For this blog, I will share a key insight that is based on a quote that many have probably heard this quote from me before. Let me offer the quote first and then I will then offer a picture of it and realize it is modelled by the Lord that I serve. To begin, let me offer my quote and I will then offer the recent illustration of this truth.
My quote:
“Realize that True Leadership is NOT What you get out of something and not just about you, but it IS simply…
WHAT YOU TRULY BRING…even without calling attention to yourself!”
-SCC Executive Coach Randy
Notice that the focus is total truth and the one that I serve truly models this. So let me simply share one example, and an awesome picture of this application that I did within the last couple of weeks or so. It occurred when one Sunday morning when a group of us were in our room and were getting ready for our Sunday School class and our Associate Pastor was getting ready to teach the class.
As I sat there at my normal table, there was an older couple. They were close friends of mine and very good people. As it got close to the beginning of the class, the husband started coughing strongly and he stood up and walked out of the room. A minute or two after that the Associate Pastor began the class. A few minutes after that I looked across and I noticed the man’s wife was leaning to the side of her table and was trying to look out the door. It was obvious to me that she was trying to find out about her husband.
When I saw this, it was clear to me what she cared about him and without saying words or interrupting, I simply stood up and quietly walked out of the room. I walked outside and saw her husband walking about just a bit as he coughed a little bit. I walked over and found out from him that he was feeling ok, and he was shortly getting over the cough.
After just a moment or two, I walked back into the room and said nothing but as I turned to my chair, his wife saw me, and I said nothing, but I quietly held my hand in front of my stomach and looked at her and she saw the "Thumbs Up" that I showed her. I sat back down.
Probably about 15 minutes later, I saw her head and eyes looking for her husband again. I stood up and walked out quietly. This time he was sitting in one of the seats in the sanctuary. I went over and just asked him how he was, and he was doing ok, and his coughing was not happening now. I walked back into the room and again quietly smiled and showed her a very quiet "Thumbs Up".
When the class was complete, we all went in to prepare for the church. I typically acted as an usher and before the service started, I noticed that his wife was motioning me to come over to where she was sitting. I went over and I just said hello. She looked straight into my eyes and clearly said “Randy, thank you so much for what you did in the class!” I simply looked at her and said it was my pleasure as I held up my hand and she slapped my hand with a "High 5".
This is a good picture of true leadership. You will remember that leadership is not just about you taking control and calling attention to yourself. You may remember that it also illustrates what another guy member told me when he said “Randy, I have learned so much about real leadership but not in what you tell me but what I observe and see in you!”
I offer the definition of Sanctification as spoken by Dr. David Jeremiah. He simply points out that “We are to take action; it does not say that the work of sanctification is going to be done for us!” It is not just about what we get out of it!
Let me leave you with a couple of questions:
1. What must you do to Grow & Develop this awareness and mindset in you to model it for your team?
2. What do you need to truly enhance and develop this difference in you and your team and develop this in them?
Randy Swaim, Coaching for Relevance, LLC
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