1 Thessalonians 1:1b
...To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Effective, authentic leadership is always directed 'to' or 'toward' something. It is not stagnant, nor expresses itself from a distance, but is proactive, engaged and directed. Paul's exclusive
focus was on the body of people that he was called to serve, develop, support, challenge and help to mature. While he had responsibility and a calling to lead a huge 'organization' throughout the Middle East, the Mediterranean region and Asia, he was somehow able to focus on the needs of this one group. His eyes, mind, heart, and actions were 'toward' them and them alone. And what he sent and brought 'to' them was profoundly simple but life-changing at the same time.
Paul recognized that people need to know their place in the bigger scheme of things. He constantly stressed to his people they are 'in' something, 'in' someone, greater than life itself. In the church it is of course 'in God' and 'in Christ'. He reaffirmed their identity, their security, the place where they have value, purpose, meaning and worth.
As business managers and leaders, we need to understand and proactively be reaching out 'to' our people with the message that they are not just exploitable commodities to achieve macro business objectives. They have worth, value, integrity and should be treated as people created in God's image. It's only when people experience a sense of belonging - being part of something bigger than themselves or being accepted 'in' a group, family, community, or team - that they can begin to realize their full potential. Maslow was right about this.
And it is worth noting that numerous HR and talent-related research studies into employee engagement, attrition (staff turnover), performance management, etc. - and most employee satisfaction surveys - indicate that 'knowing where I 'fit', that I belong to something important or to a team, and that my contribution is valued by my boss and the organization' rank no. 2 or 3 on the Top 10 Reasons why people stay, commit more fully, produce more - and stay longer. This costs very little but with very high ROI - and the ball is fairly and squarely in our manager-leader court.
PRAYER ACTION
Reflect on those around you and the degree to which you believe that they feel they 'belong' to the team, the department, or the organization. For those who need encouragement or need clearer direction or to be affirmed for their efforts, pray for them, schedule time, look them in the eye and tell them sincerely that you appreciate them and their contribution.
"A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world."
(John LeCarré)
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