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Bring Back the Joy --- B B t J . O r g
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JESUS, CEO by Laurie Beth Jones
(A Book Review by Virginia H. Lane) What do you mean, Jesus was a CEO? And even if he was, what does that have to do with me? These were questions I asked when my husband spotted the book, Jesus, CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership, at a local office supply store. We didn't buy the book that day; however, the title stayed with me. As I meditated on Jesus' life during my daily Bible readings, I began to be curious about this subject. After getting a copy of the book, I found that Laurie Beth Jones shows her readers how the "Man from Galilee" used business principles that we should emulate. Business is simply about how people, resources and money should be dealt with. Consider that each person is the master of his own life. It's so easy to blame others when things go wrong. However, the real truth is that in most cases, the choices that we have made are the major factor in success or failure of any project. One doesn't have to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company--or a business of any kind--to apply these principles. They can be used in family life or when running the rummage sale for your local church. Jones spent 20 years of life in preparation and discovery before expressing the concept of Jesus as a CEO. In many businesses she saw "invaluable human energy and intelligence untapped and underutilized" as well as many situations of abuse, neglect, and violence within corporations. She wrote Jesus, CEO "to help turn the tide and to empower people in all layers of leadership to re-view the divine excellence in themselves and in those they serve." Jones calls her concept of leadership, the Omega management style. She coined this in response to the Alpha and Beta management styles of contemporary business. Jesus of course is the Alpha and the Omega in scripture. The concepts presented are divided into three areas: self-mastery, actions and relationship. Chapters supporting each main point are primarily 2-3 pages of easy reading that combine stories of Jesus in 1st century life with examples from 20th century life and how to incorporate the principles into ones' own leadership. For instance, Jones quoted a woman who shared the secret of her successful company. She said "It's simple. Whenever the phone rings, I say to myself, 'That's God on the line,' and then I think about all the ways I can serve that person...." This relates to how one should treat every person with whom one has contact as a child of God. Jones believes that the way one treats their staff members is reflected in their happiness and productivity. Management should learn about themselves (self mastery), share what they know by doing (action) while forming, motivating and challenging a cohesive team (relationship) to greater achievements. My husband and I have found that many people in ministry rebel at the thought of "business." But life is a business. We (all of us) have to balance checkbooks, buy groceries, and interact with people during our daily activities. The real issue is when business people are ruthless and will do anything to make money. Jones contends that one will have greater and lasting success when one abandons greed for love and servanthood as demonstrated by Jesus. Jesus became famous in a short period of time (3 1/2 years of active ministry) and still influences the world today. He led a team of 12 men (plus countless women and unnamed "others") into knowledge of God's Plan through demonstration of His Love. They in turn revolutionized the world. The real concept of business is the process of pulling together resources, by mobilizing people with a common vision into relationships where they pull together toward the common goal as defined by the vision. This includes caring for your people and maintaining your resources as well as adding to them as necessary. Jesus was a servant. He cared about people; he healed them and he fed them. He gave of himself. He was a leader who inspired others. Jesus introduced the disciples to the bigger picture of salvation and their place in sharing the gospel message to the world. It is valuable to know that one has a contribution to make that will impact the future, it is a great motivator. Within any organization, management should make every employee feel that they are part of the group and a factor in the success or failure of the whole. These are only a few of the principles given in Jesus, CEO. Jesus, a household name around the world, shared himself and God the Father with his friends and followers. A good leader can do the same by applying the Biblical principles of management as enumerated by Jones. No matter what our level of management (prince or peon), we can find satisfaction by following the example of Jesus in matters of business. This material touched me as a confirmation of what I already know in my spirit to do. It reminded me of the books by Prevention that I've sometimes ordered. I've often said "I know all that" and sent the book back. Of course, the big question is "Am I doing it?" If not, then I know it intellectually but not in my heart. In reading Jesus, CEO, I was convicted that I should indeed question my motives and methods--and with God's help, begin to seriously put the Omega Principles into practice. By doing so, I will emulate Christ and show his love to others. On the back cover: "Jones presents Jesus not as a religious messiah but as an executive leader....a kind of how-to-manual for succeeding as corporate officers--internally, externally, and for eternity." San Diego Union Tribune
After many years in business, Laurie Beth Jones was struck by the notion
that Jesus' leadership approach with his staff ran counter to most of the
management styles and techniques employed today. Dismayed to fine invaluable
human energy and intelligence untapped and underutilized, Jones has
made it her goal to help empower people at all levels of leadership by encouraging
them to re-view the divine excellence in themselves and in those they serve.
By harnessing the three categories of strength behind Jesus' leadership
techniques (the strength of self-mastery, the strength of action, and the
strength of relationships), each of us can become the empowered leaders that
the next millennium will require. Success in management required all
three strengths, and in Jesus, CEO, Laurie Beth Jones creates a plan
to heighten awareness in each category and assists you in the process of
mastering them all. Following the example of Jesus--a "CEO" who took
a disorganized "staff" of twelve and built a thriving enterprise--Jesus,
CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership details a simple,
profound, fresh, and often humor-filled approach to motivating and managing
others.Laurie Beth Jones is President and founder of The Jones Group, an advertising, marketing and business development firm whose mission is "to recognize, promote, and inspire divine excellence." Laurie divides her time between in offices in California and her horse ranch in the Southwest. |
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