John Stanko

"Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge
    or puts up security for debts;
if you lack the means to pay,
    your very bed will be snatched from under you" - Proverbs 22:26-27.

Today's passage refers to a practice called co-signing for someone else's debt. If the borrower can't pay, then the creditors come after the cosigner to collect the loan. There is more than one way, however, to cosign for someone else's commitments. That occurs when someone wants something for others more than the latter want it for themselves. When any kind of co-signing takes place, the cosigner can easily lose his or her rest worrying and fretting over the state of the other person's affairs. Leaders must be careful to set boundaries on their emotional involvement with family members and the people they mentor or lead, for their leadership energy can be drained when they cover for or agonize over irresponsible people.

LEADERSHIP STEP: Your Step today is to examine whether or not you have cosigned for someone else's responsibilities. Are you covering for someone on your team or in your family who refuses to be responsible? Are you more anxious or concerned for their situation than they are? Are you being unfair to other team or family members as you compensate for the irresponsible one? What is this costing you in emotional and creative energy? Make today the day you stop!