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The Estherpreneur is a weekly chat about doing business and life God’s way. Join your host, Edna Harding as she offers biblical strategies and practical applications to improve your mind, business, spirit, relationships, and finances. Listen along as she talks with guests on how to thrive in all areas of life. Edna is a Wife, Mother, Growth Strategist, Author, Minister, Certified Maxwell Business Consultant and Executive Coach, an accredited Master Mindset Coach, and Speaker whose message of hope, truth, and wisdom reaches people all around the world. FavorandWealth.com Estherpreneur.com
Edna Harding [00:00:03]:
Welcome to Estrepreneur, a podcast for entrepreneurs and leaders doing business and life God's way. Each week, we discuss biblical and to improve your mind, business, spirit, relationships, and finances. Listen along as I speak with special guests on how to thrive in all aspects of life. Hi, I'm Edna. Like many of you, I wear many hats. I'm a military wife, mother, author, certified John Maxwell business and executive coach, trainer, and founder of Favor and Wealth who we help the good guys win. So tune in as we bring on the light. Well, hello, everyone.
Edna Harding [00:00:48]:
Thank you for tuning in for another episode of The Essentrepreneur Podcast. My name is Edna Harding, And, yes, I am recording this from my office in Alabama for those of you guys who missed the last couple episodes. I have been in the middle of a move, and I'm finally settled in. In fact, my parents came down with my aunt, to kinda help me out, and I feel like I'm getting back in a routine. And so I'm gonna start doing videos again. As you could see, I am not makeup free. I'm pretty casual today because it's been a busy, busy week, but it was definitely needed. I needed some time to decompress with my family and just get everything in order.
Edna Harding [00:01:35]:
And so slowly but surely, I'll be back in my routine. But today, I wanted to say thank you guys for joining me today. Our topic today is about building a Jesus Christ CEO mindset. And, for those of you guys who kinda just kinda bumped into this podcast, not even really sure why exactly you guys are here, I wanna tell you a little bit about our podcast. And it's basically where we explore what it means to lead in a way that aligns with the teachings and hearts of Jesus, specifically when it comes to business and your life. So this podcast is geared to entrepreneurs, CEOs, business leaders, solopreneurs, professional service providers, or even a career mom, you know, like someone who decided to become a stay at home mom and wants to generate residual income somehow, welcome. You are in the right place. And so I wanted to kinda mix it up today, and focus on our mindset, our mind.
Edna Harding [00:02:43]:
I haven't done a episode in a while about that. So we're gonna talk about, building the mindset of Christ by embracing the very characteristics and the names of Jesus. Okay? So this is a little bit of a different twist or different take. I've heard about the mind of Christ a lot, but the holy spirit just kinda inspired me a little bit to talk about the names of Jesus and the characteristics of Jesus and utilize that to kinda renew our mind. And it's how we can sorry. I guess my notes are in front of me if it's I'm looking down. How we can, as leaders, reflect the attributes of Christ in our everyday business decisions and interactions. So we're gonna talk about 5 powerful aspects of Jesus' nature and how they shape the way we lead.
Edna Harding [00:03:36]:
Okay? But before we go into that, as you all know, I'm gonna go ahead and pray. Holy Spirit, do your thing. Have your way, God. And I pray for my brothers and sisters who are listening to this, oh, God, that they will hear your still small voice, oh god, that they would remove any distraction, anything, oh god, that comes from that steal and kill and destroy the word, oh god, that you're releasing today. I pray, oh god, that they will discern it quickly and shut it down. In Jesus' name, amen. Alright. So the first attribute of the lord Jesus that we're gonna focus on that will help you develop a mindset is called the good shepherd, the mindset of the CEO.
Edna Harding [00:04:21]:
Thank you, Holy Spirit. The good shepherd. Leading with compassion and care. Now I wanna say that Jesus is known as a good shepherd. Right? We all know this. One of the my very first scriptures that I memorized as a young girl was the, sorry, the lord is my shepherd chapter, Psalms 23, the good shepherd. And, basically, in order for you to be a CEO of Christ, you need to be a leader who cares deeply for his flock, meaning cares deeply for your people, guiding them with compassion and protecting them from harm. Okay? I think this attribute is missing in a lot of CEOs because most of the times, CEOs have a vision.
