In a speech to West Point cadets following the Persian Gulf War, Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf put into perspective not only our strength in the military but also our strength in business, church and family. Addressing the young men and women who will play a leading role in our country’s military future, Schwarzkopf said: “In the final analysis, you should never forget that the airplanes don’t fly, the tanks don’t run, the ships don’t sail, the missiles don’t fire, unless the sons and daughters of America make them do it. It’s just that simple.”
Leaders must realize the critical need of selecting the right people is more important than ever, and people’s importance is more powerful than ever. As Schwarzkopf also said, “If they fail, their leader fails.”
People are any organization’s foundation. Think about it. In a family, without people meals are not prepared, money is not earned, bills are not paid, love and care are not given, safety and security are not provided. In a business, without people sales are not made, production does not occur, research is not conducted. In a church, without people classes are not taught, committees do not function, programs do not run, services do not take place.
Unless men and women make it happen, it does not happen. It is just that simple.
Putting the right people in the right place at the right time is a critical component of leadership. Select the right people and churches, businesses and organizations thrive. Select the wrong people and the door swings open for problems that stifle growth and productivity and hurt credibility.
Often in selecting people for jobs, we make a lot of assumptions. An effective leader needs to minimize those assumptions by employing a selection process that puts the right person in the right job at the right time.
How do we select the right people? Here’s what to look for:
People who are called. Called people are motivated by something deep within themselves, not by the accomplishments of outward adornments.
Called people are purpose driven. There is a deep purpose about their lives that flows from a divine perspective. Called people are not trying to promote themselves but a higher cause. People who are called discover something bigger than themselves—a mission, a challenge, a goal, or a movement, that draws them into an arena.
Called people have a sense that God’s hand is upon them whether they are engaged in a secular or a Christian vocation. They know that God has directed them to whatever type of service or work they provide. They experience a “have to” feeling. In other words, they do not feel a sense of choice in the matter. Consequently, they do not quit, and could not quit if they wanted to.
People who have character. Character is a high standard of living based on a personal morality code that doesn’t succumb to a moment’s whim or the majority’s dictates. Character is to personal integrity what health is to the body. People with integrity have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Their lives are an open book.
Character is not reputation—what others think of us; nor is it success—what we have accomplished. Character embodies the total of our being and our actions. It originates with who we are, but it expresses itself in the way we live and behave.
Leaders can’t compromise the need for character in the selection process. No matter how gifted, trained, or seemingly mature a person is, the true usefulness of those attributes will be determined by character.
People who are committed. That is, people who display spiritual authenticity. People who have made a mature, consistent commitment to Christ and His kingdom’s purposes. People who allow God’s Word to impact their lives daily. People who pray and seek the leadership of God’s Spirit. People who can honestly say to others, “follow me.” Do as I do.
People who are compatible. The selection process requires that the leader enlist people who are a ministry fit, a relational fit, a skill fit, and a passion fit.
Vince Lombardi once told his team, the Green Bay Packers, “In terms of skill and ability, every one of you is easily replaceable; there are plenty of players around with athletic talent to equal yours.”
He went on to explain that the quality that distinguished Green Bay from the other teams was their “chemistry.” His team had the ability to identify with the goals he laid out. The power of chemistry that developed between members and the coach transcended, in Lombardi’s view, individual talent and prior professional experience. He saw it as enabling him to get significant effort from his players.
Compatible people turn diversity into unity. They turn an audience into an army. They know, as Peter Drucker said, “All work is for a team. No individual has the temperament and the skills to do every job. The purpose of a team is to make strengths productive and weaknesses irrelevant.” Compatible people work together and help their teammates play better to accomplish the common goal.
People who are coachable. An effective leader will select those individuals who may not have all the skills and attributes necessary to perform the job, but they are trainable and teachable. Coachable people are aware of their own limitations and inadequacies and eager to learn and improve. John Wooden, the former basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins, said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
When the leader selects the right people for the right job at the right time, he can give them the responsibility and leave them alone to do the job.
Rick Ezell, D. Min., is senior pastor of Naperville Baptist Church, in Naperville, Ill. Ezell has written numerous articles and four books, including “Cutting to the Core” and “Defining Moments.”
Featured in www.ChurchCentral.com, July 2002
