The Tranquil Leader…

Preface: If you don’t like sports…that’s ok. Stick with me. It will be quick.

I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but my favorite football team is the Kansas City Chiefs. For a lot of my life, they’ve teetered between horrendous and pretty good (but not good enough). They were stuck on a QB and coach carousel. Firing then hiring, then firing then hiring- and repeat.

All that changed when Andy Reid became the head coach. In nine years Andy Reid has a record of 103–42. He has been to 3 AFC championships and 2 Superbowls (about to be 3).

Andy changed the direction of the Kansas City Chiefs and it’s been really cool to watch. I noticed pretty early in Andy’s career that he was different than any other coach I experienced as a Chiefs fan. He focused on more than just personal. His actions taught me that you can have the best players in the world, but they will not succeed if the culture is toxic.

Andy was the medicine the Chiefs needed. Andy was cool, steadfast, and he didn’t panic. He built something the right way. He stayed the course. I think I could describe him as tranquil. In the middle of the mess of a chaotic football season, Andy didn’t flench.

The results have been powerful. I guess what I’m trying to say is, the Chiefs didn’t just have a personal problem, they had a culture problem. Andy’s leadership changed all of that.

That brings me to you. We are all leaders to someone the question is, what type of leader are you going to be?

I read this verse today, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” Proverbs14:30.

Think about that, you want to change the culture of your work or your family? Well, it starts with the culture of your own heart. Would you describe your heart as tranquil? Is your heart calm? Is it at peace no matter the circumstance? That’s a heart that is life-giving; not only to you but to the people around you.

So how do we do it? I don’t know. I’m trying hard to figure that out myself. Today I came across this other verse. I think it might help us as we try to find that calm of tranquility.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:4–7

So then, to find that tranquil heart, let’s focus our attention on something bigger than the here and now. Find those truths about who you really are…and rejoice!