Edna Harding [00:05:08]:
They have certain numbers. They have to reach out certain milestones. They have to reach that, unfortunately, they kind of forget that, ultimately, as a CEO, your job is to take care of your flock. Your job is to ensure that your flock is is well protected and is provided for. Alright? And so as leaders, what would it look like to mirror this type of compassion in our leadership? Okay. So I want you to really think this about this, that you have to imagine leading your team not just as a boss, not just visionary, not just overseer, but as a shepherd, someone who is deeply invested in their well-being and growth. Well-being is what? Mindset, emotions, their bodies, their heart condition or soul condition, mind will and emotions or decision making process. Like, I know you feel like, well, that's not my job.
Edna Harding [00:06:08]:
That's their job. They're grown adults. That's not my job. I'm not their parent. Well, guess what, guys? As a Jesus Christ CEO, we need to have that mindset of Christ where he didn't just look at his followers or his disciples as his minions or as his, you know, servants. He looked at them as these are sheep that I need to take care of. Right? And so when you have that mindset of Jesus where you're not looking at your at your employees or your managers just as employees, but you're looking at them as sheep that needs to be protected as a shepherd, you're gonna make decisions a lot different. You're gonna think about your decisions, not just about the bottom line, but how it's gonna affect the livelihoods and the well-being of your people.
Edna Harding [00:07:00]:
Right? So here's my suggestion. This episode is gonna be nice, short, and quick, very practical, but also with a little dose of spiritual. You gotta take the time to get to know your team members on a personal level. Now this could be done through regular 1 on 1 meetings where the focus isn't just on business goals, but also on their personal development and well-being. You could ask them how they're doing, you know, what challenges they're facing, and how you can support them. Now mind you, I understand that if you are in a big organization and you have 500 employees, you can't have 501 on ones. But you would focus on your leaders and have your leaders do the same thing when maybe their supervisors and their supervisors will do the same thing with their your team members. But there has to be some sort of responsibility that you need to instill in your employees and your managers and your leaders that, hey.
Edna Harding [00:07:51]:
You're not just our boss. You're their shepherd. I know it's kinda weird, but I really want you to think about that. So this type of compassionate leadership will and then, in return, foster trust, foster loyalty, foster a stronger and more unified team. So that's tip number 1. The second characteristic of the lord Jesus Christ that I want you to focus on is the prince of peace. Okay? Your job as a CEO is to be able to cultivate calm and chaos. Okay? So I really feel like this point is really being honed in by the Holy Spirit during this time because we are entering into a time of chaos and uncertainty.
Edna Harding [00:08:33]:
And I hate to be the bearer of bad news because I'm usually a person that gives you, you know, life filled hope filled words. But today, I felt like and just if you look at the signs and if you are a spirit filled woman or a man of god, you can discern that it's it's go time. Like, this is not a time to play patty cake with the devil. This is not a time to sugarcoat things. This is a time to speak truth and love. And so I wanted to say that Jesus was called the prince of peace. Why? Because he brought calm and order wherever he went. So how can we, as leaders, embody this peace? Okay.
Edna Harding [00:09:13]:
When you lead with this type of mindset as a Jesus Christ CEO mindset, it means that we need to be a source of stability and calm even in most challenging circumstances. You have to be strong for your people. You can't panic because you these people are depending on you. And so one second, guys. My husband is calling me. Hello?
Edna Harding [00:09:38]:
Sorry. Sorry. Hey. Yeah. It's you. I was just calling to check on your.
Edna Harding [00:09:45]:
Yeah. I'm in the middle of recording my podcast. Yeah. It's okay. I thought something was happening. Okay. I know. I was not.
Edna Harding [00:09:55]:
Definitely not. I appreciate it, baby. Thank you. Alright. Bye. Alright. Now as I was saying where was I? Okay. How can we embody this type of peace? You have to be the when you enter in, people people are freaking out and they're stressing out.
