The best managers go through a shared transition phase at some point in their careers. Their updates morph from having themselves at the center to always being about the team and the members in it. For some, it comes later than others. For a few, they never make the transition. The best figure it out early; management is about inspiring and encouraging others to reach for more.
As I reflect on the busyness of the past week, I realize that the management metaphor extends well beyond business. Living is more than personally getting to a goal. Life is more than achievements, goals, and status. Life is about engaging in the lives around us. It is sharing, helping, crying, and celebrating together. It is supporting others in their reach for more. Bluntly put, “that’s why we have the saying, ‘If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.’” (1 Corinthians 1.31) Let compassion trump all. Let mercy dominate. Act on one’s ideals.
I realize that this logic sits differently than the world would pull us. There is a formula for success. It rests on personal protection, achievements, and posturing. On the world’s terms, it works. The formula is alive, well, and proven. There are challenges with how others compete and respond to it, but there is a consistent outcome that emerges.
As I struggle with the need for success, I find the invitation to more compelling. Divinity presents a very different invitation. We stand at the beginning of each moment with a choice. Will I engage in the moment at hand, fully and completely? Will I let compassion trump my personal aspirations? Can I exercise my faith in something greater than myself?
As I think of the day ahead, I find myself reaching for more. I know the proven track. I have held onto it far too long, tasting the fruits of hard work. At a great price, I now find myself wanting more. I want to live, really live. It will require changes on my part. Growth is an open invitation to all.
