The Privilege to Love and Be Loved

As a leader, I’m always looking to build our dream team that achieves the team’s dream. A large part of building a team like that is learning to grow in compassion (which is a talk Yasmin and I will be giving to a few companies later this year), with the simple idea of: Surround yourself with people who will put the team first, lead and manage them towards thriving, and work together towards success.

But what happens when a team member leaves?

This is from my journal a few months ago. I want to share it with you in honor of my friend, Neil, but also to help magnify the grace of God in ALL our lives, that despite our shortcomings, and despite the ups and downs of life, we are daily given the great privilege of loving others.

Many times the best realizations I’ve had come from looking to God, being grateful, and putting others before myself.

“This morning I received an early message from Neil, my friend and a member of the New Leaf Ventures / Bridge team, telling me he was offered the job he was, actually we, were praying for. It’s a job that fits him so well. On one hand I feel happy for him but on the other I’m saddened to be losing a team member. As a leader, while constantly fixed on the success of the group, I also understand the importance of the personal success of each individual. I’m sad he won’t see So I return to my thoughts of happiness for my friend.

Father, please be with my friend as he pursues this new chapter. Please bless him for the blessing he has been to us, to me. I pray that Your favor will follow him. That You make clear that which You have prepared in advance of him.

Whenever I think about my good fortune of having met such incredible people, I can’t help but thank God for allowing the privilege of the experiences.

I who’ve been unloving, surrounded by living privileges to love and be loved.

That is proof of grace. To have fallen short yet be give people to love and to receive love from them, that is grace.

And to know that seeds planted in the windows of time we have with each other will grow into something beautiful, is a glimpse of eternity, that love does not end though we are apart, and we live on, and we love on, in the lives of people we’ve touched.

I’m going to miss Neil’s data. The guy is a monster researcher and analyzer. I’m sure he’s going to my Gordian Knot* cutting skills. Most of all I’m going to miss my friend.”

*The Gordian Knot is a popular story about how Alexander the Great simply sliced a large rope knot that people have been trying to untie. It’s a story about how the solutions aren’t what people think and are many times the simplest.