Manage Relationships, not Just Workers

(Note: This article is a follow-up to a portion of a lengthy article that I originally wrote for the winter 2019 issue of the Army Chemical Review, which I later revised and posted on my blog in January 2020. This article was also published on the Institute for Faith, Work & Economic blog and the Coram Deo blog.)

I have a theory that my job as a supervisor is to manage relationships on my team, not just manage people. 

What are your initial reactions to this radical concept?  I have not heard or read of this anywhere else.  (It could be a great topic for a Ph.D. dissertation, if I was pursuing a doctorate.)

Let me summarize my applications from a college math class I took on combinatorial theory, demonstrate how I use these calculations to adjust my management style, provide some biblical support for my theory, and offer some practical suggestions as to how to best apply this concept.  I believe it will be eye-opening and will be extremely useful for many who manage a team of people.

Using combinatorial theory at work

Several years ago, I saw how I could use combinatorial theory to figure out just how many distinct relationships we had in our Operations section.  It is a simple mathematical formula: n x (n-1)/2, where n is the number of people you have. 

With five team members, you multiply five by four (which are the four people each has to work with) and then divide by two.  (You do not need to count relationships twice; my relationship with you is the same as yours with me).  In this case, five times four equals twenty, divided by two, which yields a total of ten relationships.

What if we added two more workers to our team of five? 

Now we have seven.  How many distinct relationships do we have now?  Using the formula above, 7 x 6 / 2 = 21.  Twenty one!  By adding two more people to our team, I do not have just two more people for me to care for.  I am now required as a manager to maintain eleven more relationships than the ten we had earlier.  (Each of the two new team members has to relate to the previous five and also will relate to each other.)  This is fascinating to me, and has a number of implications.

Implications for managers

These calculations have changed the way I do business.  Every relationship is important and needs to be monitored by the leader.  The chain is only as good as its weakest link.  Everyone has to relate to each other, and not just to the boss.  As a leader, I am responsible to facilitate, improve, and maintain each relationship between my employees, not just my relationships with each of them.

Additionally, where there are more people on your team, there will always be more potential for conflict.  With so many relationships to maintain, each member of the team has to strive to communicate positively with everyone and resolve conflicts at the lowest level possible. 

Being a faithful shepherd of the sheep

Those who are called to full-time pastoral ministry are often reminded of their roles as shepherds of the flock.  However, as I look at my own role as a manager (a supervisor of supervisors), I am also called to be a faithful shepherd of the team that God has placed me over, as long as I am in this position.  Let me share some Scriptures on being a good shepherd and discuss how that can apply to any leader.

Let’s start with Jesus.  He stated that He was the good Shepherd who would lay down His life for His sheep (John 10:11).  This should remind us of the words of David in Psalm 23, who spoke of  Yahweh as his shepherd.  When Jesus saw the crowds as He was teaching and healing, He had compassion on them, as they were like sheep without a shepherd.  (See Matt. 9:35-37; Mark 6:34.)

The prophet Jeremiah spoke often about shepherds.  He mentions that God will once again provide faithful shepherds after His own heart, who will lead with knowledge and understanding (Jer. 3:15).  Later, he criticizes Israel’s leaders for being senseless and letting the sheep be scattered (Jer. 10:21).

There are a few implied tasks from these verses above.  I need to be like Jesus as a shepherd of the flock, who lovingly, sacrificially, and faithfully cares for His people.  I need to pray that God will continue to transform me into a compassionate leader, who will lead with wisdom and knowledge.

Shepherds who want to be wise are exhorted to pay close attention to their flocks (Prov. 27:23).  I do not know if sheep relate to each other.  They probably do to a certain degree.  But people do, and if we are to be attentive shepherds of our team, we need to ensure they get along with each other.

How do I maintain relationships on my team?