Edna Harding [00:10:19]:
Like, your job is to bring that peace of Jesus and be like, hey, guys. It's going to be okay. We are in the palm of God's mighty hand. We dedicated this company. We dedicated this business to the Lord. And, therefore, the Lord is gonna carry us through this storm. Okay? You need to create an environment where peace reigns. No matter what's going on in this in in in your surroundings, no matter what's going on in the economy, no matter what's going on in, in life, in your personal life, in their business, in whatever industry, the stock market, you know, the political climate, you need to be that person that when you walk in, everyone's like, okay.
Edna Harding [00:11:03]:
It's alright. It's gonna be okay. Our leader is is is here. He's gonna help us with this with crisis help. Right? So you need to be able to reduce stress for them. You need to allow creativity and collaboration to flourish. Don't you know that problems are the best time to come up with new ideas when you are in a stressful situation? If you hold your peace, this is a time when the lord can download ideas to you through yourself or through your team, through your people to come up with solutions that you may never have thought about if you weren't in that type of storm, if that makes sense. Like, there are some things that can only be brought out or brought into light through a storm.
Edna Harding [00:11:47]:
So one of the things that you can do, and practically, is to introduce regular moments of calm into your work environment. This could be, like, a daily or weekly practice where your team takes a few minutes to pause, breathe, and refocus. What does that mean? It could be just listening to worship music. It could just be, like, watching a funny show for, like, funny clip for, like, 10 minutes. Like, it doesn't have to be extravagant. Like, you don't have to spend a lot of money to allow people to be still. Like, you could tell people, hey, guys. Every and it doesn't even have to be worship songs, especially if they're not the same faith.
Edna Harding [00:12:20]:
It could just be like, hey. Let's listen to calming music to just kinda help us breathe a little bit. It could just be like eating ice cream or having a coffee break, like forcing people to drink tea, forcing people like, you have to kinda be part of that guide to help them incorporate stillness in their daily, work. Does that make sense? So you need to encourage moments of reflection as well or even short meditations to help bring a sense of peace and clarity. Now I understand that you can't force people to meditate, but you could also help them meditate on it by just asking the right questions. So it could be like, hey, guys. What are your dreams and aspiration? I want you to write it down. And then on a weekly basis, remind them about those goals.
Edna Harding [00:13:10]:
Remind them about their dreams that the reason why they're in this position right now, the reason why they're working hard is to be able or to gain this skill set. Because we know and okay. Thank you, Holy Spirit. I have to say this. Because I remember when I was an employee, I've always had a dream of starting my own business. And during that time, I would dream, you know, with the Lord, and I would, you know, just think. And it would be so nice if people like managers or leaders or supervisors did didn't expect me to stay there forever. I can't tell you how many times I met disgruntled employees because their managers was in the way of their promotion.
Edna Harding [00:13:45]:
Like, we as leaders need to understand that these people are with us. When I say people, our employees are with us for certain seasons, and we cannot if if you see they're outgrowing their position, it's time to push them to better challenges even if it's outside of your company. And I know that's a hard pill to swallow for a lot of you guys because you're probably thinking, like, well, what about I mean, I want I I would wanna keep a good worker. I don't want to, like, push them out and have to find someone who's average, like, especially if I've trained them. Like, guys, that is called a poverty mindset or a scarcity mindset. You need to have an abundant mindset where you're like, hey. I've done my part. This person is obviously outgoing this position.
Edna Harding [00:14:28]:
Let me go ahead and promote them. Let me go ahead and send them opportunities. Let me go ahead and develop them. But you need to remind them that this is just a temporary season. And if they look at this with a temporary season, they constantly reflect on their end goal. They won't be stuck, and then you're gonna be part of that growth. They're gonna be part of that muscle building engine that helps them, prepare and go forward towards their, you know, their goals and their whatever their aspirations are. Like, you should be helping be a catalyst and catapult them to all god called them to be even if it's outside of your current scope, if that makes sense.
