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Jesus gives the definitive statement about priorities and perspective. He reminds his followers that what seems right in the moment can actually be damaging for eternity. Jesus is making the point that it is easy for anyone to become self-sufficient and think that they did not need a Savior.
If this statement is true for every Christian, it is that much more accurate for the faith-driven leader. Many Christian leaders have sold their soul to the business for a variety of reasons. Those leaders work their entire lives to build something for themselves and their families only to have it lost in eternity.
The Message translation of the Bible records Mark 8:36 this way: "What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?" That translation of this verse is interesting and should be considered.
The Well Done leader has an ultimate purpose that they are striving to complete, and they use their organization profoundly for that organization, but they never allow the organization to become their sole purpose. The Well Done leader does not lose themselves in the organization so that the leader and the organization are the same. To not allow the organization to become the ultimate rule, the Well Done leader knows when and how to set healthy boundaries with the organization so that they do not forfeit their souls.
1. You need to set a boundary on your business when God is calling you to something greater.
Faith-driven leaders who lead organizations have God's call on their life. They have been specially selected to lead and grow businesses in the marketplace that can provide a service for customers, employment for team members, and impact for the kingdom of God. However, the calling of business might be only one call on their life. Just as some business owners lead multiple companies, God might be calling these leaders to multiple callings.
When the second call on your life becomes brighter and more encouraging, it is a sign that a boundary around your first call must be established. This boundary might come in the form of time given to the business and perhaps the vision of growth for the future. It could be that God is calling the business to stay stable as a platform so that something new in your life can become a startup.
2. You need to set a boundary on your business when your greed is becoming too great.
Greed is real, and greed is dangerous. For any business leader to ignore the possibility of greed is to start down a dangerous path, as Jesus told his disciples in Luke 12:15: "Then he said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'"
Since money changes hands in the business, it is easy for business owners only to be concerned about profits and wealth. When greed becomes the primary reason for the company or for the work of the business owner, boundaries should be established.
3. You need to set a boundary on your business when your goals are becoming too blurry.
Vision is critical for the success of any leader and any organization. When a leader forgets or is not clear on where the business is going and why the company exists, it is time for boundaries to be established so that leader can recapture their passion and excitement for the future. Business owners can often struggle with burnout.
Burnout happens when leaders forget the purpose of their work. Passionate people never burn out. Passionate people burn hot for an issue or a goal they are trying to accomplish. Each month at the CXP CEO Retreat, the chief experience officers lead the CEOs to identify a focus wheel where the leader examines the areas of their life to determine passion vs. burnout.
When the score in an area is robust, that signifies a passionate person. When the score in an area is weak, that means a person close to burnout. Leaders should never settle for blurriness. The leader must be clear about the future and where they are called to work.
4. You need to set a boundary on your business when your gatekeepers are becoming disheartened.
Gatekeeper is a term that most business owners are familiar with as it relates to a person close to the leader who provides an obstacle for others to overcome to get close to the leader. In business, gatekeepers usually come in the form of an administrative assistant. These gatekeepers help the leader to maintain focus by not becoming distracted by things or people that do not need to interact with the leader. A successful leader has effective gatekeepers. One of the most important and first hires that a CEO should make is that of a trusted gatekeeper.
The gatekeepers I'm referring to relates to the people that are closest to the leader (spouse, children, or other family members). When the people closest to the leader feel neglected or second-best to the business, the leader must establish a boundary on the business. When the business is taking too much out of the leader so that there is nothing left they can give in other areas of their life, the business has begun to impact the soul of the leader.
God never gave a business to a faith-driven leader to hurt the leader. The business should never become their only priority. Family members need to know they are important and, in fact, more important than the business. I teach every CEO that they should treat their spouse like their number one customer. Spouses are often with a business owner for 40 to 50 years while even the best of customers often fall short of that. This model comes from the Garden of Eden, where Adam was to become one with his wife, not the work that God had given him to accomplish. Family is important and should be honored by every leader.
5. You need to set a boundary on your business when your gifts are being ignored.
Every leader has gifts and talents, but not every business calls out the leader to use their gifts and talents in the best way. CEOs and business leaders often have to do a variety of tasks to start and lead a business. Many leaders can become disillusioned with the business because they are doing those tasks that they have to do, not the tasks that they have been gifted to do.
When a leader finds they are not using the full plethora of their gifts and abilities, it is time to set a boundary on the business to reorganize their tasks to utilize their giftedness fully. Gifts and talents are too valuable not to be used effectively in the business. Companies are better, and leaders lead better when they lead according to their gifts, talents and passions.
Establishing boundaries for the business can be difficult and extremely hard for the leader to implement. However, difficult things are often essential. No leader likes to pull back or to feel like they are not making significant progress. CEOs and leaders are motivated to push forward. However, the best thing that can be done for a business at times is to set a healthy boundary around business growth and vision to make sure that you are doing the best thing that will help both you and the business to succeed. Make it your goal to grow your business but not at the sacrifice of losing your soul.
 | Ken Gosnell is CEO and Servant Leader of CXP (CEO Experience). CXP is a premier coaching and executive roundtable business that serves Christian CEOs in Washington DC, Maryland and Florida. Ken serves leaders by helping them and their teams to have great experiences that both transform the leader and their organizations to go further faster. Learn More » |
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