Who have you surrounded yourself with? Who are your closest allies, colleagues, and friends and why did you choose them? And why do you continue to invest time with them?
Have you ever been part of a bad team? How about a great team?
In business, the most important thing I’ve done is choosing and building the best team possible. Each of my five direct reports was very carefully, slowly, patiently, and thoughtfully hand-picked by me based on their skills, personality, passion, experience, and most importantly their fit with our core values. Over the years, my biggest investment of time and energy has been related to their growth and success. The better they perform individually and as a team, the more likely we will achieve our objectives. Conversely, if these leaders perform poorly, it would make my job miserable!
These leaders are all very different. For example, four out of five were born in different countries. One is an information security genius, one is a project management ninja, one is highly skilled and experienced in structuring service organizations, one is like a war general who relentlessly achieves the mission, and one is a deep thinker and very strategic. Combined, this team of five speaks eight different languages and has more than 75 years of IT and leadership experience.
In reference to the cover photo, in the following verse after Jesus prayed all night he chose his apostles:
And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: (Luke 6:13)
Unlike me, Jesus spent all night in prayer before choosing his closest allies. And unlike me, Jesus was (and is) a perfect leader. Even at my best, I still fail with my amazing team. I am prone to being impatient, dismissive, and a bad listener.
Jesus put everything in God’s hands. He chose these people even though he knew each one of them would eventually let him down. He invested in them, day and night. He taught them, was patient with them, and even though he was God in the flesh, he knelt to wash their feet. He ultimately died for these people, and for you and me, sinners saved by the blood of Jesus.
Just as Jesus diligently prayed before selecting his disciples, we can and should seek God’s wisdom in all of our choices in relationships. Jesus’ example reminds us that even in our imperfections, we can emulate his grace, patience, and sacrificial love toward those we surround ourselves with. Let us strive to mirror the humility and compassion of our Savior, for eternity’s sake.
Today’s reading: Deuteronomy 4-5; Luke 6