This week we continue in through the book of “Leadership & Self-Deception. We have learned over the past several weeks about our thinking, our emotions, our rational and how are relationships with others can be analyzed.
We came to understand about our self-deception and how we go against the very nature that God has put in us. Today we will read chapter 15 “Box Focus” and face the challenge of living with boxes and other people either in our out of their boxes. Then we will face a little test to keep us focused.
If we get so focused on our box, their box and how not to collude and provoke, some times we can lose focus of the forrest because of the tree in front of us.
Read Chapter 15 “Box Focus”
When we’re in the box, what motivates us most is the need for justification, and what will bring us justification is very often at odds with what is best for the organization.
In the box we provoke others to get in the box—both with us and against us. We and our allies withhold information, for example, which gives others reason to do the same. We try to control others, which provokes the very resistance that we feel the need to control all the more. We withhold resources from others, who then feel the need to protect resources from us. We blame others for dragging their feet and in so doing give them reason to feel justified in dragging their feet all the more.
We can get so focused and impacted on the boxes that we lose the focus of where we are at and what we are doing.
What are some examples in your life where the boxes obstruct your ability to focus on your purpose?
Throughout our days we can improve on identifying our boxes and have ever improving boundaries with others. Learning to acknowledge others as people, and less like objects. We then can go about our day defining who is for us and who is a challenge or opposed to us.
Can you relate to the challenge of “picking teams” during your days?
Biblical example
We step into a moment in history with Joshua, right after he took command of leading the Israelites from Moses. Just prior to this scene, They had sent some spies to get information of the people of Jericho. There a prostitute, Rahab, helped hide the spies so they could return to Joshua with vital information.
Josuha is a focused leader he is listening to God and attempting to lead the Israelites to conquer the city of Jericho. But there gets to a point where a challenge is laid before him, let’s turn to Joshua 5 and read 13 through 15.
We can all get so focused on relationships and goals that we actually forget what we are doing. Joshua asks the “commander of the Lord’s army” if he was with him or his enemy.
What is the challenge with that question? What should have been asked?
There are many times we get so focused on life, boxes and others that we forget who we are following.
Do you have situations in your life where there are some people apparently doing something for God, but it is not in your passion, ministry or plans?
This week continue to focus on who’s plan and objectives you are striving for.
The Arbinger Institute. Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box (pp. 108-109). Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Kindle Edition.