Marc Estes

Take a second and ask yourself a question, “What motivates more, results or recognition?” Most of us know the right answer, but when we truly assess our motives, do they align with a pursuit of results or recognition? Unfortunately, we live in a world that promotes position and title as the goal of utmost importance. What title is on our business card, or on the front of our office door, seems to be of great importance to many. Yet position, is only a means to the end; production. Not the other way around.

We have a saying on out team, “You can get a whole lot more done if it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” I am reminded of a profound statement made about Jesus. The Apostle Paul that he made himself of, “NO REPUTATION.” If there was ever a person that deserved to be recognized and honored it was Jesus! However, Jesus knew the key to living a fulfilled life; push aside the position and just focus on production.

The amazing part of this simple, yet profound equation is that those that are producers are honored with position.  The leaders that I have truly grown to respect are the ones that wanted to be treated like everyone else. There is no expectation of being served, as they are bent on serving others. This is truly the type of leader I aspire to be! How about you?

Maybe its time that we stop worrying about climbing the ladder to gain some attention and get in the ditch and start making a difference.

It is quite obvious that people will follow your example more than your directives. If you have ever had the joy of raising kids, they will become what you are, not what you say, no matter how much you attempt to direct their lives in a path different than yours. The same applies to leadership. People become a byproduct of their environment, and environment is created by leaders.

I once read a statement by a medical missionary, Albert Schweitzer, who stated, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others… it is the only thing!” If you want to create a certain type of atmosphere in your organization, it first must be evident in you. How you live, will be how they live. How you encourage others, will be how they encourage others. On the contrary, how you criticize and put down others will unfortunately be the model that many will follow. Lee Iacocca said, “The speed of the boss is the speed of the team.”

You might want to take a personal inventory of your own life and ask yourself a brutal question, and then respond to the brutal facts. “If my organization was filled with leaders just like me, what kind of organization would we have?” If you have set some goals for your team, make sure you are living them first. If you are challenging them in the time management, make sure that you are living it first. If you are encouraging your team to step up the prayer life, increase your prayer time first. Your confession will have little impartation without possession first.  Just remember modeling leadership is the only true method of developing leaders.

One of the brightest thinkers of the 21st Century is  Chuck Colson. He is one who has a broad perspective to the world in which we live and a level headed assessment as to what is happening around us. I just came across one of his recent posts that challenged me to be more aware to the situations we are facing as a nation. I think his comments are both sobering and insightful. Please take a minute and read his thoughts concerning the condition of our country:

Events in the past several weeks have shown me that we are entering a critical phase in American political life. And I don’t say this lightly. I’ve lived through many crises. I trained as a Marine lieutenant during Korea. I served at the right hand of the President during Vietnam and the Cold War. And as you know, I was a central figure during the defining political crisis of the 20th century?Watergate.

But never have I seen such a disconcerting disconnect between the American people and their leaders. Examples of this growing distance are not hard to find. Take the new immigration law in Arizona. A recent Fox poll shows that the American public “overwhelmingly” supports the law, which makes it a misdemeanor to violate federal immigration law. Fox reports that “by a 2 to 1 margin, people say individual states should be able to implement their  own immigration laws.” And by a margin of 52 to 31 percent, most people want their state to pass a law similar to Arizona’s.

Yet the U. S. attorney general said that he may sue Arizona?even though he admitted to not having read the law. Outraged officials in other states are trying to sever contracts with the state. And President Obama himself bashed the Arizona law with the president of Mexico standing by his side.

Now, whatever you think of the Arizona law, there is still a disconnect. Or take health care reform. More than 60 percent of Americans opposed it, yet Congress and the administration literally rammed it down people’s throats, and it is still unpopular in today’s polls. At every turn, people see a vast and growing government intruding into every area of life, passing complex, thousand-page pieces of legislation that nobody understands. Take the finance reform bill, just passed in the Senate. How is it that the largest financial reform overhaul in U.S.history simply ignores two of the proximate causes of the financial collapse: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Why are these corporations, which are still losing money hand over fist, simply left to their own devices?

A cynic might say it’s because those agencies gave big campaign contributions to all the major figures behind the reform legislation. That might be unfair. But the very appearance of this cozy relationship leads to cynicism. No wonder voters are already throwing incumbents out of office left and right! At root, what is happening in American life today is that we are severing the connection between what has become a ruling elite and the people. This is dangerous, because the genius of the American system of government, given to us by the founding fathers, is that the government rules only with consent of the governed.

