I am starting a series on what the Hebrew names of God can tell us about God’s character and how these names can inform and shape our leadership. If Jehovah Jireh means, “God Provides” then how does that call us to provide for our staff, our organization, our clients and the other stakeholders around our business or group? If Jehovah Shalom means, “God Is Peace”, how do we as leaders reassure our staff and help them have a secure work environment, not just a physically secure environment, but an emotionally safe work environment or a “future safe” environment. More on these ideas later but our first one will be about being who we are.
Jehovah Yahweh (the self-existent one: I AM)
Start here in grace: not who you will be or want to be or was or should be. Just plain and simple. I am! Psychologist Dwayne Dyer notes that God in Exodus 3:14 did not say, “I will be”, “I was”, “I am this or that”, “I want to be” or “I think I am.” God just said, “I am.” Grace allows us to claim this God part in all of us, this Divine portion that lives deep within our souls. A leader who starts here, begins by being humble enough to learn and experience new things, while assessing themselves as they truly are. If I say, “I am Kit Hill”, I then include all that is about me, the sources I’ve come from, my identity and the things I’ve created in me, both good and bad. I am the son of W. James Hill, who was the son of G. Roy Hill, Sr. and I am the son of Aurora Hill, who is the daughter of Guiseppe and so on and so on. When I take all this and God’s grace and calling into my leadership it starts to create a map of who I AM as a leader with my gifts, talents, and abilities as well as experiences and attitudes formed from those experiences. Good leaders know who they are: Not completely but they are on a path of self-discovery that helps them find their true essence and calling.
Work Life Clinic by Kit Hill, Ed.D. LMFT 