree so you cannot be a janitor right? When you walk into your office and see a piece of paper on the ground do you call the janitor to come pick it up because you have masters degree? Better still, do you let paper drop on the floor after all there is a janitor who is paid to clean up behind everybody?
Talking about fear; when you let fear decide what you do and where you invest your energy, you set yourself up for a big failure. In the first place, fear blocks your instinct and retards your ability to make quality decisions. Fear also drains your natural energy and cognitive reasoning. The good book calls it a ‘snare’. It literally ensnares you and ‘cages’ that which makes you ‘pop’. The first enemy that has to be conquered is fear itself. Unfortunately most of corporate places are run by fear…I don’t want to be written up; I don’t want to be fired; I don’t want to get into trouble etc. Even your boss that you are afraid of is afraid of someone else…can you imagine? I used to work for a company back in the day, when one of the big bosses was passing or visiting the next neighboring state people will not sleep good in Texas. Everybody would be panicking.
There is an element of fear in people at work depending on which hat they wear per time, either as a leader or a manager. The more of fear you overcome the more of leadership skills you free to exhibit and the less of fear you overcome the more of manager roles you play. Although everybody has this element of fear, great leaders figure out how to overcome fear and work by faith, both in themselves and in the system where they operate. When you work within a fearless, informed and empowered team you love working. The problem is that sometimes you don’t find this kind of work environment in the places you thought you would find them. Have you not heard that people don’t quit jobs, they quit managers. Nobody wants to work in a place that literally ‘sucks’.
The take home today for us would be an assignment. What kind of work environment do you want to build or model? What challenges do you face and how would you tackle those challenges? What are you most afraid of as an leader and what measures need to be put in place to eliminate this fear?
Love and Peace
@MezieOkolo
03/27/2020