7 Competencies for Great Work
7 Competencies for Great Work
7 Competencies for Great Work
7 Competencies for Great Work
To master something is to know, act consistently, and have it become part of who you are — you become what you know and do. Mastering these seven areas will empower you to do lasting work.
Everyone wants to do meaningful work, but our daily effectiveness and lasting impact varies widely. Why is this?
Most people will spend over 85,000 hours working, so it’s important to make sure we have the right aims for our work.
The opportunity for lasting impact may be challenging, but it is not elusive. There is a Way – a better way, that guarantees truly lasting influence in the world around us.
People have been working this way for over 4,000 years. It’s actually clearly laid out for us in the oldest, most significant text that has ever been written — God’s word. The Way is not easy, but it is the most rewarding work we can do — now and forever.
You see, sometimes we over complicate the commands of God, but they really are simple. Jesus is clear that we are to follow Him and do likewise. This means loving as He loved, working as He worked: Putting everything toward one thing — every word, every deed (Colossians 3:17).
This is the Way to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) — starting as you go to work.
Sometimes we try to make parts of our life and work separate from following Jesus, but God meant for us to live one life in response to the grace and mercy of Jesus (Romans 12:1).
Knowing + Doing = Being Competent
Many might say, “My workplace is not a spiritual place, and my job description does not give me much latitude to include faith at work.”
This too is an over complication of the matter. God was a worker; He created the earth (Genesis 1:1). Jesus was a carpenter for most of His adult life. He did basic work with love before launching His public ministry.
Excellent Work —> Blesses Others —> Leads to Jesus
We too can do lasting great work in the name of Jesus with this simple formula.
Knowing the right things… leads to doing work that blesses others… and when we bless people consistently with prayer and the right motives — becoming like Jesus — we gain the opportunity to talk about Jesus.
But first, we must do an excellent job in our work.
Becoming Competent
7 Competencies To Master
To master something is to know, act consistently, and have it become part of who you are — you become what you know and do. Mastering these seven areas will empower you to do lasting work.
1. Self
When you know who you are, who made you, and how you are gifted with strengths and weaknesses (Psalm 139:14), you are then able to confidently commit your life back to God and do valuable work for others.
There is nothing better to be than a child of God — an heir of the King — doing kingdom work (1 Peter 2:9).
2. Others
Knowing that every person you work for and with is made by the same God, given the same dignity as you, makes you curious to want to learn more about them. Learning about the individual needs of your customers and coworkers enables you to serve them and meet their needs appropriately (Philippians 2:3-4).
You become a blessing (Genesis 12:2-3) at the same time.
3. Industry
You have to know your industry and its intricacies. You must understand your role. You must be aware of the features and benefits your organization offers to actively match products and services to the needs of clients and to support teammates.
The more you become a subject matter expert, the more able you are to do increasingly better work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
4. Disciplines
Knowing the habits that help other leaders thrive, helps you put practices in place to increase your self-control (Proverbs 25:28), effectiveness, and renewal.
Becoming a self-controlled leader (1 Peter 4:7) helps you grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).
5. Servant Leadership
Understanding that the role of a leader is to serve those around you allows you to take responsibility to make them better, evaluating your actions to see how you are benefiting the lives of those you serve.
This makes you more like your King, Jesus, who came to serve not to be served (Mark 10:45).
6. Strategy
To know your gifts, the needs of others, and your industry, while employing healthy disciplines with the proper motives, allows you to create clever, clever plans that change the world for others.
The more strategic you become, the wiser, more mature, and aligned with God’s will you will be (Matthew 6:10).
7. God
The more you know God – His holiness, love, mercy, and grace – the more you want to live by His plans and commands.
The 7th and most important competency is the Surrender of all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength — all of our work to God (Mark 12:30).
We surrender our aims and ambitions to the one who made us and gives us the most glorious purpose (Romans 11:36). Our aim and purpose - and even our definition of our best work - changes. Every bit of work we do impacts people - people with souls that last forever. This changes our time horizon for meaningful work — as we hope to see the people we serve forever.
With this surrender, we don’t abandon striving to improve all of our gifts and competencies. We instead continue getting better — testing what works (Romans 12:2).
Surrendering to God enables us to keep learning and improving our actions to do more and more excellent work, that blesses others, that leads people to know and follow Jesus.
Leading people to Jesus is the most important lasting work we can do, because their souls last forever, just like ours. Because the complete aim of all of our life, work, and relationships is to honor God forever and ever — to God be the glory!
