Doorbusters

Have you ever thought about the irony of “doorbusters.” The very word, used for those incredible bargains on Black Friday, implies that people will bust down the door to get to the merchandise. They’re widely advertised on Thanksgiving Day, when we should be giving thanks rather than whetting our shopping appetites. And then, when crowds of people start to behave like unruly mobs, we’re appalled. In other words, when people bust the doors to get to the doorbusters, we’re shocked and outraged. Language matters. As leaders, what we emphasize matters. If a church puts its emphasis on “membership” and lowers the barriers to joining, then the leaders shouldn’t be surprised when commitment levels are low among many of their members. The bar was lowered before they even joined. You may think you’d never do this, but have you ever said, “It’s easy to join” or “Just sign this card” or “It’s OK if you miss 1 or 2 of our membership classes.” Perhaps membership isn’t your issue, but there is probably at least one area where your language has some unintended consequences. Not that language can automatically change everything. If a store claims advertises a doorbuster, but consumers know that the price isn’t a bargain, the store loses credibility in the eyes of consumers. In the same way, leaders and their organizations get in trouble when their walk doesn’t match their talk. In these cases, the leader’s best course of action is to acknowledge the gap between an aspiration and reality, and then make closing the gap a priority. This week, take an inventory of the things that you emphasize. Have you inadvertently pointed in some unhealthy directions? Do your words line up with the values and priorities that are exhibited within your organization? It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>