Cedarville Magazine, Summer 2014

Cedarville Magazine | 7 in all we do. Each of these is a biblical value that is consistent with how a Christian should live and lead. Colossians 3:23 calls us to do all things with excellence, as unto the Lord. Even higher than our calling to serve our country is our calling to serve our Savior. Oliver – Integrity — You simply cannot lead effectively without character. Orientation to service — You work for your organization, your people, and your community. Approach them like Jesus would, with a servant’s heart. Relational skills — Law enforcement professionals need to be good with people. They often encounter people in negative situations. Even when you can’t heal wounds or return property, you can leave people better than you found themby being professional and compassionate. Team compatibility — An individual’s goals cannot supersede those of the team. A successful criminal justice team has members who will come early, stay late, and sacrifice to help the team reach its goals. Performance-driven mindset — Set and achieve goals, but do not compare yourself to others.The ultimate measure of success is not what you achieve, but whether you are achieving the maximum use of your God- given talents and abilities. Seek continuous improvement by striving to be the best you can be. These are also the core values for the Criminal Justice program. What Bible verse has especially challenged you to be a Christlike leader? When have you employed this Scripture in a leadership situation, and what was the result? Reno – Micah 6:8: “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” God has shown us what He expects of us. Shouldn’t we be interested in what God requires? It’s easy for a leader to require justice — to put the hammer down, admonish, demote someone, or keep them from being promoted. But to love mercy? This is not only showing mercy, but is an attitude of mercy. How do we balance justice and mercy? We learn the answer only by walking humbly with God. As a commander, I faced difficult decisions with personnel, often having to review results of courts-martial. It’s no light decision to take a person’s stripe and reduce his or her salary. My approach was always to sleep on it. On occasion, others wanted me to hurry and make the decision for administrative reasons. My response would still be timely, but it was more important to get it right than do it quickly. The only way to balance justice and mercy was through humility. Oliver – 1 Corinthians 4:2: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” Government is a God-ordained institution. Law enforcement is a calling to administer justice and be a steward over that which God has given you responsibility. When He places you in a position to lead, He expects that you will be found faithful, able to give an account of the way you served God by serving others. I worked in an agency that needed to undergomajor reform, and change did not come easily. We faced resistance from staff, some managers, employees, community members, and even a few local politicians. At our staff meeting, those around the table were visibly despondent, and one officer asked the question on everyone’s minds: “Are we going to make it?” I began the conversation by addressing each contested issue, one by one, with the “three question” test: Are we doing the right thing? The right way? For the right reasons? We were able to answer “yes” to all three on each issue, and therefore, we decided to stay the course. “Now to your question, ‘Are we going to make it?’” I concluded, “I don’t know. Only God knows. But He brought me here, and whatever He wants to do will be done.” It was one of those days I’ll never forget; the Holy Spirit was present in the room, and everyone was lifted up. A biblical worldview changes your perspective about everything and allows you to make decisions according to what God is calling you to do. Could you both share some books and authors that have shaped your thinking about leadership? The Bible, specifically: • Nehemiah • Proverbs, the book of wisdom • The Gospel accounts of the life of Christ Jim Collins, Good to Great Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Edwin J. Delattre, Character and Cops James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner John C. Maxwell Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy Edgar Puryear, American Generalship: Character is Everything: The Art of Command