Why Call It "Inside Out"?
Naming a business may come easy for some. But for me, it was somewhat of an ordeal. Dozens of potential candidates were considered.
Inside Out Leadership Development finally prevailed.
Here is the story of how it evolved.
Over the years, I have observed people reading books, taking classes, and studying psychology, persuasion, and people skills, not with the objective of becoming improved people or to better serve their neighbor, but to advance their own selfish agendas at the expense of others and to manipulate clients by “selling” them stuff they don’t need, don’t want, and can’t afford, in pursuit of success and riches.
Deception, exaggeration, manipulation, theft, lying, hypocrisy, insincerity, fake concern, and false friendship are considered legitimate by many if it helps further their careers and income. They reason, “I have to make a living” so “Let the buyer beware.”
After all, “I deserve to have what I want and need, don’t I?”
Actually, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “Deserve” is from the Old French deserver, and from the Latin deservire “serve well,” from de- “completely” + servire “to serve.” From “be entitled to because of good service” (a sense found in L.L.), meaning generalized c. 1300 to “be worthy of.”
We do not “deserve” anything until we have first “served.” The one who obtains money from theft, fraud, embezzlement, lying, or pandering to the moral weaknesses and addictions of others does not deserve anything and should not be proud of their “accomplishments” or "success."
On the other hand, anyone doing work that is legal, moral, ethical and beneficial to one’s fellow man deserves dignity and respect because he (or she) serves others and makes the world a better place. He “deserves” whatever compensation he receives. The more service he provides and the more people he helps the more financial rewards he should expect to reap.
Zig Ziglar says “You can have whatever you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
While reflecting on the nature of the service I want to provide to others, several statements from the lips of Jesus kept echoing in my ears. As he confronted a group of religion leaders known as the Pharisees, he pointed out their lack of integrity, accusing them of hypocrisy. They focused on what they looked to others from the outside (their reputation) while neglecting who they really were on the inside (their character).
“It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." (Matthew 15:11). “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the he art, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and slanders. These are the things which defile the man.” (Matthew 15:17-20). "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.” (Matthew 23:26).
Do you see that it is not what goes into the person, but what comes out of the heart that matters? This stressed to me that our thoughts, words and behavior (both good and bad) come from the INSIDE OUT.
When we focus on getting the inside of the cup clean, the outside becomes clean in the process. We can make the outside just as pretty and clean as we like, but if there is still dried food on the inside, we will turn away in disgust once we discover it.
Statements like these caused my focus to turn to the heart and how success and true leadership comes from the heart. It is not a put-on nor an act. It requires removing the mask of insincerity and hypocrisy. It is being real and that comes from the INSIDE OUT.
And it requires integrity, character and trustworthiness.
This world is crying out for true leaders. It craves guidance and direction. It hungers for solutions to its problems. People respect leaders who are good, kind, caring and service oriented. Jesus taught his listeners "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant" (Mark 10:43). And he practiced what he preached (integrity). He "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). Can anyone question the effectiveness of his leadership style?
That is how my business came to be called Inside Out Leadership Development?
I focus on helping you develop:
Will you join me on this journey of the heart? I promise it will be exciting and life transforming from the INSIDE OUT!
~David B. West
Inside Out Leadership Development finally prevailed.
Here is the story of how it evolved.
Over the years, I have observed people reading books, taking classes, and studying psychology, persuasion, and people skills, not with the objective of becoming improved people or to better serve their neighbor, but to advance their own selfish agendas at the expense of others and to manipulate clients by “selling” them stuff they don’t need, don’t want, and can’t afford, in pursuit of success and riches.
Deception, exaggeration, manipulation, theft, lying, hypocrisy, insincerity, fake concern, and false friendship are considered legitimate by many if it helps further their careers and income. They reason, “I have to make a living” so “Let the buyer beware.”
After all, “I deserve to have what I want and need, don’t I?”
Actually, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “Deserve” is from the Old French deserver, and from the Latin deservire “serve well,” from de- “completely” + servire “to serve.” From “be entitled to because of good service” (a sense found in L.L.), meaning generalized c. 1300 to “be worthy of.”
We do not “deserve” anything until we have first “served.” The one who obtains money from theft, fraud, embezzlement, lying, or pandering to the moral weaknesses and addictions of others does not deserve anything and should not be proud of their “accomplishments” or "success."
On the other hand, anyone doing work that is legal, moral, ethical and beneficial to one’s fellow man deserves dignity and respect because he (or she) serves others and makes the world a better place. He “deserves” whatever compensation he receives. The more service he provides and the more people he helps the more financial rewards he should expect to reap.
Zig Ziglar says “You can have whatever you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
While reflecting on the nature of the service I want to provide to others, several statements from the lips of Jesus kept echoing in my ears. As he confronted a group of religion leaders known as the Pharisees, he pointed out their lack of integrity, accusing them of hypocrisy. They focused on what they looked to others from the outside (their reputation) while neglecting who they really were on the inside (their character).
“It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." (Matthew 15:11). “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the he art, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and slanders. These are the things which defile the man.” (Matthew 15:17-20). "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.” (Matthew 23:26).
Do you see that it is not what goes into the person, but what comes out of the heart that matters? This stressed to me that our thoughts, words and behavior (both good and bad) come from the INSIDE OUT.
When we focus on getting the inside of the cup clean, the outside becomes clean in the process. We can make the outside just as pretty and clean as we like, but if there is still dried food on the inside, we will turn away in disgust once we discover it.
Statements like these caused my focus to turn to the heart and how success and true leadership comes from the heart. It is not a put-on nor an act. It requires removing the mask of insincerity and hypocrisy. It is being real and that comes from the INSIDE OUT.
And it requires integrity, character and trustworthiness.
- Integrity is matching your words with your actions. It is walking the talk.
- Character is who you are and what you do when you think no one is watching or will ever find out. It is who you are “in the dark.” It is not who others think you are, but who you know you really are.
- Trustworthiness has to do with being “trust-worthy.” That is, you are dependable and reliable. People can count on you to be honest, above-board, and able to be counted on to do what you say you will do.
This world is crying out for true leaders. It craves guidance and direction. It hungers for solutions to its problems. People respect leaders who are good, kind, caring and service oriented. Jesus taught his listeners "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant" (Mark 10:43). And he practiced what he preached (integrity). He "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). Can anyone question the effectiveness of his leadership style?
That is how my business came to be called Inside Out Leadership Development?
I focus on helping you develop:
- Personal, not positional, leadership.
- Leadership by charisma and internal attractiveness, not force or manipulation
- Substance and character, over style and technique, and
- A mindset for greatness through providing service, not in being served.
Will you join me on this journey of the heart? I promise it will be exciting and life transforming from the INSIDE OUT!
~David B. West