Recent talk about work, including a really good post by my friend Jen got me thinking again about the nature of work. I remembered hearing about a book by
Patrick Lencioni which dealt with this subject so I looked it up on Amazon.
Patrick Lencioni authored a book called “Three Signs of a Miserable Job.”
In a short video promoting the book he shares his memory of growing up and coming to a realization that his Dad had to spend eight hours a day at work. Patrick says this realization, “kind of freaked me out.”
What he found even more terrifying was that many people didn’t like their jobs. This later inspired him to write Three Signs of a Miserable Job. If you don’t want to read the book, though it is short, here are the three signs.
1. Anonymity
(When someone feels like their manager doesn’t know or care who they are as a person.)
2. Irrelevance
(When a person doesn’t understand how their job is significant.)
3. Immeasurement
(When a person cannot assess for themselves the difference their job makes.)
Though I haven’t actually read the book, I thought that these three signs even by themselves were very helpful and worth sharing.
I think that if even the few people that read this blog worked know and care about the people they managed, regularly emphasized and explained the significance of the work the employee was doing, and created a system where the person’s contribution could be measured and celebrated, that it would make a difference.
If you are not in a position to shape someone else’s work experience now, you probably will be someday. Take this knowledge with you. Employees and volunteers who are managed well will surely be better employees and volunteers.
Besides, who wants to be responsible for making someone else’s life miserable, when with some effort you could make it purposeful, relationally fulfilled and celebrated?
I wanted to conclude my three part series on the 
A New Strategy for Ministry Growth
September 17th, 2009I love strategic thinking and I love creativity. God made us creative beings and He gave us minds to to reason with. However, while I think we should think strategically and we should use our creativity to the glory of God, I think many 21st century Christians have a really inflated view about the importance of these things within church life and ministry.
Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)
He didn’t say everyone will absolutely flock to your church if you have the most cool environment. He didn’t say that if your graphic design is really provocative people will recognize your faith is superior. He said “love one another”, in the way that He loved us. “By this all men will know.”
If you’re rude, sarcastic, mean spirited and unkind to people around you, unbelievers who who see or experience such attitudes and behavior could care less about any of your other attempts to be relevant or your creative ideas to win them over.
So I ask you, are you loving those in your campus ministry and in your church the way that Jesus loves you? His love is expansive. (Ephesians 1) And His love isn’t rude or unkind; it never fails. (I Cor. 13)
In the midst of the craziness of life and ministry efforts let’s make sure we are getting that part right. Let’s not major on the minors while abandoning the essentials.
Obedience to Jesus may not be particularly creative or new, but it is definitely the most strategic thing you will ever do.
Love one another!
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Posted in Cultural Commentary, Theology
Tags: Leadership love ministry strategy