“Follow Me as I Follow Cash – Oops, I mean Christ”

Question: What do Church Leaders and Business leaders have in common, besides being leaders?

Answer: They both need and want as much money as possible.

The difference of course is that a Pastor will get crucified, while a business leader will be praised (even worshiped) for having a lot of money.

Geez, if there’s anything that gets the average Christian or religious person going, it’s when the TV preacher asks for money.

“What the Heaven?! How dare he ask for money to help spread this Gospel which I would give anything to see spread? He’s obviously a con artist, why can’t he get do everything that needs money, without money?!

It’s crazy, but It raises a really Important question.

One that every leader needs to answer honestly – and I don’t just mean Church leaders – business, political and every other kind too – including you. Here’s the question;

“How Important Should Money Be?”

Now, deep as this question is, you could literally go in circles for years trying to find the right balance, fortunately for you, I’ve already done that… so here’s the answer:

“Money is the second most important thing (even in business)”

Money is often overrated. Insanely important, but overrated. It’s the number one reason most will not pursue their dreams to start a business, a church or a movement of any kind. On the other hand, the desire for money is often the top reason people WILL do all those things . Oh and it’s also the top reason those who fail provide for why.

Yes, money is insanely important. Which is why we have such terrible leaders – they make money the bottom-line most important thing – it should be second.

Second to ‘the cause.’

See as the internet (specifically social media) continues to become the most powerful communication and marketing medium in history, Pastors, Business people, politicians and others are being forced to build more than just churches and businesses, but movements, driven by a cause).

Those who do become much more than just a business person trying to sell a product, but heads of communities and tribes that will have no problem funding ‘the cause.’

Stay with me…

A leaders job is to give people something to believe in, something bigger than himself, something more important than himself – a cause.

• Going Green – that’s a cause
• “Change”, that’s a cause
• The Gospel of Jesus Christ, that’s a cause

But so are these

• More fun – having it
• Justin Bieber – Supporting him and listening all his music
• ‘Everything Apple is better than Everything PC’
• Salvation Army
• MDC/ Zanu Pf

People who share your worldview will join your cause if it’s compelling enough, and they’ll bring their friends with them. They will support you with their time and money and they will defend your brand – as long as your brand represents the cause – oh and as long you remember one thing

That money is second to the cause.

People don’t follow you because you want to make money, they don’t care if you make money or not, they will care about a cause though.

Why do Christians lose their ‘holy none judgmental hats’ when they hear of a rich pastor? Because they feel that he must be prioritizing money over ‘the cause’ to have so much money. For many, their world doesn’t accommodate the idea that a Pastor could actually be a really smart business person too, or ‘heaven forbid’, Blessed by God!

Why do people abandon brands when those brands don’t deliver on the central promise (make me look cool, make me feel safe, make me more popular, make me more certain on my future etc), often it’s because they feel that the business cares more about getting their money than delivering to the promise of the cause.

“Heck max, I just want to sell cars, not start a movement, I thought this was a marketing blog?”

I know buddy, but marketing is changing. Traditional media is losing it’s power fast. In the age of Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and all the rest, the most important marketing medium has become PEOPLE (not newspapers or TV or radio). And getting people to spread your message means influencing them. Do that means becoming a leader with a cause worth following and a tribe worth joining.

It means being about more than just the money you want to make, and actually believing in something. Something you can become an authority in, so people will follow you, trust you and refer business to you…oh and give you money for.

Money might be the bottom line for your Finance director, but it’s not for your followers. Every smart entrepreneur and leader needs to understand this.

Stay tuned, money and how to make it, businesses and how to build them, religion and how to survive it…these are all big subjects around here!