Jesus - The Skilled Connector
Dream Team Staff
Steve Blair
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Amy Leigh Bamberg
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Amy Jones
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John Maxwell has said that “Everyone communicates. Few connect.” What’s the difference between the two? What does it mean to connect? With regard to leadership, it’s all about identifying with and relating to others in such a way that we gain influence. This influence is what allows us to be salt and light.
The mantle of leadership replaces selfishness, or the right to think of self first. One of the first truths we need to embrace is that leadership is sustained by connecting, and connecting is all about the other person. It’s easy to get more caught up in the vision of where we are going than who we are trying to lead along this journey.
An indecisive leader does not motivate the team. Instead, it is the leader with an infectious confidence that is able to inspire and influence others with great results.
We need to be secure enough to stop and serve others in need, even if that means our race is “slower”. We may have proven that we can run ridiculously fast paced, but ultimately w must be e secure enough to go at a slower pace in order to bring others along.
The leadership role requires us to lose our “loftiness” - high opinion of ourselves that makes us feel secure. After all, Jesus took the form of a man just to connect with us!
It’s true that connecting with others requires more energy, but when we start to complain about the sacrifice of time, let’s consider the inconvenience Jesus accepted in order to connect with us. It is worth it! God sacrificed His only Son just so he could connect with us on common ground. Like Jesus, the consummate connector, we need to look for common ground – so that we can bring them to higher ground. Let’s make time to know people well and participate in the things that are important to them.
Leaders should not stand on top of the mountain and say “come up here, you little one.” Instead, we should get down off the mountain, walk with the people, and guide them up to higher heights. Only when we respect and honor others can we bring them up.
We need to build community among the members on our team. Let’s make a point to learn about shared interests, hobbies, histories, and habits of those whom we lead, and connect individuals with similar interests together.
Investing time in our team will speak tremendous value into them. The more time we spend, the more energy we expend… the greater the connection. And the stronger our connection with others, the more relational equity we have to speak life and truth into them!
And by the way…That’s the goal!
