Provisions of Care
Part 6 in a series on Power Dynamics in Leadership
People take specific jobs for a number of reasons. A paycheck is a common reason for someone choosing to work. When someone provides labor and talents, it is just and right that she or he receives compensation for that work.
Certainly in some philosophical circles, wages for labor is treated as a bad thing, but within our current market economy it’s generally assumed that if you work you get paid. It’s not even something we talk about from a “why” standpoint. While I’ve heard stories of organizations that are struggling and convince people to stay on for part or no pay for a short period of time, that isn’t sustainable. We have rent or mortgages to pay. There are groceries to buy. Transportation expenses, medical expenses, and other necessary and discretionary expenses.
In short: one significant reason people work is to provide enough income to take care of physical needs and desires.
As a leader, you likely have some influence over the compensation of those who you work with, the team that you serve. It could be bound by policies beyond your control or above your pay grade, but you probably have some control or influence over it.
It’s been common for some time in the market economy, or a capitalist system, for organizations and leaders to seek to pay workers as little as needed to get them to take the job. Market forces of supply and demand drive up the prices for some work, but even in those cases most places I’ve worked they’ve considered it a crucial point of business to negotiate labor costs to be as low as possible.
Why? Because maximizing profit for the owners or shareholders is believed to be the primary focus of financial management decisions.
I am not a socialist, nor do I think that socialism as a school of thought is correct or even workable. Often philosophies such as socialism gain momentum because they are correctly identifying a legitimate problem, though. If you spend enough time around people who are informed, intelligent socialists you’ll hear something like this: “workers are entitled to the excess value of their labor.”
There’s a misunderstanding of exchange in this thinking, but also an important truth that is illuminated. Societally and organizationally, systems tend to exploit those who have the least power and take great advantage of their work in ways that enriches others, usually those who already have wealth and power. This is indeed a huge problem. I’ll restrain myself from digression into economics nerddom beyond this bare bones sketch: Socialism is not an economically workable system, but it is attempting to fix a real and troubling issue.
The next name of God we’re looking at in our discussion of power dynamics is Jehovah (Yahweh) Jireh: “God the Provider.” God is one who provides for us: everything. The example for this name is in Genesis 22 where on Mt. Moriah, Abraham sees God provide a substitute for the commanded sacrifice of his son Isaac. God provides a ram for that sacrifice and foreshadows His providing of Jesus in the same way as a substitute for the sins of God’s people in all times and places.
But God doesn’t stop there: when we pray that God would give us our bread, day by day (daily bread) we are recognizing that our sustenance and shelter comes from His hand, no matter what means He uses to provide it.
And here’s a key point: God doesn’t give us as little as possible to keep us happy. The creator and sustainer of the universe gives us everything we need. Psalm 23:5 says that our cups overflow with His blessings.
How are you reflecting that use of power to shower blessings on your team? Is it your job to make sure, within the constraints you have, that you are providing not only fair but generous compensation for those under your care? Are you willing to risk your power and influence to appeal for better blessings for each person?
What this looks like will be different depending on what kind of organization you work for and how much power you actually have. You are only responsible in so far as you have the power to influence change. If you own a business that employs others, you have a lot of power to choose a redemptive model instead of one that is simply fair and just. If there are profits, are they distributed only to owners or do those with the least power and wealth benefit from the organizational success as well?
Leader, consider your practices for hiring and compensation. Are you attempting to squeeze labor costs which means minimizing human blessing and flourishing? Or are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of blessing others who have less proportional wealth and power? When you bless with bonuses do you spread out the bonus fund based on compensation level (e.g. a % of annual salary for the bonus) or have you considered other distribution equations that benefit those who earn the least just as much (such as a bonus based on % of annual hours worked)?
Where you have power to provide for others and to do so with justice and generosity, use your power as such. Jesus didn’t white knuckle His blessings, but shared them generously with those who were His enemies, those who He came to redeem. Consider ways that you can use what you have to improve the lives of others and follow His example.
Caring and providing is part of good leadership. The people under your care require special attention so that they are honored as lives that matter, because each one in her or his unique way, reflects the image of our God.