If you’re like me, you like things to work out of the box. Some assembly required is okay, but it needs to meet my needs when it’s put together. That being said, sometimes it’s good to have the option to change things. Adjustable shelves are necessary for me with the many differently sized books I’ve collected in my years of schooling. I also like to customize my technology to meet my desires: no clicking sounds, pictures of beloved ones and place in the background, etc. And if at some point all my alterations become an issue, I can always restore to factory defaults.
But our stuff is not the only thing that has defaults. We, over the course of our lives, establish our own unspoken defaults. It can be as benign as how we like our eggs or as potentially harmful as how we respond to someone who confronts us. Our defaults are the sort of behaviors that we do without thinking. Often these are learned responses, patterns formed as we experience or witness favorable outcomes. They become almost subconscious and, in many cases, produce what we desire.
However, when it comes to adaptive challenges, our defaults are not enough. They may actually be what got us into the mess we’re in! That’s why as leaders we must learn to make conscious choices. Rather than always relying on our default responses we must decide in advance to respond differently or broaden our understanding so we can make a more informed decision.
Here’s an example from Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6. Much of the Sermon on the Mount is about shifting away from learned defaults and into new behaviors. A brief paraphrase goes something like this, “Don’t make a big deal of your prayers, offerings, or times of fasting like people tend to do. Pray, give, and fast in secret. God knows and that’s what counts. Doing it for others may get rewards now but that’s not what really matters.” Jesus wants his followers to shift from the common default practice of controlling others with acts of piety and instead encourage humility and self-control.
Perhaps one of the most important defaults to overcome these days is the instinct to become defensive when someone offers an opinion or perspective different from our own. Easier said than done, I know, but this is extremely important. Especially as we journey into the uncharted territory that is adaptive challenges we must learn to listen for understanding while offering grace to the other. When we make this conscious choice we are not only embodying good leadership but the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
-- Clayton Gladish