Edna Harding [00:15:12]:
Like, even even if it means letting them go to better opportunities. Because I can't tell you how many times when I left my corporate job to, you know, to do better and things. Like, sometimes, they weren't always happy for me. In fact, sometimes they would make me feel bad, you know, and they treated me a certain way because I got promoted. They treated me a certain way because I had better opportunities somewhere else. But that is not a mindset of a Jesus Christ CEO. You need to be a person of peace. And regardless of what happens, understand that let's say your best employee leaves.
Edna Harding [00:15:42]:
God's gonna send you another one. Right? So, anyway, I don't know who that was for, but that was for somebody listening to this episode. Alright. And so okay. So the second one was the prince of peace. The third characteristic of Christ that will help you have that mindset of a Jesus Christ c excuse Christ, let CEO is the light of the world. Okay? You have to lead with integrity and transparency. So what does that mean? Sorry, guys.
Edna Harding [00:16:11]:
I feel like I'm, like, about choking on my thing. Jesus is the light of the world. He brings truth and integrity in to every situation. So as leaders, how can we reflect the light in our own leadership? Okay. This means that we need to be transparent. We need to be honest and committed to doing what is right even when it is difficult. So let let me give you guys an example. I remember one time I was working for a company, and there was this gentleman, I'm not gonna mention, but he was from a foreign country.
Edna Harding [00:16:40]:
And the company promised him to basically, defile their work visa. And so he's been busting his butt, working for a year, bringing so much revenue to the company. At the end of it, when I spoke to the corporate the business I mean, the lawyer for the company as well as my boss at that time, I was an executive, for, anyway, I'm not gonna mention the company, but I was an executive company. And one of my that was my employee, and I was kinda like, hey. His visa is running out. I thought you guys gonna file for a work visa and so forth. And long story short, they didn't wanna keep their word. And so what ended up happening was I had to let go of my guy, not because they couldn't afford it, but because they didn't want to.
Edna Harding [00:17:26]:
And that, to me, that just spoke a lot about their character. That spoke a lot about their integrity. And I'm like, I don't know if I can work for a company like this that doesn't keep their word. Now I could understand if it's something that, you know, was out of their hands, but they just didn't wanna keep it work. They just took advantage of this young student who was working for this thing. And I was grieved because I had to bear the bad news because they couldn't do it. I had to do it because I was his boss. And to me, that is not being the light of the world.
Edna Harding [00:17:56]:
We need to commit to doing what we say we're gonna do even when it's difficult, even if it's gonna cost us money. Like, don't say something. You don't make promises that you're not gonna keep. And that's what I see a lot in corporations and in businesses is that they don't always keep their word. They say whatever floats makes someone's ears tingle, and they get the these, especially young, the next generation's hopes up, and then they don't keep their word and they wonder why they lose good people. It's because when you do stuff like that, of course, you're you're leaving a bad taste in the mouth. I think nowadays, it's a little bit different because back then, social media wasn't that big, as it is now. And a lot of people were afraid to voice out their concerns on social media.
Edna Harding [00:18:42]:
I think now people are a little bit more bold, but back then, it wasn't. And so they just kinda kept it to themselves. But at the end of the day, what it boils down to anyway, even if people don't find out thank you, Hallease. But you're accountable to God as a CEO. And so you have a CEO of his business, meaning if you dedicated your business to the lord Jesus Christ or if you want to dedicate your business to lord Jesus Christ, there are certain behaviors that the lord wants you to get rid of. And dishonesty, lie, you know, greed, those have lying greed, no, those not keeping your promises, like, those are things that are not going to help you, increase your business. Because the lord is one of the things about god is he's not gonna give you more if you you're not faithful with the little. Right? And so you have to pass the test.
Edna Harding [00:19:32]:
You have to pass the test of integrity. You have to pass the test. And thank you, holy spirit. And let's say you are because I know I have, clients who are still starting out who don't have a team yet, don't have a core vendor starting out as a start up. Like, you need to really think about okay. For example, if someone gives you more change, let's say, $5 extra, don't keep the extra $5. Return back the $5. Pass the test of integrity.
