Using the below information: Why is The SLHRM Prodigal an important philosophy and approach for an organizational leader or manager?

After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lordand you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them (John 13:1217).

One of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith is that the foundational principles of SLHRM are simple to grasp and communicate, but extremely challenging to practice. Salvation is freely given to all those who confess Jesus as Lord, but confession is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for achieving the fruit of the Holy Spirit and working out our salvation with fear and trembling. It is relatively easy to become a Christian, but immensely challenging to live as one. We must struggle against three powerful enemies: the inherently self-centered motives of the flesh, the temptations produced by the worldly idols of success and affirmation, and the presence of spiritual evil.

This profound truth reinforces the challenges of SLHRM in the workplace, the path less traveled. SLHRM organizations have the high privilege and daunting responsibility of instructing employees and other key stakeholders in the character and competency elements of servant leadership. We stress that competence without godly character is a silent colony of termites undermining the pillars of our witness, leading to an inevitable structural collapse. We instruct employees on the twin towers of accountability and encouragement that define Golden Rule love in the workplace. As it states in scripture (Hosea 4:6), My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. But knowledge alone does not protect us from a gradual erosion of fervor and dedication to serving others.

A SLHRM prodigal is a manager who knows the truth, but has abandoned his or her first love for four major reasons: the path of expediency in realizing the temptations of obtaining worldly riches (power, fame, promotion, recognition, etc.); succumbing to burnout and fatigue from the bone weariness inherent in well doing without adequate rest and boundaries; the fear of man in which we place the approval of others over God and principle; and the blinding influence of pride that extinguishes the light of humility and transparency. The SLHRM prodigal is in dangerous waters as indicated in John 13:17, as God pours out blessings if we know the truth and embrace it, and conversely, there are higher degrees of punishment if we understand our obligations and choose not to honor them.

How do you know if you are a SLHRM prodigal? One indicator is the disquiet in our souls as our conscience convicts us. Success born of impure motives or means will always leave a sour taste after the initial sweetness of success subsides. Another indicator is the attitudinal, behavioral, and performance feedback received from peer employees and subordinates. When there is a significant discrepancy between words and actions, policy and practice, and a hearing and doing gap, employee engagement, passion, and commitment suffers as trust erodes.

What is the solution when one is lost in the wilderness of the SLHRM prodigal? The first strategy is prevention entailing a ruthless and ongoing commitment to identifying and testing the integrity of our motives and actions. We must identify the root cause of our actions. A journal is an effective means for identifying long-term patterns and changes in our behavior. Second, embrace an ongoing commitment to 360-degree appraisal through an accountability partner and mentor who will speak truth into your life. Finally, embrace subordinate and peer appraisals that provide candid feedback on how others perceive our actions. As was the case with the prodigal son, we all stray from the straight and narrow, but we possess the blessed assurance that if we take one step toward God, He will come running to us!

The goal of this book is to provide reflections and a starting point for ongoing growth in servant leadership in the area of human resources. If we commit to loving our employees as ourselves, we begin with a strong foundation for long-term success. It is my hope that the readers will commit to the paths less traveled and shine brightly in an increasingly dark organizational environment.