New year, new region.  34 new humans I get to lead. I’m excited!

So I sent something out to my new team and in doing so, apparently pissed darn near everyone off because, as it turned out, the “official”change hadn’t been fully made official. The decision was still being finalized by my boss, his boss, the CEO, HR, and apparently Jesus and the Pope.

The reality: no one at my company had made an actual freaking decision…and I thought they had.  Since starting to lead people 39 years ago, I know that leadership truly abhors a vacuum. The higher ups were dancing around and while they should’ve told me (and I should’ve triple-checked one. more. time.), they hadn’t. So my exciting announcement caused plenty of people confusion and a few to go to HR and wonder why this idiot in Texas was usurping their job. Ouch.

So instead of spending time learning names and faces, I spent the next few days giving honest apologies and well meaning explanations while I mostly sat on my hands…somewhat sitting in the penalty box. Ouch again.

I hate making a mistake.

I really hate looking like a fool when I tried to act out as a leader should with the best of intentions.  

I hate being criticized by weak leaders.  

But most of all, I hate making dumb mistakes.  

Literally, my self said to myself “Dude! Rookie mistake! C’mon, mannnn!”

So I feel stupid, frustrated, unjustly judged, and completely dis-engaged.  So I’m back to being paid to sit on my ass—I guess I shouldn’t complain but see it as a gift.  But I know there are things that need to be handled and I hate that our people (I guess they’re not really my people yet—that’s the point) are confused….and I hate that I added to that confusion and fear.

There’s a place of humility that no one wants to go to.  We’re oftentimes dragged there—and sometimes dragged publicly—we occasionally run headlong, unknowingly, into it.  It’s a place of raw feelings, hard conversations, and an awkward authenticity.  

But that’s where the Spirit does His best work…and where we fall in love with the person and work of Christ anew.  

The finished work of Christ compels me to put these humiliating things into perspective.  I often ask, “What does the Gospel mean in this situation?”  

The Gospel, in this instance, reminds me that Jesus paid the cost for all of my actions: good and bad, right and wrong, humiliating and exulting.  In the reality of the human trenches, I feel Christ and the Spirit looks at me and says “Really, Mike?  What does it matter in the realm of the Kingdom and in light of eternity?  You didn’t earn the spot with me and your adequacy comes as a child of light (2 Cor 3:4-6).”  

Truly, His Word is clear on the subject: I am made adequate through Him and everything else has been forgiven, and there is now no condemnation.  He is sufficient!  What can man do to me?  

I do stupid things.  I do wrong things.  Sometimes I do embarrassing and humiliating and hurtful things.  But Christ covers them all.  And so does grace.

Thank God for grace.