When was the last time you got called into your boss’s office and felt at peace upon going in? Or how about when you’ve had to bring up a difficult issue with an empoyee? Were you at peace when the conversation started?
Unfortunately, I’ve experienced more situations where peace was completely absent. Many of those were definitely because of my own lack of leadership. Other instances were caused by leaders around me, however, I can now recognize my contribution to the void of peace in those times of conflict.
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 (NLT)
You and I have peace. Not just the possibility of peace, but real peace! And as leaders, especially Christian leaders, it is our responsibility to operate within the realm of peace in all that we do.
So, how do we do this?
3 basic steps:
1. Remember – Regularly remind yourself that we do have daily peace with God. Simply being mindful is key. And if you are a leader over others, maybe even write yourself a reminder on your copy of meeting agendas.
2. Pray – It sounds a bit cliche as church leaders, but spending a significant time in prayer leading up to a meeting or potential conflict does set the tone. It allows God to go before us, thus preparing our hearts for His agenda in the matter and not ours.
3. Be intentional – The first two steps are primarily for you and I in preparation. This third step, however, is focusing in the actual moment. If you experience peace being overshadowed by strife, disalignment, or power plays…take charge. Be the one to interrupt and notice the direction things are going before it gets out of hand. Take a moment to breathe, us the restroom, pray…then gather together and pick up where you left off before things became elevated.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Leave me a comment below or voicemail.
Also, read about how Love and Joy should be critical ‘fruits’ in our approach to leadership.
Lead Right 