How a CEO of a bank is walking through this season
This morning at Brickhill we had a men’s breakfast with the added bonus of an after-meal speaker. He is the CEO of a bank, though for how much longer he admitted was uncertain as the bank has been forced into administration. He gave an excellent talk that included the current financial crisis, leadership, and how a Christians walks though this. Here are a few of the highlights I came away with:
This is going to be very bad…
I know everyone’s pretty much sold on this news, but it’s worth hearing again to remind ourselves to act soberly and responsibly: this is the worst recession any of us will have lived through and we face some very hard years ahead.
…But don’t get fixated on bad news
Every journalist knows that a bad news story is ‘better’ for them than a good one, so be wary of a sense of unremitting negativity that comes from taking everything the media says at face value. I would add to this the Bible’s perspective that things will get simultaneously worse and better: the darkness will get darker but the light will get brighter as the glory of the Lord increasingly breaks out in greater measure.
The need for new creativity
Up until recently, financial markets have been a crucible for innovation and, therefore, innovative people. What our economy really needs is new thinking in other industries. As the promise of high-salaried careers in the City recedes fresh thinkers will hopefully be attracted to other trades. Creativity is a gift from God (Exodus 31:3), will creative Christians respond to this challenge?
Leadership principles
Leaders see the future more clearly than the people around them so one of the ways they serve others is by showing them the future and helping them get there. Servant leadership is also prepare to change its style to get the job done, and helps people through the end of a project with their heads help high, even if the project ends in perceived failure.
Hearing God’s encouragement
Through comments from employees about his leadership integrity, he was able to hear God’s ‘well done’. We must remember how creatively God speaks to us and keep our ears open at all times.
Keep praying
Knowing that other people in his church were praying for him, and continually expressing his reliance on God has given him strength he would not otherwise have had.
Having a humble attitude towards his life
Highly aware of all the blessings he has received, there was no sense of entitlement or throwing his toys out of the pram when things didn’t go his way. Being able to humbly trust God for the future came from continual reliance on God in the present.
This is going to be very bad…
I know everyone’s pretty much sold on this news, but it’s worth hearing again to remind ourselves to act soberly and responsibly: this is the worst recession any of us will have lived through and we face some very hard years ahead.
…But don’t get fixated on bad news
Every journalist knows that a bad news story is ‘better’ for them than a good one, so be wary of a sense of unremitting negativity that comes from taking everything the media says at face value. I would add to this the Bible’s perspective that things will get simultaneously worse and better: the darkness will get darker but the light will get brighter as the glory of the Lord increasingly breaks out in greater measure.
The need for new creativity
Up until recently, financial markets have been a crucible for innovation and, therefore, innovative people. What our economy really needs is new thinking in other industries. As the promise of high-salaried careers in the City recedes fresh thinkers will hopefully be attracted to other trades. Creativity is a gift from God (Exodus 31:3), will creative Christians respond to this challenge?
Leadership principles
Leaders see the future more clearly than the people around them so one of the ways they serve others is by showing them the future and helping them get there. Servant leadership is also prepare to change its style to get the job done, and helps people through the end of a project with their heads help high, even if the project ends in perceived failure.
Hearing God’s encouragement
Through comments from employees about his leadership integrity, he was able to hear God’s ‘well done’. We must remember how creatively God speaks to us and keep our ears open at all times.
Keep praying
Knowing that other people in his church were praying for him, and continually expressing his reliance on God has given him strength he would not otherwise have had.
Having a humble attitude towards his life
Highly aware of all the blessings he has received, there was no sense of entitlement or throwing his toys out of the pram when things didn’t go his way. Being able to humbly trust God for the future came from continual reliance on God in the present.