"The
leader of the future will be one who creates a culture or
a value system centered upon principles. Creating such a
culture will be an exciting challenge in this new era and
will only be achieved by leaders who have the vision,
courage and humility to constantly learn and grow. Those
who have a passion for learning through listening, seeing
emerging trends, sensing and anticipating needs in the
marketplace, evaluating past successes and mistakes, and
absorbing the lessons that conscience and principles teach
us will have enduring influence. Such leaders will not
resist change; they will embrace it" (Stephen Covey
in the Peter Drucker book "Leader of the
Future").
Stubbornness, a characteristic of donkeys, is one of the
greatest barriers to learning. Entrepreneurs are certainly
stubborn! The Bible offers us the promise of being able to
learn from God Himself, but warns against stubbornness
which only leads to becoming controlled by the boss! "I
will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the
horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be
controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to
you" (Psalm 32:8, 9). To live is to learn!
Advice and counsel is so important to be able to make good
decisions in this world which is becoming ever more
interconnected, and in which business becomes ever more
complex and dynamic, making the necessity to constantly
learn so extremely important. He who doesn't learn,
doesn't grow, and he who doesn't grow is dying. "The
ability to learn faster than your competitors," said
Arie De Geus, head of planning at Royal Dutch/Shell,
"may be the only competitive advantage you
have."
This ability to learn is an essential skill of the
disciple. Indeed, a disciple means literally "to
learn." As Jesus invited us to "learn from
me," He also tells us that "all that I
have heard from my Father I have made known to you" (John
15:15). Learning starts by listening. Listening is much
easier if it is quiet! Are you taking time this week to
listen to what Jesus wants to tell you? A "quiet
time" each day in which you shut out all other noises
and listen to Jesus will pay great dividends!
God spoke to the disciples on a special occasion, "This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen
to him!" (Matthew 17:5). However, learning
without doing is only knowledge.
"Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do
what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a
mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who
looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has
heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he
does." (James 1:23-25).
A donkey has big ears! Learn to use them! There is a story
in the Bible about a donkey which could speak (Numbers
22-24)! You can also learn to listen to what the donkey
(business, assets, burden, career, and money - anything
you use to get you places) is trying to say to you. We
will look at this next week.
Peter Briscoe
Peter J.
Briscoe, currently serving as European Regional Director for
CBMC International and Europartners. He lives in Leiden, The
Netherlands.