Let me provide a few suggestions as to how to foster relationships and build teamwork:

• Consistently treat everyone with dignity and respect; expect the same from all members
• Provide opportunities to work on projects with someone different (i.e., officers with NCOs)
• Train team members to look out for each other, offer help when needed, and handle conflicts at the lowest level before they bring them to you
• Pay attention to those who tend to keep to themselves and avoid interacting with the others on the team; you want to encourage positive relationships, not just avoid conflict

One of the best pictures of harmonious teamwork is found in 1 Cor. 12:21-26, where the Apostle Paul describes how the Body of Christ, the church, should function. The key elements I see here can also apply to team-building in other settings because it is God’s truth. Everyone on the team should acknowledge that all others are of value. All members are needed. Each one should be concerned about all of the others. That is what I strive for with my team at work

Closing challenge

At the end of the day, I want to build a strong team, one that can accomplish the variety of missions we are given every day, which in our case directly supports and defends the U.S. Constitution.  As I focus my attention on building a caring community of teammates, we will all come out as winners.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 40 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping other ordinary people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth pastor. After serving 20 years on active duty, Russ now works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. More than 60 articles posted on this blog have been published over 120 times on numerous Christian organization’s websites, including: the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, 4Word Women, Acton Institute, and The Gospel Coalition.

A Funny Little Story with a Purpose

Let me share a funny little story that I think many of you may find interesting.

On a hot summer day 30 years ago, in June 1991, one Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) (who a few months back had been selected as the 1990 Fort Lewis NCO of the Year) found himself in charge of the Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) training for over 3,000 Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. It was a great day to be part of the Army team!

Every single ROTC cadet from around the country who was in-between their junior and senior years of college attended their Advanced Camp at Fort Lewis that year, since Fort Bragg and Fort Riley had deployed to support Operation Desert Storm.

By the luck of the draw, this NBC NCO’s Air Defense Artillery battalion was tasked to run the NBC committee. This young staff sergeant had carefully trained and certified 30 instructors to teach the skill level 1 NBC tasks in a round robin fashion in four stations located in a wooded area marked by a meticulous sandbag trail. He personally put over 3,000 cadets through the gas chamber over a 30-day period from June to July.

As you may have guessed, that NBC NCO was me. That may be mildly interesting. More importantly, one of those cadets was Colonel Tom Duncan, whom I would meet twenty-plus years later when he took command of the 84th Chemical Battalion and then came back to Fort Leonard Wood in 2017 to be our Assistant Commandant. True story. (I just learned that my current Assistant Commandant was also there that summer.)

I do not know if I had any influence on Colonel Duncan in being branched Chemical when he was commissioned in December of that year, but I would like to think so.

What does this story have to do with God’s presence at work?

Thirty years ago, long before I solidified my concept of Immanuel labor, I think I knew in my heart that God had put me at Fort Lewis, in that particular unit, not by “the luck of the draw”, but by His divine design. He had a purpose for me. He was going to lead me, guide me, and very clearly work in, with, and through me to train those 3,000 ROTC cadets in NBC defense to meet their needs to receive the best training possible at this critical moment in their Army careers. God had blessed me with the technical knowledge, experience, vision, communicative skills, and attention to detail to enable me to take charge of this training.

If God can use a young Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army in his ordinary vocation, working as unto the Lord for His glory, He can use YOU in whatever task or project you are given to do.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 40 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping other ordinary people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth pastor. After serving 20 years on active duty, Russ now works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. More than 60 articles posted on this blog have been published over 120 times on numerous Christian organization’s websites, including: the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, 4Word Women, Acton Institute, and The Gospel Coalition.

What do You do All Day?

(Note: This article was published on the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics blog and the Coram Deo blog. It made the list of IFWE’s top ten articles for 2021.)

Two months ago, I had to provide my supervisor a summary of my accomplishments over the past year for my civilian performance review (evaluation).  It was a daunting task, but it gave me an opportunity to give praise to God for the strength and wisdom that He provided along the way.

It occurred to me a while back that my responsibilities at work can be described by a handful of action verbs.  More importantly, what may be somewhat surprising and helpful to others is that each of these key verbs can be seen through a biblical lens.  I strongly believe God cares about these activities and has provided guidance in His Word on how we should accomplish these things in a righteous manner.  He has also given us godly examples to show us how to do them in His way.

