Word for the day “The ROI leadership contribution”
Philippians 2:4 (KJV) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others”.
Beloved leaders,
The reward of investing in the lives of people is amazing. It’s rewarding to get a good return on investment. In business, we invest money, time, and people resources into promoting a product and service in hopes of a return. We make financial investments in hopes we can gain a return on our money invested. Today’s message I share a glimpse of the servant leader apostle Paul who understood another kind of investment. It was an investment in the spiritual lives of people.
The proverbial servant leader Paul invested his life in many men and women, but for today I’d like to share his investment in a man named Epaphras. When we look at Epaphras life we get a glance at how he was a man deeply impacted by Paul’s investment in him. Paul makes reference to Epaphras when writing to the Colossians: “You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit” (Col 1:7-8).
It can be rewarding to invest in the lives of people. We also get a glimpse at what legacy looks like when considering the relationship between Paul and Epaphras. Legacy is primarily passing forward an influential life contribution inside of the personhood of another individual or people. This person or people then carry and share this influence wherever they go, and with whomever they encounter.
A basic understanding of what ROI means to us today.
The first letter, R, in the ROI definition of leadership is Replication. But it’s often the last item to get our attention. It’s clear in servant leadership that you can’t call yourself a leader until you have helped to develop another leader.
The second letter, O, in the ROI definition of leadership is Ownership. You are not a leader until you take ownership of the outcomes of your influence. A true leader takes ownership of everything that happens from their influence, whether the outcome is good or bad.
The third letter, I, in the ROI definition of leadership, means Influence. It is the capacity of a leader to affect the beliefs, values, and actions of other people around her/him. Influence is different from positional power. People follow a person of influence not because they have to but because they choose to.
Please be informed, and reminded leaders cultivate influence, measure the health of their influence, and actively work to expand their sphere of influence.
One day I received this note from a spiritual daughter of whom I had made an ROI contribution: saying “I wanted to take the time to thank you for your help, time, support, prayers, and encouragement while completing my work rotation. Blessings to you and your family”. I’ve learned throughout my journey many times we don’t realize the difference we can make in another person's life.
For us, it can seem a natural way of operating. We may not even think we are doing anything unusual. Until one day, you receive a note like this one. In the marketplace, we can often focus on the projects we are called to promote and gain a return on. However, we each need to be making an investment in the lives of the people we encounter as well.
Point to ponder
Are you investing in the lives of people that may be in your sphere of influence through your workplace assignment? The returns on this investment are beyond measure for your life and those lives you touch.
If you’d like to know more about serving and making contributions in the lives of people, feel free to write me @GraceandTruthLeadership@gmail.com, Have an amazing day!
Special thanks!
James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of December 2022 by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st-century season: Special thanks to Ms. Annette Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Jeanette Grant, Ms. Angela Battle, Ms. Cynthia Artis-Waiters, Ms. Michelle Winder Branch, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mrs. Shakeema Lowe, Mr. Calvin Griffith, Mrs. Angela Harrison, Ms. Shawna Chester, Ms. Jennifer Sanchez, Mr. William Wilson, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.
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Kingdom Blessings,