Edna Harding [00:19:57]:
Like, if you have to I mean, I can't tell you how many times like, for example, I can't think of an example right now. Like, maybe my kid, didn't pay for something. The kid hide something. Like, I made sure that my child understands, like, that is wrong. We're gonna return that, or we're not gonna steal that, or we're not you know, just even if it's little things, like, you don't, like oh, for thank you for thank you on this part. Like, for example prime example. Right? When, you know like, for example, you're renting a place, and you have, like, what do you call it, a damage. And you're saying, oh, this damage was done.
Edna Harding [00:20:36]:
It was already here, but in reality, it was your kid who did it. And, yeah, you can't tell the people a little white lie when in reality you're lying, if that makes sense. I hope that makes some sense. So alright. So you need to create a culture thinking what these are. Like, then we get back on track. You you wanna create a culture where truth is valued and integrity is a nonnegotiable. So what does that mean? You may have to start firing people if they show the very first time a lack of integrity.
Edna Harding [00:21:13]:
Why? Because these people represent you. Right? One thing about me is I do not put up with lies. And even though sometimes, like, it's a fib or whatever, like, I do not put up with it. And it's because I understand what it does is it it it kinda creates a habit or a behavior in your life of where you think it's okay for you to tell white lie, but those little white lies turns into big lies eventually as you grow up. So you wanna train them while they're young. Alright. So let's get practical. This is supposed to be a short episode, but it's getting longer by the day.
Edna Harding [00:21:46]:
So I'm just gonna I'm gonna keep by the minute. Start by being transparent with your team about the challenges and successes of your business that your biz thank you. Okay. I need to stop back. Slow down, Yoro. Okay. Alright. So start by being transparent with your team about the challenges and successes of your business.
Edna Harding [00:22:07]:
K? Meaning, don't shy away from difficult conversations and always leave it honest with you. So, for example, if you're struggling to pay the bills prime example. There was this gentleman. Okay. So I don't know. Yeah. I think I could share this because, obviously, he promoted. So on LinkedIn, one of the, softwares I've invested in, many years ago, Apparently, the founder was saying that they were struggling in debt.
Edna Harding [00:22:35]:
It's called Sessions, for those of you guys who are not familiar. And, by the way, it's a great program. I've been using that for all these years. Anyway, they're struggling to pay their employees. They're struggling to pay their bills, and they basically posted on LinkedIn that they needed help, they needed support, that they have this awesome deal for future customers. And if they, basically, were crying out for help and saying, hey, guys. This is the situation. We're struggling financially.
Edna Harding [00:23:01]:
We can't pay you. And there was a lot of people that decided to stay in the business and work for free. Now you're probably like, that's crazy. But this is what what happens when you're transparent and when you're honest and you let them know your struggles, the people who've seen your transparency, that you're not always strong, that you're not always powerful, like, you have to it's kinda like in scriptures where it talks about when you marry someone I'm not saying that working for an employer is like marriage, but just a prime example. When like, let's say my husband and I. If my husband was transparent if my because my husband is transparent about his weaknesses, about the challenges, I'm more inclined to support him when those weaknesses start showing up. Why? Because he was transparent and honest with me throughout the whole entire time. It's the same thing in business.
Edna Harding [00:23:53]:
The more transparent and honest you are with your team and your what I call your family, your employees about, hey, guys. We're doing great. This is a great quarter. Hey, guys. We missed the mark here. Like, communicate what's going on and and let them know the struggles that you're facing. Let them know that as a leader, hey, guys. I'm I'm feeling this way.
Edna Harding [00:24:11]:
I'm just letting you guys know. Or let's say I'm dealing with a divorce. Whatever it is, whatever struggle, you'd be surprised how compassionate and how heartfelt your people can get once you start showing your vulnerable side. Right? And so be transparent with them about the challenges and successes. Don't shy away from difficult conversation. Always leave with honesty. Also, create an open door policy. This means feedback is always welcome and that no matter whether the the feedback is good or bad, you you you take it with a grain of salt, meaning, like, you don't freak out over it.
