I was given a book today and began reading it while I was waiting on my appointment. I really enjoy books on leadership and I really enjoy books on "spiritual leadership". The book I was given is The Servant Leader by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges. I haven't read it all but what I have been able to ready is worth passing on.
One chapter deals with the difference in being a "servant leader" and a "self-serving leader". In this short chapter it begins to speak of EGO. We all have an ego but as I read how this book defines "Ego", it made me stop and think. I'd like to pass this on to you.
There are two acrostics of the word "EGO" this book uses:
1. Exalting God Only
2. Edging God Out
In this book, The Servant Leader, Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges shares how we Edge God Out. Read it and see if your EGO needs adjusting.
How Do We Edge God Out?
When We Put Something Else In His Place as the Object of Worship ~
When you're making a leadership decision, what do you put in God's place as the object of your worship? Power, recognition, appreciation, money - whatever it is, it's not worth it.
Philippians 3:3 (NLT) For we who worship God in the Spirit...put no confidence in human effort. Instead we boast about what Christ Jesus has done for us.
When We Rely On Other Sources For Our Security and Sufficiency ~
When we put our trust in something else other than the unconditional love of God, other than in His care for us, when we put our security in other things - it can be our intellect, our position, our business contacts, anything - we're counting on the temporal instead of the eternal.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
When We Put Others in His Place as Our Major Audience for Self-Worth ~
In Robert S. McGee's The Search for Significance, we learn that if the devil had a formula for self-worth that he would want you to buy into, it would be; Your self-worth is equal to your performance plus the opinion of others. If you're constantly looking to make yourself feel good or worthwhile based on your performance or the opinions of others, you're constantly going to be chasing an elusive, frustrating fantasy.
Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
When We Lose Intimacy with his Unconditional Love, We Fear Intimacy with Others ~
One of the greatest EGO factors that self-serving leaders driven by pride and fear have is the fear of intimacy with others. Like the Wizard of Oz, they create scary false fronts and barriers between themselves and their people rather than admit that they don't know all the answers, that they may need help. They fear if they are vulnerable with people, their leadership might be questioned. The loneliness and isolation that result from fear of intimacy leaves the leader separated from the realities of what is going on and from the good ideas that others may have to offer.
So, how's your "EGO"? I haven't finished the book but so far, it has been a reminder that as a "servant-leader", your EGO should be "Exalting God Only" and not "Edging God Out".
Thanks Bill for the great book!
I was given a book today and began reading it while I was waiting on my appointment. I really enjoy books on leadership and I really enjoy books on "spiritual leadership". The book I was given is The Servant Leader by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges. I haven't read it all but what I have been able to ready is worth passing on.
One chapter deals with the difference in being a "servant leader" and a "self-serving leader". In this short chapter it begins to speak of EGO. We all have an ego but as I read how this book defines "Ego", it made me stop and think. I'd like to pass this on to you.
There are two acrostics of the word "EGO" this book uses:
1. Exalting God Only
2. Edging God Out
In this book, The Servant Leader, Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges shares how we Edge God Out. Read it and see if your EGO needs adjusting.
How Do We Edge God Out?
When We Put Something Else In His Place as the Object of Worship ~
When you're making a leadership decision, what do you put in God's place as the object of your worship? Power, recognition, appreciation, money - whatever it is, it's not worth it.
Philippians 3:3 (NLT) For we who worship God in the Spirit...put no confidence in human effort. Instead we boast about what Christ Jesus has done for us.
When We Rely On Other Sources For Our Security and Sufficiency ~
When we put our trust in something else other than the unconditional love of God, other than in His care for us, when we put our security in other things - it can be our intellect, our position, our business contacts, anything - we're counting on the temporal instead of the eternal.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
When We Put Others in His Place as Our Major Audience for Self-Worth ~
In Robert S. McGee's The Search for Significance, we learn that if the devil had a formula for self-worth that he would want you to buy into, it would be; Your self-worth is equal to your performance plus the opinion of others. If you're constantly looking to make yourself feel good or worthwhile based on your performance or the opinions of others, you're constantly going to be chasing an elusive, frustrating fantasy.
Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
When We Lose Intimacy with his Unconditional Love, We Fear Intimacy with Others ~
One of the greatest EGO factors that self-serving leaders driven by pride and fear have is the fear of intimacy with others. Like the Wizard of Oz, they create scary false fronts and barriers between themselves and their people rather than admit that they don't know all the answers, that they may need help. They fear if they are vulnerable with people, their leadership might be questioned. The loneliness and isolation that result from fear of intimacy leaves the leader separated from the realities of what is going on and from the good ideas that others may have to offer.
So, how's your "EGO"? I haven't finished the book but so far, it has been a reminder that as a "servant-leader", your EGO should be "Exalting God Only" and not "Edging God Out".
Thanks Bill for the great book!