So as Christians, we have an enormous responsibility here. Centuries of Christian thought have shaped what we know as Western liberal democracy?the rule of law, the balance of powers, inalienable rights, sphere sovereignty. The very idea of freedom itself rests on the dignity of man, which comes from the Judeo-Christian belief that he is made in the image of God.

So unless free men and women are fully and truly represented and engaged in the process of government, we are going to lose our freedoms and the system of government handed down to us. That’s why I believe the highest priority in American life today should be to re-build a public consensus for, as Abraham Lincoln famously put it, a government that is truly “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Remember that as you vote this year.

From Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, Stephen Covey captured a great truth about authority. While on maneuvers, a battleship lookout noted a light in the dark, foggy night. After noting the light’s coordinates, the captain recognized his ship was on a collision course with the other vessel. The captain instructed, “Signal the ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.” The return signal countered, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.” The captain signaled, “I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.” The response was, “I’m a seaman second class, you’d better change course 20 degrees.” By this time the captain was furious. His signal curtly ordered, “I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees.” The reply: “I’m a lighthouse. You make the call.”

God’s authority is never changing, it’s always constant. Whenever a change of course is required we must make the correction from our end. Make the changes in your life before it is too late!

John Adams wrote, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” Our rejection of his thoughts can be summarized by these truths:

• In public schools you may distribute condoms to twelve-year-olds without parental consent, but you may not give them a Bible under any circumstances.
• At school you may attack individuals with racially-motivated hate language, but you may not pray God’s blessing over them.
• You may not display a cross on public property, unless it’s on fire, in which case the First Amendment protects your action.
• In most states a minor may abort an unborn child without her parent’s consent, yet she can’t go on a field trip to the zoo without parental permission.
• In America, arguments are waged against the use of dogs for medical research but in favor of the right to abort babies for the same purpose.

Where did we go wrong?

If you have been involved in leadership for any length of time, you know that ‘who’ you have involved on your team is as important as ‘what’ the team is created to accomplish.  You can have a great vision, but the wrong people will greatly hinder your ability to fulfill it. You can have an abundance of resources, but a lack of the right personnel can squander these resources in a hurry derailing the team from fulfilling it’s intended purpose. 

Yesterday, I picked up Jim Collins’ new book, “How the Mighty Fall”  (see below) and once I began reading, I just couldn’t put it down. I read it from cover to cover. You may recall, his last book,  “Good to Great” was a best seller that focused on how good companies could implement key principles that would move them toward becoming a great company (I highly recommend this book for every leader).  His new book took the opposite approach and dealt with how great companies made critical mistakes that ended in their demise.  It is surprising just how clear these mistake are in principle, but how many leaders fall trap to them in every day life.  One of these key areas was  having the wrong people on the team.  Here are some keen insights from his book that should be considered as you develop your teams: 

1. The Right People Fit with the Company’s Core Values – Great companies build almost cult-like cultures, where those who do not share the institution’s values find themselves surrounded by antibodies and ejected like a virus. People often ask, “How do we get people to share our core values?” The answer: you don’t. You hire people who already have a predisposition to your core values and hang on to them.

 

2. Right People Don’t Need to be Tightly Managed – The moment you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you might have made a hiring mistake. If you have the right people, you don’t need to spend a lot of time “motivating” or “managing” them. They’ll be productively neurotic, self-motivated and self-disciplined, compulsively driven to do the best they can because it’s simply part of their DNA.

 

3. The Right People Understand that they do not have “Jobs”; they have Responsibilities – They grasp the difference between their task list and their true responsibilities. The right people can complete the statement, “I am the one person ultimately responsible for…”

 

4. The Right People Fulfill their Commitments – In a culture of discipline, people view commitments as sacred – they do what they say, without complaint. Equally,  this means that they take great care in saying what they will do, careful to never overcommit or to promise what they cannot deliver.
5. The Right People are Passionate about the Company and its Work – Nothing great happens without passion, and the right people display remarkable intensity.

 

6. The Right People Display “Window and Mirror” Maturity – When things go well, the right people point out the window, giving credit to factors other than themselves; they shine a light on other people who contributed to the success and take a little credit themselves. Yet when things go awry, they do not blame circumstances or other people for setbacks and failures; they point in the mirror and say, “I’m responsible.”

