The purpose of this post is two-fold. One, to bring an end to our summer series on communication. We talked about a set of communication principles for leaders and we focused on three special forms of communication- change, conflict, and encouragement.
Secondly, I want to make you aware of a valuable resource that I use- the Catalyst Monthly.
First, let’s wrap up the series. I want to end this series at the same place where we began: what is in your heart will affect what comes out of your mouth. In The Importance of Communication, I included Matthew 12:34b, ““For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.â€
In a previous edition of Catalyst Monthly, Andy Stanley talks about “State of the Heart Leadership.” Here is an excerpt:
Leaders who fail to monitor their hearts jeopardize their organizations. If we neglect the arduous work of monitoring what’s going on inside of us, our organizations will suffer. In Matthew 15:19, Jesus warned that “… out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Can you think of anyone who derailed his or her organization or career because of anything on that list? I’ll bet you can. In fact, I know far more stories of failure rooted in these issues than those resulting from a lack of competence or skill.
Look at Jesus’ words again. Everything we say and do springs from our hearts. The implications of this verse are huge for those who manage people and organizations. What’s in our hearts eventually affects our ability to lead effectively. Consequently, learning to guard or monitor our hearts is critical to our success as leaders. There are three things in particular that if ignored have the potential to create chaos in the heart of a leader and consequently in his or her sphere of organizational influence.
He then goes on to talk about three heart states that we should watch for: guilt, anger, and jealousy. The bottom line: our effectiveness as communicators and as leaders is directly proportional to what is going on in our hearts. Andy says it all much better than I can, so I would encourage you to read the entire article here.
Okay, now about Catalyst Monthly. I talk all the time about the importance of leading ourselves well. One way to do that is by reading. Leaders need to be constantly feeding themselves, learning from others, and growing their leadership gifts. Catalyst Monthly is one resource that has been really helpful to me. It is a free, online magazine packed with articles written by innovative and emerging leaders such as Erwin McManus, Donald Miller, Margaret Feinberg, and even our very own Mark Batterson! I would encourage you to check it out and subscribe. There is also a monthly Catalyst podcast. You can find out more information on the podcast here.
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