Corporate Strategies of Biblical Leadership?

The Man Minute sixty second investments in Christ-like manhood  
If you have been receiving The Man Minute for some time now, or if you have heard me speak at a conference this year, there's a good chance I have said something close to what I'm about to say. However, given that psychologists say that the average person forgets something like 80% of what they hear in the first few minutes, I'm running on the dream that you've forgotten this coming profound truth and thus will catch it this go 'round!

Recently I was in a conversation with an old friend in the faith who shared many miles and memories with me in my early days of salvation. We began to talk of the corporate nature of life and manhood. Not in a negative way at all, because we both see value in what corporate leaders have to say about success and how to achieve various levels of it.

He made the comment, "I see a lot of men, and even pastors, who are reading, listening, and even following corporate gurus, but I don't see many of the corporate gurus reading, listening, or following what God has to say." His thoughts reminded me of something I've said many times, in that he and I were both in agreement that corporate wisdom from all the great Jim Collins and Stephen Covey types in this world can be amazingly helpful; yet, there is most definitely a stopping point with how far those wisdom-streams are to influence you. The reason: corporate wisdom streams are not necessarily anointed of God's Holy Spirit. We do know, however, the God's Word is a guarantee for truth.

As men we admire successful men.
I'll be the first to admit that.

Every time I look at Larry Bird I have hope that even if a man can't jump, he can still become one of the greatest in his craft. I admire men like Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO) for how he sees life and business mixed with a sense of a global call for a better world. I often sit in awe at how someone like Garth Brooks can bring millions of many people hope through a song, and yet also know so much about marketing and influence.

Still, at the end of the day, I cannot allow my genuine admiration to be a blind spot where I am influenced by sources that, no matter how good, are not "washed in the blood." Why? Because corporate & cultural definitions of success and leadership change every few years. God's definition of success never changes. (Read Joshua 1 for yourself for God's conditional promise of success given to Joshua)

God's definition of success is measured by obedience to His truths about life and how it should be governed, and those standards are not often mimicked, or even valued, in the corporate world.

I must be wise to the difference.

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. ~ Proverbs 23:16-18

www.jasoncruisespeaks.com and www.outdoorministrynetwork.com