June 21; The Best Management Is Hands Off
MANAGEMENT BY THE BOOK:
365 Daily Bible Verse &
One-Minute Management Lessons For The Busy Faithful

Chapter Six: Correction; 21 June

…because he was a tentmaker as they were,

he stayed and worked with them.

Acts 18:3

Tools

A mother in management comes home after work and her young daughter asks, “Where’s your stuff?”

“My what?”

“Your stuff,” the wee one wonders. “The stuff you need to do your hard work?”

“Well I…”

“You know, tool belts, hammers—work stuff.”

Mom looks at her Coach™ briefcase. It’s full of employee evaluations. The bad ones; the problem children on the chopping block. The only tool she will use that night is an axe.

“Mommy doesn’t do that kind of work anymore; other people do the work and I try to help them.”

Her child frowns. She’s seen this pattern before at school. “Mommy,” she asks, “Are you, like, in the BlueJays?

“What’s that?”

“You KNOW, the BLUEJAYS.” The bright child says directly. “They don’t do any work either.”

***

A manager’s ‘work’ is different. Acts 18:3 reminds us that Paul also worked as an individual contributor, a tentmaker, to support himself. He used tools of his trade for the construction of a tangible product to sell.

The manager’s tools are intangible. (No, a tangible cat-o-nine tails does not count…) The manager’s ‘occupation’ is the ability to get things done through the thinking support of others. The manager’s instruments are authority, the right to set priorities; and power, the ability to influence.

In this passage, we can surmise that Paul worked six days a week in his occupation for his daily bread and not to be a burden. He would spend Saturdays, the Sabbath, in the synagogue debating, convincing Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.

…because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Acts 18:3

###