Edna Harding [00:24:46]:
Don't get defensive. I know funny story. I remember, so my daughter had her 1st star report. My daughter's in kindergarten. She's 5. And there was something in there, something about her vocabulary is not that great. I mean I mean, like, she wasn't excelling, but she also went zimber high, but she was, like, average. And my husband said something, well, maybe we need to ask, you know, the she was a little behind with her vocab.
Edna Harding [00:25:11]:
She was good in every area, but bottom line was, she would say something like, maybe we should ask the teacher, like, how we can improve our vocabulary. As a mama bear dude, I was so defensive. I'm like, well, she got a 100 in every single one of her like, I just went on and on and on about, you know, all their it's like, I don't know where this is coming from because she got a 100 every single assignment. There was no issues. And mind you, she just started school a couple weeks ago. But my point is I got so defensive once I heard a critique from someone else, and you can't be like that. Right? Especially, I understand too that as a CEO, this is your baby. This is your company.
Edna Harding [00:25:45]:
So you're probably like, well, I'm not going to, like, you weren't there during a hard time. Like, don't get defensive. Just bottom line, be open to feedback. So when your team sees you with a leading with integrity, with humility, what it does, it sets a powerful example and builds a foundation of trust that is essential for long term success. Alright. Let me get to the 4th characteristic, okay, of Jesus. Gosh. This was supposed to be a short episode.
Edna Harding [00:26:11]:
It's turning longer. Wait a minute. Alright. The bread of life. You have to nourish your team with purpose and vision. So Jesus himself is the bread of life. He offered nourishment that sustained and fulfill. So as leaders, we have the responsibility to provide more than just direction and resources.
Edna Harding [00:26:30]:
We're supposed to nourish our team with a certain set of purpose and vision. So what happens is when people understand the bigger picture and they feel connected to a mission that goes beyond profits, then they find fulfillment and are more motivated to give their best. So when they realize that every job or every position somehow contributes to the bigger vision and purpose so a lot of times, I think this is what I find in most corporations or businesses is they have these job descriptions, and they just do it. And they just do keep doing the mundane, but they don't realize, like, what that one job does can contribute to certain initiatives and how not just can, but how it contributes. What happens is sorry, guys. My Apple Watch has been going from my workout this morning. What happens is they don't see like, they don't they don't do their best because they're like, okay. You know, this is not really gonna make a difference.
Edna Harding [00:27:37]:
So one way to do this, and this is not in my notes, but it's it's to create contests. Like, be like, okay, guys. So we have this initiative of, like, reaching, what, a $1,000,000 in sales. And so for this team, who, to to this team, your responsibility is to do a, b, and c. And the reason why you used to do a, b, and c, because it contributes to a. And then this team, and so forth. And so we're gonna create some goals for you guys, and we're gonna give you prizes. And so not only do they know what their specific task or specific job contributes to the overall purpose, but then you reward them for reaching certain goals, that's a perfect way to create that vision and purpose for your specific employee for that particular team, if that makes sense.
Edna Harding [00:28:25]:
So, one thing that you need to do is you need to share the vision and purpose behind your work, behind the business. Like, what is like, for example for me. Right? Right now, I don't it's at my solopreneur meeting. I have contractors, but I don't have, like, employees. But, eventually, I'm going to have employees. And bottom line, what I wanna do is I want them to understand why I do what I do. Like, as as as a person who founded this company, as a CEO of this company, I want people to know what problems my business solve and how does that better society. How does that create lasting impact for the next generation? And I want them to understand, like, their daily contribution contributes to a bigger purpose.
