The erosion of respect

(By Rick Lambert)

Respect is vital, if for nothing else, it protects you and your subordinates from bad attitudes, especially cynicism.  Cynicism is a direct sign that respect has been lost at some point.  In many cases, it may be a loss of respect for the company in general, but more often than not, it simply is the leader’s loss of respect. 

Cynicism cascades into negativity which eventually brings progress to a halt.  As enthusiasm is contagious in a positive sense, cynicism and negativity spread in a negative sense. 

Why cynicism (the evidence that respect has been lost) is a dangerous loss:

• You are no longer taken seriously. 
• You are no longer considered capable of handling the problems or challenges
• Cynicism implies that you can’t be completely trusted, and consequently must not be honest.
• Cynical attitudes stifle initiative.  It raises the simple question, “why should I put out?”
• New initiatives, even incentives are rarely strong enough to reverse the damaging effects of cynicism.  In fact, incentives are viewed as entitlements, not rewards for good effort.
• Cynicism takes a percentage of creativity, strength, commitment, and character away from the job, organization, the customer, and ultimately the future of the company. \

Learning and improving are the only ways to truly change cynicism into respect.  It’s a leadership tool underestimated in its strength and ability.  The question many are asking (though never verbalized); “Is there any leader out there who has the capacity and strength of character to truly sustain our belief in them?”

It’s more than a novel

 (By Rick Lambert)

Polycarp, a destroyer of our gods, is an illustrated guide to how we are discipled to be devoted followers of Christ.  Instead of taking the principles of discipleship and writing a non-fiction work, I chose to frame those principles in settings of adventure, sorrow, intrigue, victories and defeat.  You know – real life experiences.

I didn’t want to write another “how to” style of book, but rather sought to illustrate the tremendous joy of being grown by God through the power of his Spirit. I desired to show how true discipleship is not a method or prescribed steps of action, but is actually God using the anvil and hammer of life to form us into a people that live in the light of his glory in a dark, godless world.

Remember in Romans 4:18, how that Abraham grew in faith as he gave glory to God?  Well, that’s an inspired portrait of how God disciples us.  We look to him; we see his work; we discover the gloriousness of his promises, and he grows us.  Another picture is John 15 were we discover we are the branches on the vine of Christ, and as branches we bring forth fruit to the glory of God.  The branch was grown to do what is was supposed to do – bear the spiritual fruit of the Spirit.

My novel uses the life of Polycarp to show how God is accomplishing this cultivation and growth in our lives, customizing it to the trials and blessings we experience every day.  God wastes no trials and spares no blessing when it comes to making us holy like Jesus is holy.  This is the aim and end of true discipleship.

When Jesus called his disciples, he told them “follow me, and I will MAKE you to be fishers of men…”  The work is the Lord, and we are the workmanship.  We are the ones being worked on.  We are a lovely vase being filled and emptied, and filled and emptied again.  We are vessels of honor bring light to the world and being the salt of the earth.  We are to be examples others can and should follow.  Our godly reputation should be stellar in the eyes of a judgmental work that hates Jesus Christ.  But we can’t accomplish this on our own, or by going through a ten-week discipleship course.  Discipleship is a lifetime of training where God is our mentor.

I urge you to take a look at Polycarp, a destroyer of our gods and see for yourself the adventure of being not only a disciple of Jesus Christ, but living as on in the sanctification of being constantly discipled by him.

Earning and maintaining respect

(By Rick Lambert)

Leadership is the ability to build trust, respect and integrity into an organization or a cause. 

On a simple level, respect is holding a place in someone else’s opinion

On a work level, respect is your “approval rating” that contributes to or diminishes support and cooperation from others

On a leadership level, respect is what makes or breaks your reputation

Respect is simply to be impressed with someone.  To make note of their strengths, consistency, or assistance, and as a result, hold them in high regard.  It recognizing what stands out in someone’s life that you admire.

Overall, respect is directly connected to something you value in that person.  If you value character, you’ll respect the demonstration of character in others.  If athletic ability is what you value, then you’ll respect successful sports figures.

Respect is easy to loose, but in most cases, it can be won back. 

However, when it is lost, it doesn’t need to be something big; little things can cause you to lose respect:

• Poor listening skills (Not listening when someone is talking to you)
• Acting dictatorially
• Playing favorites
• Failure to give or share credit
• Consistently completing jobs late

“Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of -- for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear” (Socrates). 

The Respect of Leadership

(By Rick Lambert) 

Respect v. 1. to feel or show esteem for; to honor.  2. To show consideration for; avoid violation of; treat with deference.

