Bottleneck

Right now as I sit here typing this, I am also drinking a very good bottle of Glaceau smartwater.  If you've never had it, it's great stuff and maybe the best water I've had.  It's refreshingly smooth with no after taste like some bottled waters, doesn't cost a lot, and very cold just like I like it.  This doesn't have a whole lot to do with what I'm about to write except it's in a bottle.  Bottles have necks, which allows the water to come to a smaller opening for us to drink out of.  I know, you're probably wondering where I'm going with this, but it will all make sense.

"The bottleneck is always at the top of the bottle" - Peter Drucker

Leadership is not always about leading an organization or even people, but has a lot to do with how we lead ourselves.  We can't lead anyone else around us if we can't first lead ourselves.  When a bottle is filled, the contents must go through the bottleneck and only through the bottleneck.  Our lives, our families, and those we lead are directly impacted by what WE allow or don't allow through.  If we want to live a life that is blessed and fruitful, we need to allow the right things through the bottleneck and keep other things out.  Fear is a great example of this!  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind - 2 Timothy 1:7  However, we allow things into our lives that can cause us fear and keep us from the power, love, and sound mind.  As parents, we are the bottleneck that feeds our families (especially dads).  What are we allowing into our families or keeping our families from, can impact their lives?  Our leadership is a powerful tool that can help enable, encourage, and direct others to positive life changing decisions.

What if we began taking responsibility for what is happening or not happening in our lives?  What if we stopped blaming others or God, but realized we are the bottleneck that can allow or not allow blessing?  What would happen if our companies, churches, and families began to change because we realized that our influence is not about us at all, but everyone around us?

May we drink a lot of water : ) and realize that God desires great things for us, our families, our churches, and our businesses.  Our decisions as the bottleneck will determine how full the bottle gets and what it's filled with.  So, open wide, put a check valve in, and let God do what He would love to do in your life!

For Life