Edna Harding [00:29:13]:
And when you're very clear on that and it's not just about making money, about, you know, providing for their families. I'm talking about specifically what problems in this world are you trying to solve, and how does your solution differ from all the other solutions, and and how can you contribute, you know, to the to the solution versus, you know, just being one of many vendors who band aids the problem and not really solve the problem? Okay. That I feel like that's another whole episode, but bottom line is you need to be intentional with your words and really communicate and articulate the value of your solution to your employees. Okay? So you make sure that they understand how their roles contribute to their larger mission. You need to celebrate their successes that align with this purpose and make time to discuss the impact of your business that, has on the community and beyond. So by consistently reinforcing the sense of purpose, what happens is you help your team find meaning in the work, and then this leads then to greater satisfaction and productivity, which is basically what I just said. Alright. And number 5, guys, we're almost done.
Edna Harding [00:30:28]:
The way, the truth, and the life. That is this. The next characteristic I wanna talk about. And what does that mean from a CEO standpoint? You need to lead with clarity. You need to lead with conviction, and you need to lead with vitality. The way, the truth, and the life. Clarity, conviction, and vitality. Clarity, conviction, and vitality.
Edna Harding [00:30:48]:
Clarity, conviction, and vitality. Right? You know, Jesus declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the life, and this basically shows direction, integrity, and vitality. And what that means is as leaders, we need to be the we need to be like a lighthouse. We truly need to provide clear direction. Be like, this is what we're going. This is where we're going, and you can either come join the train or you don't. Get out. Get off the boat.
Edna Harding [00:31:17]:
Right? Stand firm in the truth. Meaning, like, guys, this is what we believe in. This is the values no matter what. It doesn't matter what the government says. It doesn't matter what laws and what other people, even people hate us, our competitors say, or or our customers say, we're gonna stand up for our truth. They're gonna stick to our truth. You gotta have some sort of level of conviction that this is what we agreed on. This is what we're gonna stay because this is where god told us to do.
Edna Harding [00:31:47]:
Meaning, it lines up in thinking holy spirit. I just wanna be very clear. So when I create a business and I work with clients, I wanna make sure that every law, every policy, every principle that they that they, sorry, everything, every, job description, whatever it is, anything that concerns the business does not go against the word of God. And sometimes, you know, what what the government will do or or or rulers will do or it doesn't matter whoever it is, will try to bully you into changing your policies to line up with their truth, to line up with their agenda or their personal convictions. When you are a Christ CEO Jesus Christ CEO, you're so you're rather pleased god than man that you don't care if you lose your business license, because you will not power down and change your policies to meet other people's agenda, when in reality, you know it goes against the word of God. Now I can say and I will say that that is obviously a painful price, and not everyone is bold enough to do that. And I can't say that it's gonna be easy for me either because I've never been in that situation. But I feel like we're coming into a time where there are gonna be certain things that are going to be pushed down businesses throats.
Edna Harding [00:33:15]:
Your responsibility as a CEO and as a leader that no matter what, you're gonna be convicted that the lord convict you're you're gonna be so convicted that god will see you through the storm, that no matter how much lawsuits are against you, no matter who opposes you, you're gonna stand firm and be like, no. That goes against my values. I will not incorporate that policy. I will not do that to my people. I will whatever it is and stand firm. And if you have to pay the penalty, you pay the penalty. God will provide for that penalty. Gosh.
Edna Harding [00:33:49]:
I feel the oh my gosh, the conviction of the holy spirit like dies. Brothers and sisters in Christ who are in business, I'm telling you, you have to stand firm. Right now, the lord wants you to be strong and courageous against these giants. Okay? The weapons will form, but they will not prosper in the mighty name of Jesus. And so, guys, you need to stand firm in the truth. I really feel like we are about to come against the the forces of darkness in ways that we've never seen before. And so I just feel the the urgency of that word. Alright? And you also need to bring life and energy to organizations.
Edna Harding [00:34:34]:
You have to breathe the life. What that means is that when things are rough, your job is to speak hope. Your spark speak life. Speak positive things. Speak the promises of God. And no matter what, don't let your people lose hope. Don't let your people stay depressed. Don't let your people stay defeated.
