As I noted, I informed my boss three days ago that, in July, I'd be cutting my hours at work in half. He told me that he'd keep me on the management team, even as a part-time employee, but that he'd replace me as second in command.
The next day was my day off, so Justin had a day to reflect on how he wanted to move forward, and we stepped aside for a chat as I was beginning my shift when I returned to work yesterday.
To my surprise, he backtracked on my demotion. He told me that he'd like to have me share the position as his second in command with someone who will be transferring from the other store owned by the company.
I was surprised but gratified by his, apparent, high opinion of my contribution to the team.
He explained briefly.
By way of background, I say repeatedly that I do the job itself less effectively than any of the four others on the management team. And, I'm not joking or being humble.
Justin explained that he thinks that the strength of the current group of managers is that they have high EQs as well as high IQs.
Justin has a business degree from a very nice private liberal arts college. He's really wasted as a manager in a supermarket, though he is the rising star in the organization. He's well versed in the literature of leadership.
I know the term EQ but know very little about the concept.
Justin was saying that my value to the team is that, in his opinion, I have a very high EQ. (I'm not accustomed to being told that my IQ is limited but there are many ways of being smart and the technical part of this leadership position is an area in which I'm not smart and I know that.)
Justin went on to explain that all of the current managers sacrifice and, in that, we show a high EQ.
My value to the team is that I provide leadership in the EQ dimension of leadership.
His comments bowled me over.
I go on and on here about doing the job as an ambassador of the Kingdom of God and conducting myself as a servant.
Two thoughts about that.
First, obviously, that's what people see.
Second, the servanthood from me is not genuine. That is, it's a function of my self-denial as a person who submits to Jesus as Lord. In other words, people seemingly see a fair approximation of Jesus in me and not the fallen, sinful me.
Justin's take on me is powerfully affirming. I want to show Jesus and what he sees in me is, apparently, more Jesus than bill.
So, in Justin's mind, I achieve followership and help create a culture of followership throughout the whole team. And, I know that I do that by obsessing myself with the idea that I must do the WWJD thing, to walk in His steps.
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So, I agreed to maintain my place as second in command on a part-time basis.
I do have mixed feelings based on what I said in my previous post. Being second in command creates more tension between fulfilling my responsibilities to the job and being an ambassador of the Kingdom of God than I would like but, apparently, based on the EQ comments, I do the ambassador thing well enough, even as second in command.
And, I hope that, working fewer hours, I'll have more energy to do both at the same time.
Anyway, getting the feedback from Justin was helpful. It gave me a sense of what I'm accomplishing.
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