{"id":30803,"date":"2023-02-13T09:00:45","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T17:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=30803"},"modified":"2023-02-04T09:54:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-04T17:54:45","slug":"rome-wasnt-built-in-a-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/rome-wasnt-built-in-a-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been reading, nay, freebasing (that’s the only drug term I know) leadership books, conferences, resources, consultations, seminars and symposiums for decades and decades. Like a “user,” I couldn’t get enough. If you put me in the business section of a bookstore I’m like a kid in a candy shop. I can quote John Maxwell [1] in my sleep. I saw Andy Stanley [2] at an airport, and fanboy’ed like a school girl. Yah, I had it bad.<\/p>\n

And like many users, I remember overdosing.<\/p>\n

This is a tough admission to a cohort of Doctor of Leadership seminarians, but it’s true. I bottomed out. I couldn’t pick up another leadership book for some time. It made me sick to my stomach. There was a long season in which about all I was able to read was my Bible and anything by Eugene Peterson. Thank you Mr. Peterson. [3]<\/p>\n

Now, obviously…and thankfully (due to the nature of this doctoral degree), I am back on the leadership bike. Like I said, my drug references are very limited, so now I’m onto sports analogies, of which I have very few draw from as well.<\/p>\n

My most recent fascination is with James Clear’s “Atomic Habits.” [4] It’s been on every bestselling list for years now, for good reason. It’s solid. In a blog post Clear writes that “Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.” [5] The commonplace phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day” comes from the English playwright\u00a0John Heywood, who also gave us such gems as\u00a0\u201cOut of sight, out of mind,\u201d\u00a0\u201cBetter late than never,\u201d\u00a0\u201cThe more the merrier\u201d and\u00a0\u201cMany hands make light work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thank you Mr. Heywood.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The idea behind this adage is that the construction of Rome is an example that time is needed to create something great. Clear’s riff on it adds the caveat that although it took considerable time and effort to develop the Roman Empire, it still was necessary to consistently lay bricks every hour.<\/p>\n

This is why I appreciated Eve Pooles assertion that “Leaders are not born, they are made.” [6] Poole continues, “To me, the word \u2018leadership\u2019 itself is problematic. It feels more like title or status than an on-going activity. So I am going to call it \u2018leadersmithing\u2019, because it is about apprenticeship, craft and hours of practice.” [7] It’s this sort of contrarian approach that brought me back from the edge of my “leadership overdose.” As a matter of fact, the resource that did more than any other book in bringing me back from the edge was “The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership” by Steven B. Sample. A gold standard book that I return to often. Thank you Mr. Sample. [8]<\/p>\n

Although I was not a fan of Poole’s “52 playing cards” motif (unfortunately, comprising the entire 2nd half of the book), I could not argue with the strong emphasis upon character and apprenticeship, as formative components of the “smithing” of leaders. “Courage, grit, determination \u2013 these character traits are the stuff of leadership when the chips are down. While confidence can be faked, character is real.” [9] These are traits that I look for both in myself and the leaders that are around me, in particular, those that are beginning in their ministry assignments (ie: apprentices). Poole says that “Apprenticeship used to be the main way you entered trade.” [10] I too have seen this in ministry circles. The majority of senior pastors that I know began as youth workers in a local church. Character was formed and forged within the heat of serving faithfully, and, in time, many were invited into larger arenas of leadership. Again, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour. Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25:11 punctuates the point, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”<\/p>\n

The question Poole asks is “What do we know now that we wish we would have known 10 years ago?” \u00a0I will take permission in expanding the timeframe to 20, 30 or 40 years ago. As I approach my 30th year of licensed and ordained ministry, I can say with certainty that I wish I would have known then what I am just beginning to know now:<\/p>\n

Leadership takes time.<\/p>\n

Be patient.<\/p>\n

Be faithful.<\/p>\n

Keep laying bricks.<\/p>\n

Don’t give up.<\/p>\n

And, lastly, say no to drugs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]. https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/John_C._Maxwell<\/p>\n

[2]. https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Stanley<\/p>\n

[3]. https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eugene_H._Peterson<\/p>\n

[4]. https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break\/dp\/0735211299\/ref=zg_bs_books_sccl_4\/140-5318061-9534226?psc=1<\/p>\n

[5]. https:\/\/jamesclear.com\/lay-a-brick<\/p>\n

[6]. Poole, Eve. page 2.<\/p>\n

[7]. Poole, Eve. page 3.<\/p>\n

[8]. https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Contrarians-Guide-Leadership-Steven-Sample\/dp\/0787967076<\/p>\n

[9]. Poole, Eve. page 47.<\/p>\n

[10]. Poole, Eve. page 59.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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