What future are you called to create?

Futurology seeks insight about the future by creating future scenarios, scanning the organization's horizon for signals of change, and projecting current trends. Eschatology on the other hand studies the end times or the “last things” on a theological perspective. These two are linked because “last things” are in the future, and they only occur after all other “future things” have happened. How do people of the Jesus Movement embrace the future?

Jesus’ mandate “ to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind … [and] to set free the oppressed” (Luke 4: 18,19, Holman Christian Standard Bible) is timeless. He framed this mandate in his time by envisioning a creative future (Gary, 2008) that transcended both the oppressive conventional future pursued by the Roman Empire, and the counter future of revolt schemed by Jewish nationalists. This example calls every disciple to fully embrace their own future and to use the lenses of Biblical wisdom to shape society. How then should one take a sit at the table of civilization, and lead the future (Gary, 2014)?

Emile Zola depicted the 19^th century’s world of contrasts and contradictions where some had plenty while others lacked all. In his famous fiction, Germinal, a poor old man complains: “this will turn out badly, for God does not allow so many Christians to be thrown on the street. We don’t have meat every day. But if one had bread! True, if one only had bread.” (Zola, 2013) Zola’s future envisaged “bread” for all. But according to Grant, (2014) research suggests that happiness does not necessarily increase with wealth; it increases when the gap between what one has and what he or she wants narrows. Unfortunately, people tend to want much more and to feel desperate about not having what they want as their wealth increase. Therefore, I am inspired to create neither a future of rich people who never have enough, nor one of poor people who beat drums and dance day and night in an illusion of happiness. I am inspired to help lead society toward a future of people and companies that are wealthy yet “poor in the spirit” (Matthew 5:3, HCSB). What future are you called to create?

References

Gary, J. (2008). The future according to Jesus: A Galilean model of foresight. Futures, 40(7), 630–642.

Gary, J. (2014, October 5). Review of 20th Century Eschatology [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/5Gp6FbCan5Q

Grant, M. (2014). Grant: 'inside out' coaching is the order of the day. Coaching at Work, 9(5), 7. Retrieved from http://0-search.ebscohost.com.library.regent.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=97914040&site=ehost-live

Zola, E. (2013). Germinal: Start Publishing LLC. Retrieved from http://books.google.cm/books?id=ZubsAgAAQBAJ

There is good work and there is bad work

Jesus urges his disciples: "you are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14, Holman Christian Standard Bible). A Christian leader’s light must shine and show the way, and his or her salt must be tasty and make the organization an enjoyable place. To achieve this, he or she needs tap from global perspectives and use spiritual wisdom to sort and pick among the options available, the ultimate purpose being to serve the company and its stakeholders as Jesus himself would do. Pucik (2005) notes that the global competitive advantage of a firm is "the ability to tap global capabilities and skills to satisfy local customer needs" (p. 377). He goes on to posit that the real challenge might be to learn locally about the needs on the ground, then to coordinate the organization's global capacity to serve those needs. How can we be inspired to change "our world"?

Ellen Davis (2001) puts a challenging contrast before us by contending that there is bad work and good work, and there is the Sabbath. Bad work is portrayed by centuries of exploitation and slavery in Egypt. It destroys, devalues, and humiliates; it ruins and allows no rest. Good work is portrayed by the first "public work" Israel does, that of building God's tabernacle. Here we see talent and inspiration creating a place of reunion between humans, and between a people and their God. Good work liberates, rewards, unites and always leads to a Sabbath, a place and time of rest. We need to design organizations where people are engaged because they are given opportunity to contribute using their talent, to grow, and to enjoy life as they work.

It is a lack of understanding that makes some employers think they benefit from treating their employees poorly or being indifferent to their eventual struggles. When employees are not well treated or not protected, they become stressed and eventually unhealthy. Gallup (2012) argues that employees' wellbeing directly affects bottom line performance. And wellbeing encompasses all dimensions of the employee's life. Financial, physical, emotional, social, spiritual, etc. HR need to realize that it is the whole employee who comes to work. Once family, social life, health, finances, and other dimensions of wellbeing are out of balance, the whole company suffers: accidents increase, turnover increases, health costs and time off increase, production defects increase and productivity decreases.

References

Davis, E. F. (2001). Slaves or Sabbath-keepers? A biblical perspective on human work. Anglican theological review, 83(1), 25–39.

Gallup (2012, May). Unhealthy, Stressed Employees Are Hurting Your Business. Gallup Business Journal. Retrieved from http://businessjournal.gallup.com/content/154643/Unhealthy-Stressed-Employees-Hurting-Business.aspx

Pucik, V. (2005). Global hr as competitive advantage: Are we ready. In M. R. Losey, S. Meisinger, & D. Ulrich (Eds.), The future of human resource management. 64 thought leaders explore the critical HR issues of today and tomorrow (pp. 370–377). Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Being A Global Leader

Cabrera and Unruh (2012) describe a global leader as one with three characteristics: A global mindset, global entrepreneurship, and global citizenship. A global mindsets is cognizant of political and other strategic societal realities across cultures, and it is able to connect with people globally. A global entrepreneurship is able to provide solutions that respond to needs and taps from resources cross culturally, it is able to create “global solutions”. Finally a global citizenship is a responsible attitude of preserving the interests and benefits of people across the boundaries of countries and continents, it contributes to enhancing individuals and communities across cultures.

One example of a global leader could be Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix. Hastings was able to initiate a video rental and media streaming company in 1997 that is now aiming to conquer the world. Indeed, Lapoix & Silly (2014) report that after North and South America, Nordic counties, the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands, Netflix is now strategizing to enter the French and the German markets. Lapoix and Silly report that since last December, Hastings keeps sending strategic top managers to the French Presidency and Government with an objective: connect, explain, and listen. And it is not today that Hastings started cultivating a global mindset. After studying mathematics in the university followed by a short experience in the Marines, he spent three years teaching mathematics in a village called Hhelehhele in Swaziland. Global leaders indeed learn to see the world with the eyes of others, and learn from various perspectives.

The perfect example I find in the Bible is that of Jesus himself. His leadership perspective is more than Global, it is timeless and universal. He demonstrated a global mindset by coming to live with humans and share their condition and their emotions though being God. He also demonstrated global entrepreneurship because the salvation He offers serves “across cultures”. Finally, Jesus’ leadership is the perfect example of global citizenship and life enhancement. It saves humanity and gives Joy to God and to His kingdom. Indeed, the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24) clearly illustrates how God and his Kingdom on their side also rejoice when a human is saved. Jesus’ entrepreneurial initiative of salvation is the most value-adding business ever; it is life-recreating.

References

Cabrera, A., & Unruh, G. (2012). Being global: How to think, act, and lead in a transformed world. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Review Press

Lapoix, S., & Silly, G. (2014, May). Ce Geek veut mettre une baffe au PAF [This geek wants              to give a slap to the French audiovisual landscape]. Le Nouveau Management, 22-26.