Edna Harding [00:34:54]:
Always incorporate the the the good news the good news, which is Jesus and everything he paid he died for. Like, always incorporate his promises and encourage your people and be like, guys, we will get through the storm. Okay? Because your approach, right, your approach will set the tone of your entire organization. K? That is the holistic approach that defines a g's a CEO mindset. So let me again, let's do a recap. Be intentional in your leadership by embodying these three aspects. Communicate your vision very clearly and consistently, ensuring that everyone knows exactly where you're going so that you guys are all on the same page. The second thing is that you have to uphold truth in all your decisions and interactions and your communications with your team and your employees and your customers and your vendors.
Edna Harding [00:35:49]:
Everyone involved, always stand up for truth and leave it energy that is contagious. Meaning, if people are depressed, get that spirit out and you speak life, you speak joy, you speak peace. And you'd be the one who's on a thermostat, but you'd be the no. Sorry. You're not a thermometer, but a thermostat, and you're dictating the environment that your company is in because you are truly a powerful you are a powerhouse and a mighty hand of god, and you could truly change the environment just with your words. Okay? Alright. So as we conclude today's episode, I hope that was blessing you. I hope that that that instill just a a a a joy in your heart and assurance that no matter what happens this next season, like, god has you.
Edna Harding [00:36:40]:
Okay? I want to encourage you to take these 5 characteristics of Jesus. Number 1, the good shepherd, the prince of peace, the light of the world, the bread of life, and he is the way, the truth, and life, and apply them to your leadership. Each one offers a unique way to reflect Christ in your decisions, your interactions, obviously, your overall approach to leading. Remember that building a Jesus Christ CEO mindset isn't just about perfection. Okay? It's not about perfection because you will never be perfect. But it's about striving to embody these qualities in everything you do. As you lead with compassion and peace, integrity, purpose, and vitality, you'll not only see a transformation in your business, but also in the lives of those you lead. Thank you guys for joining me today.
Edna Harding [00:37:24]:
And if this episode inspired you, please, I encourage you to share with your people. Share it with someone who might benefit from this message. And as always, keep leading with purpose, with biblical wisdom. Know that you are not alone. Jesus is with you every step of the way. You guys, your your, efforts will not be in vain. I promise you. And I wanna say this because I feel this on my heart.
Edna Harding [00:37:51]:
It's that I know some of you guys are going through many, many challenges, and you're starting to get worried, and you're freaking out. The lord knows that. The lord sees that. You know, you wanna do the right thing, but it seems like everything there's no human solution. Understand that god sees it, and he will come through for you. Okay? This this episode, is really relevant right now, and I I really hope that it brings encouragement to you knowing that, guys, we're in the battle lines together. Like, I'm not, like, ahead of you. Meaning, like, we're all in this together, guys.
Edna Harding [00:38:30]:
So you're not alone. We the body of Christ, there's thank you, holy spirit. There are more for us than those against us. And although we seem like we're the minority, meaning we are, like, watching the world just go crazy and go ballistic. Meaning, you see it deteriorating before your eyes, and you're like, oh gosh. Lord, we're so helpless. Like, there's nothing we can do because we don't have the power. We don't have the money.
Edna Harding [00:38:56]:
We don't have all these things, at least in our mind. Those are the lives we're believing in. But we have to remember that our weapons of warfare are not carnal. If there's anything you can do, you can pray. You could fast. You could read the word of god. You could encourage someone. You could keep sharing god's truth out there, especially in the marketplace.
Edna Harding [00:39:14]:
Those are things you could do on a regular basis to contribute to what God is doing here on the earth. So until next time, my name is Edna Harding reminding you to lead with the heart of Christ and the mindset of a true Jesus CEO. Blessings, my friend, and until next time. Thanks for joining us this week on Estrepreneur. Make sure to visit our website, favorandwealth.com, for more information on our services. While you're at it, if you found value in this show, we'd appreciate a rating on iTunes, or if you simply tell a friend about the show, that would help me out too. Also, check out my book, The Ugly Side of Sales, available on Amazon, where I share 7 of my secrets on how to win and grow business the right way. Until next time, keep shining.