Lists, lists, and more lists...

It seems we are obsessed with lists. Ten things you must do to be successful. Seven habits to avoid. Thirteen foods you must never eat. (I hope Brussels sprouts are on that list.) List after list after list.

I’ll admit, I read some of them. But rarely do I take all of them (as we would say in Texas) lock, stock and barrel.
I try to glean a few thoughts and discard the rest.

And I did that recently on a list of 25 Leadership Lessons from Millionaire Business Owners. Some of the ideas were predictable. Prioritize and delegate. Hire people with superior skills. Give employees expectations and training.

But some of the ideas put forth by these billionaire leaders were surprising.

• Be nice.
• Set the tone for others to emulate.
• Plan for fun.
• Communicate effectively.
• Be a lighthouse, not a weathervane. In the midst of our quickly changing world, your employees need someone they can look to for guidance.
• Encourage employees to get more sleep.
• Write thank-you notes.
• Hold yourself accountable.There is nothing magical in these suggestions. It won’t transform your ministry or organization overnight. It will, however, begin a culture of caring and guiding that will translate over time into employee satisfaction, growth, and longevity. And it will make it a joy to show up each day to serve.

  Remember…we work as unto the Lord. And that should always be a joy.

  [blockquote author=”Psalm 100:2″ link=”” target=”_blank”]Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.[/blockquote]