Mind your own business

Mind your own business

 

I learnt to believe in her before she proved herself

When we started our company sometime back I used to do the crucial negotiations for my wife or I would go with her for the important meetings and interviews. With time I would go with her but just keep quiet as she does the negotiations and discussions. Eventually she was doing all the important negotiations and contracts without me. I am really amazed at how she has developed the tenacity and business acumen over time and has surpassed me. She recently has been sharing with me how she has also been slowly letting go of one of her managers’ hand to allow him to start learning to swim in the deep-end. You can never unleash the potential in your protégés (the people you are mentoring) unless you learn to let go of your hand from them; unless you learn to believe in them before they prove themselves. For you to have succeeded in any one area of your life it took somebody to trusted you enough and believe in you before you proved yourself. They gave you the steering wheel before they had ever seen you drive.

 

Don’t dress in borrowed robes

I used to get impatient as I sat besides my wife listening to her negotiate or discuss a business deal. I wanted her to do it the way I do it; but she would do it her way.  I wanted her to use my strategies; but she would use hers. I believed that I had the success formulae; but however, each time she did it in my absence she would always bring success stories. Her way was working for her! I realized that I was trying to dress her up in borrowed robes. Never try to be like your mentor nor should you ever try to make your protégé like you. Don’t dress up in borrowed robes! David tried to confront Goliath in Saul’s armour but he soon discovered that it wouldn’t work. ‘And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him’ (1 Samuel 17 v 38 – 39). You can’t go to battle with somebody else’s ammunition. The sons of Sceva learnt it the hard way. They wanted to use Paul’s success formula to confront the devils and they were made a public spectacle. (Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, we adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded – Acts 19 v 13 – 16). Learn from others but don’t try to be like them. Be yourself; develop your own style and strategy and perfect it. It works. Your effectiveness is only sustainable if its supported by your unique and personal qualities.

 

Mind your own business

Her confidence grew exponentially when I let go completely. She developed her ways and her success formulae. Stars shine brightest when the sun goes down! In the year that king Uzziah died Isaiah saw the Lord (Isaiah 6 v 1). Don’t overshadow your protégés. Give them roots to stand and give them wings to fly; and let them mind their own business!  You also must mind your own business. Don’t let the sun overshadow your sparkle. Learn to walk independently and exercise the gift in you.  I am not talking about stubbornness’ or rebellion but I am talking about unleashing the gift in you. Come out of the baby-walker and use your two feet to find your own balance.

 

When you fall, rise up again

When I was a new driver I had a few incidents and accidents. I scratched the gate; I bumped into somebody’s car; I got stuck in the mud; but I never gave up driving. It was all part of the growth process. You can never learn to ride a bicycle unless you fall at least once. If you are not prepared to fall; then you are not prepared for the bike. A fall is not a failure but only another chance for you to start again; this time wiser. When you mind your own business and rise up to reach out to your vision and calling you will stumble and fall on the way; but you must rise up again. ‘A righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again;’ (Proverbs 24 v 16). As my wife took full control of the driving wheel there were a few wrong turns but they all turned out to be great learning points. We recruited a bad employee and she learnt her greatest lesson at the helm; how to feel bad about firing an employee, but do it anyway!  Don’t be scared of wrong turns during you growth process; they will teach you which turns not to make in future. Great men and women don’t always get 100% of their decisions right; but they don’t miss on the great ones!

 

Calvary love 

Peter Mbada

 

You can visit her website www.betach.co.bw and she will be glad to do business with you.

 

For your copy of  'Destined to Succeed: unstoppable and unlimitable'.  Check any online bookstores or contact me directly!

 

Check other articles on: www.pmbada.org  and www.pmbada.blogspot.com