Three words that repay reflection
Every once in a while, not often, but not never, you stumble across someone who puts into words precisely what you believe but were never able to articulate.
On those rare occasions you feel an immediate affinity with that someone, whether he or she is a published author, high profile speaker or the barista at your favorite coffee shop.
One of those people in my life is author and consultant Patrick Lencioni. Patrick possesses the unique ability of making profound observations simple. I know several preachers who possess the opposite gift, but not Patrick.
A little more than a year ago Patrick published yet another book that ambushed me with its succinct and potent truth. He described the kinds of people you want to have on your team. His description of them was only three words in length. He said everyone wants to be surrounded by people who are humble, hungry and smart. Humble people don’t let their ego get in the way. They don’t need credit. They play for the team not themselves.
Hungry people strive to accomplish more and don’t become complacent. They are selfstarters and hard workers. His use of the word “smart,” refers more to emotional intelligence than book smarts. These are individuals who behave in interpersonally appropriate ways and are conscious of the impact they have on others.
As a consultant, Patrick naturally develops each concept and unpacks the more complicated issues of people who have only one of the three coveted traits, or two of the three and what consequence that has on their team.
The first time I read this book I did so from the typical perspective of being better equipped to assemble the teams I work with. His insight was invaluable.
However, I recently re-read the book and it hit me from a different angle.This time the question confronting me was, “What kind of teammate am I?”
To what extent do I embody the three coveted traits in the way I relate to my teams?
The exercise took me directly to St. Paul’s encouragement that each time we attempt to correct or restore someone else who has stumbled and fallen into a ditch we should first consider ourselves.
It is always appropriate to take a long look in the mirror before talking with others about their flaws. Failure to first examine our own behavior often results in a selfrighteous demeanor which rarely ends well.
It is impossible not to notice that we are living in a pretty broken and messed up world. On a daily basis new examples emerge of yet one more person who crossed boundaries and engaged in hurtful, inappropriate behavior. It’s become easy to go online, turn on the television or gather in a coffee shop and rehearse the screw ups of others. Lencioni and St. Paul suggest a better alternative. They call us to examine our own lives.
The church, or organized religion, or whatever you want to call it, has gotten lots wrong over the years. There is no use pretending otherwise. But we have gotten some things right and one of those is that as an indispensable part of Holy Communion we are encouraged to engage in self-examination. In fact, more than that, we are encouraged to ask God to shine His light on our lives and let us know what He sees. It’s a practice which, if taken seriously, re-orients us each time we do it.
From now on one additional area I’m going to probe with God in my moments of introspection during Holy Communion is to consider how I’m doing on the humble, hungry and smart fronts. Early indicators for me are that there is plenty of room for growth. How about you?
Tim Schroeder is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Kelowna. This column appears Saturdays in Okanagan Weekend.