Nurture - a Godly paradigm for running a business

In these days of information-overload I am careful to filter out the best for my reading - and I hope for my writing too.  I do read Seth Godin's blog, and today he touched on a subject that I have been living through for the past year.  It's around the topic of nurture.  We are all connected individuals, we are all spirits wrapped up in flesh - fragile, vulnerable.  Rugged stereotypes are really a lie.  There is no such thing as stoic independence - we need each other.  

     Each of us wants to be in an environment of nurture, whether we recognize it or not.  

If you want to get rid of an employee, one effective but immoral way to do it is to marginalize them, ignore them, isolate them and then systematically undervalue them.  No employee - no matter how well paid - will last for any length of time in such an environment..  Yes, pay is an important and reasonable part of working, but it is by no means the critical part.

If you want to drive a pastor from a church, one effective but immoral way to do it is to undervalue them, ignore them, take them for granted and remove dignity from them.  No pastor, no matter how 'called' will last long in such a culture. Nor should they be reasonably expected to do so. 

Marriages break when one (or more usually both) spouse/s feel unloved, unwanted and taken for granted.

Business partnerships divide when the more assertive/powerful.dominant partner prefers their own agenda to their partner's. 

The list is endless.  The point is, relationship are vital to our flourishing, and relationships must be mutually nurturing.  When we get this wrong, we usually start by one tiny degree, followed by another, followed by another. When we get this right we similarly do so one caring, aware step at a time, followed by another, and another. 

I was once a partner in a business run by some of the employees.  We did good business, and we looked after each other.  It was the best business experience I have ever had. We genuinely cared for the customers - they were not just profit-points to be managed and milked.  In turn they felt cared for and valued and were faithful to us.  For an IT company, we had client relationship that lasted over 25 years!  That's almost unheard of.  We didn't take over the world, but we made good money, had a good time and did good business.

I dream of a church where the pastor is a servant leader and the people nurture the pastor with care and affection - giving dignity and value to her/him. Such a business will prosper, such a church will be glorious, and the people in both will flourish.

It may not be the most 'efficient' route to success.  It certainly will not be inexpensive monetarily.  It will take additional energy and time.  However, it will be good.  And it will last.  

Businesses, families, marriages, churches, indeed all human endeavor, works best when it reflects the values and motivations of (the 'heart' of ) God.