 

Life can be tough. Challenges can drain the best of us and cause us to lose sight of the fact that what we face is a season. In no way do I minimize the intensity or reality of life’s curve balls, but also don’t want to minimize that seasons do come and go. Although I have not perfected the principle of staying focused on the ‘prize’ I have learned through many trials, that when you are in the midst of a challenging trial, your focus must be on God’s promises and trust that He is with you and that a new day is coming. That might sound a little “fairy tailish” but it is in fact Biblical. God does allow all things to work for His good.

Here is a cool story that will inspire you.Courage Gail Devers has been one of the fastest women in the world. In 1992, she covered 100 meters in 10.82 seconds to win the Olympic gold medal for the 100 meter dash. Just a year earlier she could barely walk. After a disappointing performance in the 1988 Olympics she began to experience declining health. By 1990 she was in terrible condition and finally pursued medical help. The diagnosis was Graves’ disease, and radiation began in the early months of 1991. Devers received too much radiation and experienced alarming side effects. The pain became so intense that she returned to the doctors. The doctors then realized the situation of over-radiation and modified the treatment. They noted Devers would have required the amputation of her feet, had she walked on them two more days. Her condition was regulated by March of 1991, and she returned to the track. Less than eighteen months later she was in the Barcelona Olympic track stadium praying, “God, help me run the race of my life.” Her prayer was answered. “If you have a problem and you are about to give up,” Devers said,  “think of me. Last year, I couldn’t walk. Now, I’ve got a gold medal for running. The last three years of my life have definitely been a miracle.” Strength is drawn from the knowledge that others have suffered and overcome. (See 1 Peter 5:9.)

What trial are you facing today? Do your challenges seem insurmountable? May I encourage you to set your eyes on the victory that is waiting for you today? You never know, you just might have a break through!

One of life’s greatest lessons to be learned, is, “Listen closely to those who have earned the right to speak.”  The world is filled with opinions; everyone has one. However, what is said and our willingness to receive it as fact is directly proportionate to the person who speaks it.

There are those that spout off an outlandish statement, and it will barely get my attention. There are others that have barely opened their lips, and due to their stature, wisdom and experience, will cause me to stop, listen and learn. It is much like the old commercial, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens.”

Throughout history there have been scores of incredible leaders that we greatly admire and respect as world shaping people. Their lives have seared into our minds their ability to discern and communicate critical truths for the advancement of mankind. We have given them permission to shape history, to shape lives and have stood in awe of their unmatchable wisdom. These would be people that we deeply respect, therefore we highly value their opinions. These would truly be people that have ‘earned the right’ to speak.

These leaders are not necessarily known for their opinions on religion; particularly the validity of the Bible. However, there is a surprising list of people in the annals of history that have made colossal statements regarding the Bible’s importance and validity.

George Washington – “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God or the Bible.”

Patrick Henry – “This is a book worth all other books ever printed.”

John Quincy Adams – “So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable member of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year.”

Thomas Jefferson – “The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty… The studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands.”

Andrew Jackson – “That too, sir, is the rock on which our public rests.”

Abraham Lincoln – “I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.”

Robert E. Lee – The Bible is a book in comparison which all others are of minor importance. In all my perplexities and distress the Bible never failed to give me light and strength.”

Daniel Webster – “There is no solid basis for civilization but the Word of God… If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity… if it is not circulated in masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of this nation…”

Theodore Roosevelt – “If a man is not familiar with the Bible, he has suffered a loss which he had better make all possible haste to correct.”

Ronald Reagan – “I was pleased last year to proclaim 1983 the ‘Year of the Bible’. But, you know, a group called the ACLU severely criticized me (sued him) for doing that. Well, I wear their indictment like a badge of honor. I believe I stand in pretty good company.”

How many of these great leaders have you allowed to shape your world?  I am sure there are many truths known today that you embrace as a result of these great leaders. Where do you stand with Bible being the true, undefiled Word of God? Maybe its time to listen a little closer to their words… they are speaking loud and clear!

One of my greatest downfalls is food. I love to eat and appreciate the time and energy put into a quality meal. My mother would be a great cook and has mastered the art of food preparation to the point that whenever I am near her house I gain five pounds just thinking about the meal in which I am about to devour. One of her all time classics is her Lasagna. Now, I don’t get the opportunity to eat if very often, nor does she cook it that much, simply because the “Seven Layer Million Calorie Health Free Delicacy” requires CPR instructions upon the completion of even the smallest of portions. Yet this handcrafted, eloquently assembled masterpiece has created quite a reputation as the best Lasagna this side of Italy.

