Perspective puts such an interesting wrinkle on things. My career has offered several very distinct perspectives on the business environment. Individual producer as a Sales Engineer, Sales Manager, General Manager of Operations and Sales, President of an entire organization and now Owner of a small business and Business Coach.
My current role as Business Coach has heightened my awareness of an interesting habit in many business people, including myself. Thinking back on prior experience, I’m certain this behavior is nothing new. It just stands out more against a back-drop of listening, coaching, offering counsel versus the common roar of operational noise in my earlier career.
The habit to which I’m referring is not listening to our own advice. A stronger description may apply, hypocrisy.
“You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? …” Luke 12:56 ESV
I truly hate it when that happens! The revelation of our past failings is a painful experience. But this same painful revelation also serves to lift us up if we let it. Jesus’ call in Luke 12 ( and many other verses of scripture ) is not just to call someone out for the sake of condemnation. The call is for recognition, repentance and reformation. Wake up!
A Business Coach listens to the client, considers the playing field, and facilitates an interactive dialogue. We seek to provide direction and a good playbook for the many business environments and associated circumstances. This is where the bright light of revelation shines which such intensity.
My clients are bright people. Often I listen to good ideas flowing freely from them as we discuss business actions and plans. Playing pitch and catch with the client’s ideas is a valuable drill that sometimes lets people solve their own problems. I’m just like many of my clients.
It’s easy for me to play pitch and catch with a business issue where someone else is struggling and feel pretty confident we’ll come up with some good solutions. And I always follow my own advice with strict discipline…Not!
Why do we do that? How do we know to interpret all kinds of things for others but hide all the mirrors in our own house when making our own decisions? God knows; literally.
The point here is to know that we need to check the mirror when we are making decisions. We should not hide from the wisdom that we might freely offer to another to protect our own pride. We should not preserve an unhealthy option to avoid short term discomfort.
Be honest with yourself. I need to be honest with myself.
This habit of not listening to our own advice is not just going to go away. It’s a resilient affliction we should take seriously.
Look in the mirror. Be honest with yourself. Find a trusted advisor with whom you can toss around your issues, bring your true self to God in prayer over everything.
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