Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64T hank goodness for pas- tors! I was visiting with a pastor friend recently when he asked me how I was doing, 18 months in as the new CEO of our mission. Among other things, I told him that I’m really finding a need for wis- dom and advice from people who have been leading at this level for a while. He claimed not to have much wisdom outside of a simple three-part paradigm. “I want to work like a slave,” he said, “think like a CEO, and feel like a passerby. Where it gets sideways is if those get mixed up.” If, while working like a slave, I also start feeling like one, that’s unlikely to go well. The Apostle Paul frequently refers to himself as a slave of Christ as he worked selflessly and relentlessly. But he also spoke extensively of being an heir, a family member, no longer under the governing authority of an intermediary. He worked like a slave, but he felt like an heir! If it matters more to me that I feel like a CEO than that I think like one, that’s also unlikely to produce good out- comes. “Instead,” my pastor friend told me, “I want to feel like a passerby. This church I’m pastoring is 100 years old. I’m here for a season, and feeling that truth on a daily basis helps keep me in the right place— emotionally, spiritually, and organizationally.” In my military service, I saw that the really good leaders seemed to feel the inheritance- nature of leading soldiers. Previous generations began this work, and subsequent ones will continue it. This isn’t about me, proving my competence or capabilities, or earning my next spot. I’m passing through. But if I think like one pass- ing through, or work like one passing through, our mission will suffer quickly and severely. I have to work like a slave while feeling like a passerby. I need to think like a CEO as I feel the freedom of remembering that this isn’t my mission; it’s God’s, who is faithful and wise, and not limited by my limitations. “So simple,” I thought as this pastor told me his concept. “Why is it so difficult, then?” And that brings me back to perhaps the biggest thing I’ve learned so far as a new rescue mission CEO: I’m a sinner in need of as much transforma- tion as anyone here! The change has to start with me… but not as a principle of leader- ship or integrity. Change must start with me because I need it so much. Ĩ 60 WWW.AGRM.ORG JULY/AUGUST 2016 DAY-TO-DAY LEADERSHIP LAB Mike Johnson Healthy Leaders How both new and seasoned CEOs can find balance and perspective Mike is executive director of The Rescue Mission in Tacoma, Washington. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University, a former Army Ranger, an ordained minister, and father of seven children—all adopted. You can email Mike at mikejohnson@trm.org.