Let me describe some of the specialized skills that I use every day at my place of employment at one of the U.S. Army’s premier training centers.  Many of these actions I do are also done in a variety of other settings, whether in a secular environment or in a vocational Christian ministry. 

My work

Here are my top five words that describe what I do at work and a relevant Scripture to go with it:

1. Advise.  This is my primary function as written in my job description, to advise the school chief of staff and other senior leaders.  I spend much time making recommendations to my supervisor on prudent courses of action.  Based on my extensive experience, my gut instincts are often right on target.  The book of Proverbs commends those who seek advice as wise: “Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance” (Prov. 20:18). 
2. Plan.  This is where I lay out the steps necessary to set us up for success.  I usually start with an event and work my way backwards to develop milestones, to include scheduling meetings, writing operations orders, completing final products for approval, etc.  Proverbs 16:3 states, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
3. Prepare.  This the last stage before we conduct a major event.  It involves ensuring all the equipment is staged and ready to go.  Scripts are written, edited, and rehearsed.  Everyone knows their part well.  The book of Proverbs acknowledges the value of being prepared for battle.  However, there is always a dependence on the Lord for victory (Prov. 21:31).
4. Execute.  This is where I get to see the results of months of planning and preparation.  Once the event kicks off, usually there is little for me to do except enjoy the ceremony.  Sometimes I can help the narrator speak louder by catching their eye and putting my hand to my ear.  Sometimes I can grab a back-up microphone if the first one isn’t working.  Most times, I just take notes on what went right and what we could do better next time.  “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride” (Eccl. 7:8).
5. Mentor.  I do this every day with my Operations team.  Sometimes it takes a 30-minute discussion to wrestle with a complex topic such as treating one another with dignity and respect.  Other times all I have to say is one or two words to remind them of the standard.  One example of a mentor was Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law who counseled him on his need to delegate his responsibilities.  (See Exodus 18:14-23.)

Your work

Your job is just as unique as my own.  You may or may not use any of these skills that I use.  The list of verbs that describe all of the jobs that need to be done in our world is probably infinite.

Your list of job skills might include such amazing activities such as cook, build, teach, discipline, comfort, replace, repair, restore, invest, invent, film, unclog, plant, cultivate, design, draw, clean, calculate, report, care, rescue, support, defend, sweep, stock, serve, preach, pave, fly, install, feed, program, administer, translate, negotiate, investigate, move, sell, promote, advertise, research, adjudicate, perform, recruit, write, direct, or deliver.  I am obviously just scratching the surface. 

Here’s an idea that may help you do your job better by doing what you do according to God’s word. Once you identify your own top five verb list, use an online search tool such as Bible Gateway or a decent concordance, take time to look up some of the verses that pop up.  You may find some that resonate deeply with you, keep you focused, and help you to see your work through a biblical lens.

God’s work

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that I was not born with the ability to accomplish all of these functions well.  By the grace of God, I was granted certain aptitudes that would set me up for success.  Over time, God provided opportunities for me to learn and develop these special skills.  As I work hard every day, I truly sense that God is not merely working with me, but in and through me.

Gene Veith, in God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life shares this: “When God blesses us, He almost always does it through other people. . . God protects us through the cop on the beat and the whole panoply of the legal system.  He gives us beauty and meaning through artists.  He lets us travel through the ministry of auto workers, mechanics, road crews, and airline employees. . . The fast-food worker, the inventor; the clerical assistant, the scientist; the accountant, the musician – they all have high callings, used by God to bless and serve His people and his creation.”

The purpose of this work that God does through you and I as His coworkers is to demonstrate His love to His greatest creation.  We work in order to show God’s love to the recipients of our action verbs.  Since God cares about these human activities, wants them done right, and even does some of them Himself, we should also care about doing them with a spirit of excellence.  (See Col. 3:23-24.)

So, what do you do all day?  What has God said about how to use these tasks to glorify Him?

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 40 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He is an ordinary man who is passionate about helping other ordinary people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth pastor. After serving 20 years on active duty, Russ now works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. More than 60 articles posted on this blog have been published over 120 times on numerous Christian organization’s websites, including: the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, 4Word Women, Acton Institute, and The Gospel Coalition.