Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.
Any movie goer this summer has had to have seen the previews for the latest book to movie The Maze Runner. The Maze Runner released on Friday and my wife and I made the trip to the Cinema Carousel to check out the movie.
Thankfully, unlike a lot of book to movie movies, The Maze Runner didn’t disappoint.
The Maze Runner also provided a wealth of opportunities to learn and reinforce valuable leadership lessons.
If you’re unfamiliar with The Maze Runner, like I was, let me bring you up to speed.
Years ago, boys began to appear in an area they christened The Glade. The Glade was an area that was surrounded by large cement walls that formed a maze.
Throughout the years, a special team of boys ran the maze during the day. Day after day, they tried to find a way out of the maze. Year after year, they failed.
I feel like the most blessed person on this planet. The reason? I have the incredible privilege of leading Truth@Work roundtable groups in my region in which Christian business and ministry leaders gather together once per month for four hours. These groups (usually consisting of 12-15 leaders) act like a board of advisors to one another in helping each member to grow their organizations in a God-honoring way while at the same time challenging and encouraging one another to grow personally and spiritually. I have the privilege of leading six groups each month and it is an incredible thing to be a part of.
Image via Creative Commons
In the six years I’ve been doing this, one thing has become even more apparent to me: We were not meant to do life alone…especially leaders!
Growing up, life was pretty good. I had loving parents. I had good friends. I had everything a kid could hope for.
Except one thing.
The one thing I was missing was a positive sports experience.
Image via Creative Commons
A memory that looms large in my mind is of being benched during my first, and only, season of little league baseball. Sitting on the bench while all of the other kids played baseball seemed like the worst thing that could happen to me.
I was wrong and there were other things that have taken the place of being benched. Yet this memory looms large. It held me back for many years.
And then last year I was invited to join my work’s recreation softball team. This was a blast. I discovered I wasn’t so bad at softball/baseball. I could add value to the team.
When you think about the face of your business, what do you think about?
You might think about the way your office building looks. Or your thoughts might wander to how you look today. Or still, it could be towards the vehicle you drive.
With a lot of leaders, they think the face of the business is their office building or themselves. If this is how you think, you’re wrong. And you’re heading for trouble.
Image by Rowan Gillette- Fussell
Getting caught up in what we think is the face of our business is so easy to do. We may see the building every day. We definitely look at ourselves in the mirror every day. And we know what we drive.
We begin to feel WE are the face of the business. After all, we’re the owner or we’re the leader of the business. Why shouldn’t the face of our business be ourselves?
