The Power of a Positive Team

Being positive won’t guarantee you’ll succeed. But being negative will guarantee you won’t. - Jon Gordon

One day after a fun birthday celebration, I find myself reflecting on the past year.  I started the year with Jon Gordon’s approach, using One Word to focus your energy for the year.  My one word was “Optimism.”

That was an important focus for both work and home.  As Cody, our 10th grade son, recently put it, “We miss Katy’s positive vibe around the house.”  Katy is doing extremely well adjusting to her first year in college at Dallas Baptist University.  She surprised us all with a visit home this weekend.  What a great birthday gift!

On the work front, I encouraged our executive leadership team for NASA’s Human Resources organization to read Jon Gordon’s The Power of Positive Leadership.  We all appreciate the importance of positive leadership, as we continue to push for significant changes in the way we deliver HR services for NASA; and the book offered us a common, positive language as we focus on the future!

Last summer, when Jennifer and I took Katy to Nantucket for her high school graduation trip, I picked up a copy of Gordon’s latest work, The Power of a Positive Team:  Proven Principles and Practices that Make Teams Great. 

Click here for my summary of Gordon’s The Power of a Positive Team.

From Peacemaker to Persecuted?

The early Church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity. - Leonard Ravenhill

Jesus Christ’s Eighth Beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount—“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”—aligns well with the Fruit of the Spirt gentleness. (Check out my Leadership Tips aligned with the Fruit of the Spirit, where I note that gentleness is tied to the leadership skill of asking questions.)

If you have ever been persecuted for Jesus Christ, you can likely see the connection. How should the Christian respond when he is persecuted for righteousness’ sake? Should he shoot back? Should he revile back? Should he be as aggressive as his aggressor? No. His attitude should be one of gentleness.  1 Peter 2:23 says, “When He (Jesus) was reviled, (He) did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten.”  That is gentleness. And Peter says that the Christians are to be like Jesus.

When you are mocked, you don’t revile back. When they scream at you, you don’t shout back. Be like Jesus who was gentle and lowly in heart  (Click here for a summary of Michael Youssef’s book The Leadership Style of Jesus.) 

Click here to learn more about the Eighth Beatitude