Effective before Respected

Article Posted on Clear Truth Media

DEVELOPED BEFORE DISCOVERED

I was walking into a pretty important meeting that we'd been working hard to build for some time when I realized we'd left an important piece of our presentation.  I verbalized it on the fly, basically talking to myself.  One of the young guys on the team heard me and said, "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

He isn't an athlete and he sweats really easily.  He hustled back well over a mile and caught a cab back.  Meanwhile, I went on into the meeting.  No one ever knew there was an issue except this now totally sweat-covered young leader and myself.  He already had my confidence.  It skyrocketed that day.

He intuitively knew a great principle:

BEING EFFECTIVE COMES BEFORE BEING RESPECTED.

I wouldn't have asked him to do what he did.  But, because he laid aside the natural desire of wanting his person to be seen in a positive light and amped up his desire to see our initiative move forward, whatever the personal cost, he received my respect and the respect of others...as he helped deliver the win.

Too often, we start out wanting respect and an easy path to it.  We go directly for respect.  But, the path to being respected goes through the grind of working to be effective.  Hustle. Heart. Grit. Practice. Study. Execution. Consistency. Predictability.

Too many people want to be discovered more than they want the grind of being developed.  One of the worst things that can happen to us is for us to be discovered before we are developed.  It can lead to a crash as a result of our undergirding and foundation not being built out enough.

BUT, if we will take the time to work the disciplines and build our foundation, to labor in obscurity...joyfully as if that moment is the most important moment, then when a crisis arises, an opportunity presents itself, we not only have the opportunity to rise, we are READY to rise to the challenge.

Before David handled Goliath, he handled a lion and a bear.  Before he handled a lion and a bear, he handled the sheep.  You can't esteem the battle with Goliath and despise the lion or bear...or despise sitting in a pasture by yourself.

Do you want to be respected? Be effective.

Want to be discovered? Be developed.

Want to slay Goliath? Thrive in and love the pasture and sheep.

Wherever you work, whatever you do, go conquer your day.  Do your best with whatever is in front of you, not just the big things.  Excel in the little things repeatedly and with passion.  They lead to greater responsibility and opportunity and the staying power to excel in those moments.