Resources:
What Does it Mean to Surrender to God? See Gospel Incarnation | Tim Keller
Everyone wants to do meaningful work, but our daily effectiveness and lasting impact varies widely. Why is this?
Most people will spend over 85,000 hours working, so it’s important to make sure we have the right aims for our work.
The opportunity for lasting impact may be challenging, but it is not elusive. There is a Way – a better way, that guarantees truly lasting influence in the world around us.
People have been working this way for over 4,000 years. It’s actually clearly laid out for us in the oldest, most significant text that has ever been written — God’s word. The Way is not easy, but it is the most rewarding work we can do — now and forever.
You see, sometimes we over complicate the commands of God, but they really are simple. Jesus is clear that we are to follow Him and do likewise. This means loving as He loved, working as He worked: Putting everything toward one thing — every word, every deed (Colossians 3:17).
This is the Way to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) — starting as you go to work.
Sometimes we try to make parts of our life and work separate from following Jesus, but God meant for us to live one life in response to the grace and mercy of Jesus (Romans 12:1).
Knowing + Doing = Being Competent
Many might say, “My workplace is not a spiritual place, and my job description does not give me much latitude to include faith at work.”
This too is an over complication of the matter. God was a worker; He created the earth (Genesis 1:1). Jesus was a carpenter for most of His adult life. He did basic work with love before launching His public ministry.
Excellent Work —> Blesses Others —> Leads to Jesus
We too can do lasting great work in the name of Jesus with this simple formula.
Knowing the right things… leads to doing work that blesses others… and when we bless people consistently with prayer and the right motives — becoming like Jesus — we gain the opportunity to talk about Jesus.
But first, we must do an excellent job in our work.
Becoming Competent
7 Competencies To Master
To master something is to know, act consistently, and have it become part of who you are — you become what you know and do. Mastering these seven areas will empower you to do lasting work.
1. Self
When you know who you are, who made you, and how you are gifted with strengths and weaknesses (Psalm 139:14), you are then able to confidently commit your life back to God and do valuable work for others.
There is nothing better to be than a child of God — an heir of the King — doing kingdom work (1 Peter 2:9).
2. Others
Knowing that every person you work for and with is made by the same God, given the same dignity as you, makes you curious to want to learn more about them. Learning about the individual needs of your customers and coworkers enables you to serve them and meet their needs appropriately (Philippians 2:3-4).
You become a blessing (Genesis 12:2-3) at the same time.
3. Industry
You have to know your industry and its intricacies. You must understand your role. You must be aware of the features and benefits your organization offers to actively match products and services to the needs of clients and to support teammates.
The more you become a subject matter expert, the more able you are to do increasingly better work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
4. Disciplines
Knowing the habits that help other leaders thrive, helps you put practices in place to increase your self-control (Proverbs 25:28), effectiveness, and renewal.
Becoming a self-controlled leader (1 Peter 4:7) helps you grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).
5. Servant Leadership
Understanding that the role of a leader is to serve those around you allows you to take responsibility to make them better, evaluating your actions to see how you are benefiting the lives of those you serve.
This makes you more like your King, Jesus, who came to serve not to be served (Mark 10:45).
6. Strategy
To know your gifts, the needs of others, and your industry, while employing healthy disciplines with the proper motives, allows you to create clever, clever plans that change the world for others.
The more strategic you become, the wiser, more mature, and aligned with God’s will you will be (Matthew 6:10).
7. God
The more you know God – His holiness, love, mercy, and grace – the more you want to live by His plans and commands.
The 7th and most important competency is the Surrender of all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength — all of our work to God (Mark 12:30).
We surrender our aims and ambitions to the one who made us and gives us the most glorious purpose (Romans 11:36). Our aim and purpose - and even our definition of our best work - changes. Every bit of work we do impacts people - people with souls that last forever. This changes our time horizon for meaningful work — as we hope to see the people we serve forever.
With this surrender, we don’t abandon striving to improve all of our gifts and competencies. We instead continue getting better — testing what works (Romans 12:2).
Surrendering to God enables us to keep learning and improving our actions to do more and more excellent work, that blesses others, that leads people to know and follow Jesus.
Leading people to Jesus is the most important lasting work we can do, because their souls last forever, just like ours. Because the complete aim of all of our life, work, and relationships is to honor God forever and ever — to God be the glory!
Resources:
What Does it Mean to Surrender to God? See Gospel Incarnation | Tim Keller