I left my office job last year to squad lead for the World Race. It was pretty sudden, but fortunately a very competent man took my place.
While I was on the Race I was pretty serious about two things:
- Developing leaders
- Discipling the guys.
I didn’t have time to waste, so it was difficult for me to invest in everyone.
Fortunately, the first month had everyone together in Guatemala. That made it easy!
I made it a point to get one-on-one time with one guy in particular. We’ll call him Juan (because I really don’t know who’s going to read these blogs). Juan is 6’4” and could bench-press me all day.
I don’t know why I thought it a good idea to challenge Juan to a pizza-eating contest, but I did. By the time I finally caught up to him at piece thirteen I felt I’d puke if someone said the word pizza. As I sat there trying my best to hold all thirteen in my stomach (or whatever other nook and crannies a they might find in my digestive tract), he appeared from the kitchen, downing one more piece with ease and a smug grin.
Fast forward three months and I find out that Juan was struggling with a romantic interest on the squad. He didn’t act out of line, but she put him in an awkward position and he didn’t handle it as he should have. Now he lost credibility with the squad and others were dealing with the same challenge.
That day I had four conversations about the issue with people on the squad. I pulled Juan from leadership, told another guy if he didn’t shape up I would send him home and told the other leaders what I’d done.
I prayed afterward and asked that God would sort everything out, but I wasn’t worried.
It wasn’t difficult for me to have those conversations or to believe that things would come into alignment. I built a relationship with Juan and the other leaders and had trust. It wasn’t easy for them, but they grew thru it and the romance issue was put in its place.
My stomach paid the price for the amount of pizza I shoveled into it, but it was worth it.
It was easy for me to see that relationships with the people on the field were important to develop. We lived together and I was discipling them. For some reason, though, it hasn’t been as easy for me to see the same principle in the workplace.
I haven’t always been patient. In fact, I can think of a few times when I thought to myself in conversation, “Why is this person talking to me about nothing? They’re wasting my time.” I compartmentalize work time and play time. At home I can joke around and have a grand time. When I’m at work, I’m locked in on a project.
So, if I’m ever around your desk to test out a lame joke or tell a story it’s because I’m trying to blur the lines.
Who knows, if we’re working together, we may have a rocky patch down the road somewhere. I’d rather we have the relationship to endure.
