Brandon West: From Control to Stewardship in Leadership

Seek Go Create - The Leadership Journey for Christian Entrepreneurs and Faith-Driven Leaders

Are your professional pursuits driven by purpose or merely profit? In this episode of Seek Go Create - The Leadership Journey, guest Brandon West shares his transformative journey from viewing himself as a CEO to embracing his role as a "chief purpose officer." Join host Tim Winders and Brandon as they delve into how integrating faith with business can create impactful, purpose-driven leadership that transcends traditional success metrics. Discover practical insights and inspiring stories that will challenge you to rethink your approach to work and life.

"In business, we should shift from profits-centered to purpose-driven, focusing more on 'we' than 'me'." - Brandon West

Access all show and episode resources HERE

About Our Guest:

Brandon West is a visionary entrepreneur, author, and pastor who founded PHOS Creative, a purpose-driven marketing agency dedicated to integrating faith and business. With a profound commitment to marketplace ministry, Brandon has launched 17 care centers across 11 countries. His debut book, "It's Not Your Business to Succeed," challenges conventional success metrics, advocating for leadership grounded in faith and purpose. Brandon's blend of business acumen and pastoral wisdom offers unique insights into leading with integrity and impact.

Reasons to Listen:

1. Discover Purpose Beyond Profits: Learn how Brandon West integrates faith and business to transform traditional profit-driven models into purpose-driven missions, establishing 17 care centers in 11 countries.
2. Navigate Modern Workforce Pressures: Delve into Brandon's insights on tackling the anxiety and high-pressure success metrics faced by today's young professionals, especially those in academic environments like the University of Florida.
3. Reframe Leadership and Success: Explore the enlightening conversation on shifting from control to stewardship, emphasizing faithfulness over outcomes, and embracing gentleness and emotional intelligence in leadership.

Episode Resources & Action Steps:

Resources Mentioned:

1. Book: "It's Not Your Business to Succeed" by Brandon West - Available on Amazon and provides insights on leading with trust in God's purpose rather than focusing solely on success outcomes.
2. Website: BrandonMichaelWest.com - Houses additional resources such as podcasts, articles, and further information about Brandon West’s work and philosophy.
3. Agency: PHOS Creative - Offers marketing and branding resources and has published free guides for strategic planning and fostering a flourishing workplace culture.

Action Steps:

1. Embrace Purpose Over Profit: Reflect on the mission and vision of your own business or professional endeavors. Consider how you can shift from a profit-driven to a purpose-driven approach, integrating values and a higher purpose into everyday business practices.
2. Practice Gratitude and Reflection: Implement a regular gratitude exercise within your team or personal routine, similar to the gratitude exercise mentioned by Brandon West’s team. This can help maintain emotional wellness and keep focus on the small blessings and positive aspects of life.
3. Transition to Stewardship Leadership: Work on changing your leadership approach from one of control to stewardship. Focus on leading with gentleness, as emphasized by Brandon West, and aim to develop a collective leadership mindset that values delegation and community involvement.

Resources for Leaders from Tim Winders & SGC:

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Key Lessons:

1. Finding Purpose at the Intersection of Brokenness, Opportunity, and Skill: Brandon West highlights the importance of identifying your purpose where your heart's burdens, available opportunities, and personal skills converge. This approach applies to any profession and emphasizes living a meaningful and purpose-driven life.
2. Embracing Marketplace Ministry: Integrating faith and business is a central theme, challenging the notion that faith should be kept out of the marketplace. West argues that business can serve as a platform for ministry, promoting ethical leadership and a faith-filled workplace.
3. Transition from Ownership to Stewardship: West's journey from seeing himself as an owner to a steward (Chief Purpose Officer) underscores the shift from control to surrender. This perspective encourages leaders to focus on faithfully fulfilling their purpose rather than controlling outcomes.
4. Balancing Profit and Purpose: West advocates for purpose-driven business models, where profit serves to fuel a greater mission. This balance ensures that businesses not only thrive financially but also contribute positively to society and promote collective success.
5. Emotional Wellness through Faith and Gratitude: Highlighting the importance of protecting emotional well-being, West emphasizes holding tightly to faith while practicing gratitude. Recognizing and appreciating small blessings plays a key role in maintaining emotional health and resilience.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction: Struggles with Success and Identity

00:42 Guest Introduction: Brandon West

01:33 Brandon's Personal Life and Family

03:06 Defining Success in Leadership

04:04 Purpose and Identity in Christ

11:09 Challenges Faced by the Younger Generation

12:56 Ministry in the Marketplace

19:03 Brandon's Background and Journey to Faith

25:24 Finding Love: The Toilet Paper Story

27:39 Redefining Success and Purpose

31:01 Balancing Profit and Purpose

32:44 The Five Transitions of Leadership

34:44 From Control to Surrender

43:55 The Importance of Gentleness in Leadership

47:26 Faithfulness Over Outcomes

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Mentioned in this episode:

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