People often ask me “how are you so confident?” My response is unconditional love. My first family (my mom, my dad & my 2 older sisters) love me unconditionally, everyday. I know that from experience! I have said and done some pretty awful things to each one of them but each time they showed me grace, forgave me and prayed I would grow up! They are now seeing the fruits of their prayers. J Now, I have the same unconditional love with my second family (my husband and 2 kids). But most importantly I have it with God. I am able to feel and understand His unconditional love through my families which makes the relationship all the more real. This confidence, allows me the freedom to do and be so much more than I imagined because my identity is in Christ. I can make unpopular decisions in business for the greater good and not be shaken, I can stand up for injustice and not be knocked out, I can be the voice for the employees when the management team does not want to hear it, I have been able to blaze new trails because of the confidence I have in Christ. If you are in a leadership role or want to be, you must show this confidence to your team. You have the power to influence for the good or the bad, which will you do? The choice is yours. Your words and actions will determine the confidence your team has in you. God has given us some great examples of how to influence for the good.
Minimize Politics – God wants us to have honest discussions that lead to wisdom, he warns us in 2 Timothy 2:14 to not strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Here he is warning us to not start petty quarrels. Gossip is a huge part of not starting petty quarrels.
Put Critical topics on the table for discussion – Jesus could do the unpopular! Because he was secure in his identity and his mission he was able to drive the money changers out of the temple in Mark 11:15-17. Take the risks that Jesus did, put the unpopular topics on the table and see how creative your team can be to figure out how to take the temple back.
Join me next week as we discuss commitment.
In His Identity, Tammy