Just as a quality dish of Lasagna requires quality layers of certain ingredients to get the right end product, so does the life of the leader. There are a variety of layers that are necessary in order to produce the proper balance to a quality leader. I came across the following seven statements in my files the other day, which were penned by none other than John Maxwell. Take a look at these seven components and take a moment to reflect on your own life:

1. CHARACTER – WHO YOU ARE: True leadership always begins with the inner you. People will always see the depth of your character more than your gifting.
2. RELATIONSHIP – WHO YOU KNOW: Leaders should know that association plays a key role in personal development. Be careful who you hang around you just might become like them.
3. KNOWLEDGE – WHAT YOU KNOW: You will never make intelligent decisions without having intelligent knowledge and information.  Knowledge won’t make someone a leader, but it is very difficult to lead without having knowledge.
4. INTUITION – WHAT YOU FEEL: Leadership is more than a set of hard fact rules and principles. It demands the ability to implement these principles in the right timing, manner and process. Intuition is the leaders compass that looks beyond what they can see.
5. EXPERIENCE – WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN: Experience is what forges education into real life realities giving you context and wisdom for future similar situations. Experience also develops credibility for you amongst those you are leading.
6. PAST SUCCESS – WHAT YOU HAVE DONE: There is nothing that speaks louder to those around you than a lengthy track record of solid, right decisions. People will listen to what you have to say in the future based upon the way that your lead today.
7. ABILITY – WHAT YOU CAN DO: When it all comes down to it, people will follow you as far as your capable to lead them. They may have the ability to go further, but if you aren’t out in front, they will find someone else to follow.

Each one of these areas are within your hands to develop. It does take time and discipline, but it is worth the effort! Just like Momma Jo’s Lasagna, what you put into the dish, will determine the response of those who are partaking of it.

Many today have the special ability to lead. It is clear that this is an attribute, given by God, to fulfill specific purposes. Yet having a gift or natural talent isn’t enough to become a great leader. You may get by for a season on natural talent or charisma, but sooner or later you will hit the lid and be incapable of moving forward… unless you add the component of daily disciplines to your life.

I heard a quote many years ago and is used widely in leadership circles, “A champion is built in a day, but built daily.”  This one simple statement has profound ramifications to it, if you read it, digest it, meditate on, and then apply it to your life.  It is the thousand little things that you do in a day that defines and develops you, not the one big thing. I do understand that there are defining moments that sear a person’s reputation or fate, but in most every case, it was a multitude of little decisions that got them to the one pinnacle decision; good or bad.

I am a big fan of contact sports. I know many would debate whether a Christian should support a bunch of guys being aggressive and hitting each other, but I am a guy. That is what guys do. Over the years the sport of boxing and MMA have greatly increased in competition. The guys who are champions are ones of impeccable discipline. Their daily routines are rigid, lengthy and well planned.  It is how they live out their daily disciplines that will determine the results of their reputation and legacy under the lights.

President Theodore Roosevelt was a man of discipline. He was also quite tenacious.  History records him as the, “Ablest man to sit in the White House since Lincoln; the most vigorous since Jackson; the most bookish since John Quincy Adams.” He also loved to watch and participate in the sport of boxing.  He made this famous statement that is still used today:

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strive valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worth cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”

When you look at your life and your leadership responsibilities, do you find yourself doing what needs to be done in order to get by?  Are you satisfied with the way thing are, not dreaming about the ways things could, or should be? Maintaining is a dangerous place to be. Although it may feel good for a season, it is always the first stage of stagnation and decline. May I encourage you today to take some time and assess your current responsibilities? Make a list of the areas that you oversee and answer some tough questions honestly:

1. What areas of responsibilities have been entrusted to my care?
2. What is the desired goals of each of these responsibilities?
3. Where do I fall short in obtaining these goals, both personally and with the team in which I lead?
4. Why have these short comings become a reality?
5. What do I need to do to change in order to be best positioned to succeed?
6. How do I implement the changes?
7. When will I start?

Remember, you define your future and legacy by the actions of today. Tomorrow will be too late to make yesterday changes. Why not start today?