Are You In The Right Room?
I once heard John Maxwell say, “If you’re the most intelligent person in the room, you’re in the wrong room!” Sometimes I wonder why I am in the room and what I can learn by being there. But last week I KNEW that I was where I was supposed to be…
When I was growing up, I was told on a daily basis that I was an idiot. Worse still, it was my dad who kept on telling me that. Needless to say, it affected my belief and self-esteem. Sadly, I had no idea that my father would call everyone an idiot. I wasn’t the special one, singled out for my gifting!
There are times when we should be encouraged, and we need to hear those words of affirmation. There are other times when we will be the delivery mechanism for others who need the encouragement.
As a leader, where do you go to get your encouragement? Are you investing in yourself, or simply investing in others.
If you are a CEO, here are three things that you can consider:
- Join a group of like-minded people. Where do people like yourself gather? Is there an in-person group or an online one that you can find and join? Sometimes you need to jump on LinkedIn and see what is available. Quite often these tend to be closed groups, where you have to apply to join. I have often found that jumping through some of these hoops is worthwhile as it helps to authenticate the members are the right ones for this group.
In Philippians 2:2-8, the bible talks about unity through humility. It says, “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
- Join the conversation. Once you get there, make sure that you don’t become a wallflower. Don’t sit in the corner and spend all your time observing. Worse still, don’t ignore this group and avoid it. You have two choices. Like Groucho Marx who said, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member” you can choose to ignore them. Or, as I like to say, “Join ‘em, and become part of the tribe, and if you’re not meant to be there, the tribe will vote you out at the next tribal council!” (You can tell that I’m a Survivor super-fan!) If you can, use this as a chance to ask great questions and see what the wisdom in the room says.
I would encourage you to speak up. If you are timid, have faith that God will provide you with the words that you need, as it states in Acts 18:9-10: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
- Join a mastermind. If you haven’t come across this concept, please let me explain… A mastermind group is a group of peers and partners united in their goals and committed to coordinating their knowledge for mutual benefit. People in a mastermind group tend to hold one another accountable for achieving their goals. Whilst they most often are made up by people who represent various backgrounds, some can be made up of people who work within the same field. You can ask members of your mastermind questions about things you are struggling with, and they can help you find solutions.
There is power in getting together with others. This is demonstrated by James 5:16 that encourages us to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
I have been blessed that I have worked with many mastermind groups over the years. They have challenged me, supported me and picked me up when I was down. I am forever grateful for the impact that they have made in my life. I can safely say that I can attribute some of my successes directly to the input that others have had in my life.
Someone recently asked me to explain what I did. I responded by saying that I help leaders lead. “We all do,” was her reply. “What do you really do?”
Here’s what I said:
“Well, let me explain… Imagine running a company where the buck starts and stops with you. It’s lonely at the top and you can make decisions which can make or break you. You can lose your house, your marriage and your kids… I am there to help and guide you.
“Now imagine being in a room, with 18 other Like-minded CEOs where you can bring your issues and discuss them in a confidential environment.
“I put you in touch with other Like-minded CEOs who can use their cumulative wisdom to help you resolve your issue and stop you from making the mistakes that can ruin your life.”
If you’re the smartest person in the room, it’s time for you to find another room…