If I really want to bring about change in others, I need to be willing to change myself! I find it interesting in life that my expectation is usually in the need for others around me to change. If they could only see things from my perspective, I am sure that they would see my wisdom, and align themselves with my thought processes and come to same conclusions I have. But many times it doesn’t work that way.
There is this little verse in Proverbs that says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Pr 11:14) NKJV This is especially hard for those who are deep thinkers, sharp witted, or are strategic in their thought patterns. To come to a place of discussion, after having thought though things and be truly open to the input of others as you present your vision, strategy, dream, or idea, while being considerate of others who are just hearing it for the first time is a lot harder for most of us than it sounds. Your natural tendency is to come with the mindset of, I have already thought through all the angles and if you all really trusted me, you would just affirm my idea and go with my decision. I see this all the time. Right there is where many leaders fail.
There is a better way. I like the first part of Isa 16:3 “Take counsel, execute judgment;” NKJV. If I come to a place of discussion thinking that I have already thought through all angles and all I really need at this point is affirmation, is really a narrow-minded thought process. What I am really doing is limiting the decision to my way of thinking and my thought patterns and processing of information. As a leader, one of my goals is to engage the team so as to bring about a better decision on the majority of situations, the majority of the time. After all, the reason I have a team in the first place is, to bring a different perspective to my own thinking. And I find that the more open I am to their way of thinking, the more open they are to mine.
D.O.V.E.