Gifts of the (Business) Spirit
People who know me well know that I am a committed Christian. And within Christianity, there is an idea that speaks to me so intensely that I am currently organizing a small group study on the topic at my church. That idea is the gifts of the spirit. Hang in there with me, and read on - I promise I will bring this around to your business.
The gifts of the spirit are proposed by the apostle Paul in several books of the Bible including 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Romans. In each of these books, he is writing to members of a young church, exuberant in their beliefs but uninformed in how to spread the word (sound familiar, entrepreneurs??). In chapter 12 of Romans, Paul explains,
"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us."
What Paul is saying is that everyone serves their own purpose and everyone's gifts are different, but when combined - we create a fully functioning body. And here, my friends, is where I bring it around.
How often in your business have you tried to be the entire body? I know I have. Accountant? Sure. Strategist? Of course. Owner, writer, editor, client services manager, administrative assistant, and tech support? Why not?
But the truth is, that by the grace of God, we each have different gifts. And while we may have more than one, we most certainly do not have them all. The quicker we learn this in business and in life, the happier (and more successful!) we will be.
What are you doing right now in your business that simply isn't your gift? What part of the body are you trying to make function that just isn't your job? As business owners, we often assume we are cut out to be the end-all-be-all of our idea. Give yourself some grace. You may just be the foot, darling.
Today I challenge you to accept the gifts you DO NOT have. Then, find someone who does. I'm not telling you to hire a full time employee. But when each part of your business is running its best, you have the opportunity to grow and spread the word about what you do. That may mean hiring a contractor, an intern, a strategist, a training firm, a CPA or an administrative assistant. If that is scary, GOOD. Owning your own business isn't the safe bet. But you already knew that.