May 19. Do What I Say.

As a leader of a team, providing value to others matters. It is easy sometimes to get caught up in the value proposition for the clients and customers and to fail to remember the value proposition we provide to our team members. We have two items for sure to deliver to our teams.

They are doing and saying. You have probably heard the phrase, "Do what I say, not what I do." But here is a turn on that phrase, "Do what I do, in your own way!" That puts the accountability on us as leaders in the form of our actions. As team leaders, our actions and behaviors are important.

They set the tone of the relationship and its tone will establish some limits to our success. The actions can be like musical chords that harmonize. Others can be in tune and create a melody beyond our one single tone. When our actions are in opposition to our words then the relationships are probably going to weaken.

We set the stage for people to be out of key in either the sharp or flat degrees. They might even change keys. Weakened relationships eventually result in reduced value propositions. Where in the last thirty days have your actions of doing been at a lower standard than you might want in the organization?

Where have we as leaders fallen short of the example we want to display and lead with? Are we comfortable expecting our team to be doing what we do? If not, what is the first thing you can do about it in the next week?

In the Bible, we have several examples to study, understand and hopefully pattern our doing after. King Saul showed us how to be paranoid and revengeful. It seems unless he was at war with another country, he was going to hunt for David and bring him to his doom.

David on the other hand, had a different attitude on doing. Do you remember when Saul went into the cave alone? Find it in 1 Samuel 24. David and his group were hiding in the back. It would have been easy to end this rivalry right then. But David chose to cut a piece of the cloth from Saul's robe.

That action moved Saul emotionally. David’s’ doing changed the expectation of his team and then transformed Saul when David shared the event with words. When Jesus was walking around Solomon's porch, the Jewish leaders were following him. They listened intently for what he was saying.

But Jesus was explaining to them that what he was doing was more important than the words. They could not even understand his words because they wanted the words to meet their perception. Our actions can speak louder and with more clarity than our words.

Where can my actions this week set a better example in my walk with Christ? Will you share your change with others through words, action, or both? What is the first thing I can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you have created us as a people who are constantly doing. You have asked us to follow, to worship, and to love among others. We pray today that you might come alongside us as we decide to do.

Help us to assist others to do as we do when we are loving, forgiving, and worshiping. Encourage others to teach us how to do what they do as well. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,