A lot of leaders are like me. They want to change the world and change their organization, but they don’t want to change themselves. It seems like many people are looking for the silver bullet which would give them success. It took me many years to realize that success comes only from God. It’s a process. Even with God’s help, it’s hard and takes time. There are five essential transformations that you, your career, or your organization must go through to realize your potential.
The five essentials are the same regardless of your vocation. They work in business, non-profit organizations, churches, and ministries. They work in small or large organizations. They can also be applied to your individual life and your family life.
This book is organized in five major sections related to each of the five essentials and the transformation required:
1. Purpose
2. People
3. Priorities
4. Power
5. Progress
These will be discussed in more detail in blog posts that follow. Below are the 5 Essentials, the transformation involved, and the Scriptural basis for each:
1. Purpose — From pursuing your plans for your life, career, and organization to God’s calling and purpose for you, your career, and your organization. God created you for a purpose and has significant plans for you.
”For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you not to harm you.” – Jeremiah 29:11
“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in your book were written all the days that were dreamed for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” – Psalm 139:16
“For you have been called for this purpose …” – 1 Peter 2:21
2. People — From using people to understanding them and partnering with them to achieve God’s plans.
“Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you.” – Jeremiah 6:3
“I knew you before you were even conceived.” – Jeremiah 1:4-5
3. Priorities — From trying to have and do it all to realizing what is important.
“The way is narrow that leads to life.” – Matthew 7:14
”I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10
4. Power — From trying to grab more power for yourself to empowering others to achieve their calling in life.
“Do not look out merely for your own interests. Look out for the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:4
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45
“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.” – Matthew 23:11
“Have this attitude in yourselves which also was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself taking the form of a bond-servant…” – Philippians 2:6-7
5. Progress — From “firefighting” and playing the “blame game” to realizing and sharing steady progress.
“A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 28:20
“Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded them, and gained five more.” – Matthew 25:16
For more detailed instruction on the 5 Essentials for Organizational and Personal Success, please consider reading Good King / Bad King, Which One Are You?
