Accelerator and Brake

Would you buy a car that didn’t have an accelerator? How about one that didn’t have a brake? In truth, these are pretty senseless questions, aren’t they? Even race car drivers occasionally have to tap on the brakes to avoid a collision. Even though you know that the accelerator and brake are both essential in your car, you may not have the same view when it comes to your church or ministry or organization. “Accelerators” are the classic visionaries. They’re the people who never run out of ideas but are often short on patience. The ink may not be dry on one initiative before they’re dreaming about the next one. “Brakes,” obviously, are detail and process-oriented. They are the people who always seem to be saying, “We need to slow down and think this through.” You probably readily identify yourself either as an accelerator or a brake, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s how God made you. But there is something wrong if you consider the other type of person to be a nuisance to be tolerated, or even worse, an unnecessary obstacle to be removed. It’s that other person who may keep you from making a rash decision or from getting stuck in indecision. It’s the two of you working together (or a team that mixes these temperaments) that can put together bold plans that will actually produce results. So the next time that you feel the frustration building as you work with a person who is wired differently than you, consider taking a short drive to cool off. Maybe using both the accelerator and the brake will remind you that you need each other. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>