Respect is like an adhesive that binds people together.  Without it, trust, integrity and progress are stifled, even ruined.  Though the concept of respect often goes unnoticed, it’s absence is felt most profoundly.  Companies have gone bankrupt when consumers lose confidence in their product.  Politicians have been soundly defeated when they compromised their respect.  Families have disintegrated when respect was neglected.

Greatness is never measured in achievements.  Greatness receives the magnanimous opinions of others because of the respect it generated; respect is the measurement of greatness.  Even your reputation is supported by respect.  Take away respect, and your reputation is what suffers. 

For a word that appears so genteel, it packs quite a punch.  It’s not a quality to be trifled with, or treated lightly.  On the contrary, it should be guarded and protected like a rare treasure.  Develop this quality in the workplace, and you’ll love your job, not to mention that people will love working for you. 

Disregard respect, and the consequences will be severe.  To demand respect without winning it is a risky proposition, and if you fail to earn it after it’s been entrusted to you, your fame will be great in the most negative sense.  Arrogance and selfishness are at the root of someone’s thinking who devalues the power of respect.

Respect is not something you can insist be given.  It is given and grown simply because it is earned.  You can respect a position someone holds, and not respect the person who holds the position.  Everyone, for the president to the pauper must earn respect where they are at in position and opportunity.  Look at it this way, the first rung on the ladder of success is respect.

Discipleship is ultimately saying, “Do as I do.”

 (By Rick Lambert)

When I began my studies in the life of the second-century church father, Polycarp, pastor of the church of Smyrna, I was drawn to the powerful effect of true discipleship.  I observed a progression that began in Matthew 4:19-21 "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

The concept of training faithful men, as Paul commissioned his protege, Timothy, in II Timothy 2:2 is beautifully exemplified in Polycarp’s life.  Jesus called John and John discipled Polycarp in the same fashion that Paul trained Timothy.  Polycarp took what he had learned and invested it into Irenaeus, who in turned entrusted what he had learned to another champion in the Church, Hippolytus. 

I see over three hundred years of influence out of true discipleship, beginning with that seaside call of Jesus.  The truest expression of discipleship is the act of passing on what you have learned regarding the greatness of God, the accomplishments of Christ, and the power of the Spirit in our lives.

Discipleship should never be limited to a booklet or outline.  It’s the privilege of passing on what you have learned to another.  Over the years, I have noticed that growth took place in those I was discipling not because I could effectively convey what was in a book or commentary, but more what God was doing in my life.  Truly, effective discipleship is growing together.

Discipleship is ultimately being sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God. It's God training you, and imparting to you the power to walk in the reality of his glorious presence; it’s feeding our spiritual desires. Do you desire to know God?   Does your heart cry out to love Him with all of your being?  Then you must be discipled by him.  He will use others, but it will be his Word and his Spirit that will make you a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, and bring you into the joy of resting in him and his promises.

Look at it this, who desires for you to live in the reality of victory over sin more than you?  Our gracious God, of course.  But he desires to be the one to do it so that you would experience the deeper levels of joy in him. However, if you are not being discipled by him, you'll spend your lifetime in the disillusionment of self-effort.

The privilege for the disciple-maker is not simply passing on knowledge, but having the joy of describing what is true about God; how to experience the closeness of fellowship and the blessings of God's promises.  It’s not an academic exercise, but is transferring the lessons in the faithfulness of God from one life to another.  It’s ultimately saying, “Do as I do.”

Questions every leader should ask themselves

Since leadership is essentially about developing good followers, what questions should a follower ask a leader?  I though this resource from Max DePree’s book, Leadership Jazz was very helpful.

• What may I expect from you?
• Can I achieve my own goals by following you?
• Will I reach my potential by working with you?
• Can I entrust my future to you?
• Have you bothered to prepare yourself for leadership?
• Are you ready to be ruthlessly honest?
• Do you have the self-confidence and trust to let me do my job?
• What do you believe?

Most subordinates will never have the opportunity to ask such questions, so ask yourself these questions on their behalf.  What would you think about your answers if you had to follow someone like yourself?

How to approach your study of the Bible

(By Rick Lambert)

Faithfully!

II Timothy 3:14-17 – But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

1. “…continue in what you have learned…”  The picture here is to remain focused on what has been given to you as declared in the Word, and to grow deeper in that position.  We don’t learn by gaining information and moving on; we learn by gaining information and adding to understanding.  What we learn becomes more valuable, useful and stronger for us.
2.  “…knowing from whom you learned it…”  It is true that we should remember the tools (people) God has brought into our lives to teach us the truth.  (Which is in and of itself a radical miracle when you consider the gross imperfections and inconsistencies of the messengers, be it our parents, teachers, spiritual friends and pastors).  We must remember that it is from God we have learned the Word.  Man will be the tool, but His Spirit is the One who imparts it in applicable ways.