President, DaySpring

James Barnett defines servant leadership. His enthusiasm, intellect and sincere interest in people have opened doors for him to have great influence, especially as President of DaySpring, a company whose Christian cards and gifts touch more than 850 million people each year. WorkMatters asked James to share his thoughts on whether you can be a Christian leader AND grow and prosper in your career.

Q - Can you be a Christian leader in today's workplace?
A - Absolutely! But, how you go about it is different for everyone, and it is certainly a daily challenge. I truly believe that by being intentional in trying to live your faith 24/7, you can grow and prosper in business and in your career.

Q - Looking over your career, did you always feel like you integrated your faith with your work?
A - Although I've been a Christian much of my life, in my 20's I was a very driven person and my focus was more on me and what I could do to be successful.

Q - Was there a turning point in your career that caused you to shift your perspective?
A - Eighteen years ago, I attended a conference entitled, "Are You Driven or Are You Called?" The basic premise of this conference was deciding whether you are focused on yourself and how God can bless you, or are you focused on what God is doing and how you can join Him. It had a huge impact on my life and the way I approached my career.

Q - In what ways has this shift in focus changed you and your career?
A - My career used to be all about me. I was climbing the corporate ladder. I had a wife and three kids, a car and a home. Now, I try to look at my life differently, less self-centered and more God-centered. I try to look at what God is doing around me and how I can plug into that. I also try to make sure that my actions and activities glorify God instead of me.

Q - So, how do you do that in your work?
A - I try to look at how I'm spending my time and energy and challenge myself to focus on the things that matter - things that have more impact, more eternal value. I constantly go back to God in prayer to understand His will and His calling for me. It is critical for me to do the things that glorify God, and one of those things is to do my work with excellence.

Q - Isn't it easy to do that, since you work for a Christian company?
A - Most people think it would be easier, but I believe that at times it is much more difficult. Working for a Christian company means that the expectations are very high on you, your actions, and your decisions. In addition, our parent company is a secular company. So even though we both have the same financial goals, our missions are different, which can sometimes be challenging. I am still accountable to deliver on the corporate goals that our company has.

Q - What is your advice concerning integrating your faith and your work?
A - I believe God can help each of us to understand our purpose and our calling. But it takes some intentionality and focus on a daily basis to accomplish that. I've gained some insights to understanding God's truth for me in business and I think that anyone could use these in their daily work life. The primary insights are to know your purpose, to be passionate about what you do, and to care about the people you do it with. It may sound overly simple, but I think many of today's business challenges can be overcome if you keep those in mind. I also believe that an active prayer life is essential. God can help us understand our faith and our work and how we can do both with success.


NOTE: To read and download James Barnett's 22 Insights of Understanding God's Truths in Business and Life, click below.