“Today, I don’t talk about IQ and EQ, but about TQ(transformation) and MQ(mutuality). Transformation quotient is the ability to update oneself, and mutuality quotient is about sharing, which are completely in line with the theme of our leadership summit,” said Dr. Evan Liu, director of the Chinese Servant Leadership Center.
On August 16, Dr. Evan Liu, director of the Chinese Servant Leadership Center gave a speech on how to improve one’s transformation and mutuality abilities.
From August 15 to 19, the Transformutual Leadership Summit was held online with the theme of leadership "Transformutual Leaders: Breakthrough." The first day focused on the topic of “The Inheritance of Leadership.”
Hoping that the establishment of these two concepts can have a positive impact, just like the butterfly effect, Dr. Liu said, “Each of us will have a different impact on the world when we flap our wings. When everyone knows their influence and how to better lead themselves and serve others, the world will be more beautiful. Leadership does not only belong to positions and official ranks in organizations, enterprises, and governments. Leadership belongs to every day of your life and mine. Everyone gets up in the morning to plan the day’s agenda—what to do and what to think and say today. This is the process of leading oneself. Leadership starts from one’s own mind, from managing oneself, just like the old saying in China: being upright, cultivating oneself, keeping the family in order, governing the country, and leveling the world.”
Dr. Liu said that people have plans all their lives, but there are many “pits” waiting for them before they go to the planned destination. It is like you are on a bike journey, and there are stone pits, suspension bridge pits, drainage pits, and storm pits on your way to your destination. “When people fall into the pits, they need to transform their thinking. This is the quality of the update. If you do not have updated thinking, you will lie flat in the pit and cannot climb out.”
“When you have an updater, it is not terrible for you to fall into the pit because you know that it is completely possible to fall into the pit,” he added.
“Why did you lie flat when you fell into the pit? Because you do not know who you are.” For instance, he said, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am? Only Peter said that he was the Christ and the Son of God.”
“It is very important for a person’s true identity to be recognized. If you live with the wrong knowledge of your identity, you will judge with the wrong knowledge when you are in the pit. Then you chose not to turn the crisis into a turning point but to lie in the pit and not get out.” Dr. Liu hoped to activate the transformation quality in everyone’s life through this summit.
Abraham Maslow put forward the theory of eight hierarchies of human needs, but King Solomon called his satisfying life void. Solomon later concluded that he should fear God and keep His commandments. "Many powers and desires will fascinate human beings. Human problems have remained in the same chaos for thousands of years because a black hole exists within human beings that cannot be solved by meeting the needs proposed by Maslow. The black hallow of human beings stems from the great distortion of human identity, and modifying this distortion is what King Solomon said about fearing God."
Later, the speaker said that when Jesus was 12 years old, he went to Jerusalem with his parents for the Passover. After the festival, his parents could not find him on the way back home, but they finally found him in the Temple. When Jesus was 12 years old, he said that he should think about his father’s affairs. He revealed his identity: I was sent by God and am the Son of God.
"King David is a man of great transformation. He wasn't cynical or hostile to Saul when he was pursuing him. He had two chances to kill Saul, but he promised not to kill God’s anointed king. He respected not only his own identity but also Saul’s, so he had no idea of revenge.” Dr. Liu said.
On the contrary, King Saul seriously did not know his identity. Obviously, he was anointed king by the prophet Samuel, but he did not pay attention to his anointed identity but was jealous of David being chosen by God. His effort was not used to govern the country but to spend time thinking about how to kill David. So the king’s goal was seriously disordered, and finally his country was destroyed while David succeeded him as king.
Dr. Liu believed that the difference between leaders’ excellence and non-excellence lies in transformation ability, and a good leader can lead others to know themselves. He quoted his mentor John Maxwell's saying that good leader can lead others to accomplish one thing, but an excellent leader can help others find their destiny; let others understand their identity, stand in the position of life, and exert their unique influence in it.
The development of transforming ability goes through a process, and Dr. Liu particularly emphasized “resting in peace”. He believed that a true leader knows how to be polite and give way to others. For instance, Moses entrusted everything to Joshua; Paul gave everything to Timothy; and Jesus gave everything to his disciples to inherit. Excellent leaders know how to educate the next generation. Rest in peace. Prepare yourself to meet God one day, which is the best realization of an outstanding leader’s transformation.
Regarding mutuality(sharer), Dr. Liu said that Professor Adam of Wharton Business School, a famous American, studies which of three kinds of people—giver, exchanger, and taker—is most likely to succeed. The results show that the giver is the one who gets the greatest success in the end. This is contrary to people’s general understanding: the requester and the exchanger are the easiest to succeed, and few people think that the giver will succeed.
“If you are willing to follow the example of Jesus, learn to give and know how to serve others. Ask not what others can do for you, but what you can do for others when you come to this world today. Then you will enter the true identity and meaning of life,” Dr. Liu shared.
“Who will come to save you at once if you fall into a pit? If your mutualityis high, you know how to ask others for help at once."
Once, the famous West Point Military Academy had a graduation test called “falling into the pit”, and even Douglas McArthur, the famous World War II general, had to go through the test to pass. When he was thrown into a deep iron pit, he found nothing in it, and it was impossible to climb up with his hands grasping the soil. McArthur had a high mutuality quality because he knew how to share and help his classmates often. So he established a strong personal relationship. He mobilized everyone to do one thing together: shovel dirt on him with an iron shovel. Everyone did as he said, and finally he stepped on the mound and jumped out of the pit.
"Those who know how to work hard on their own but do not know how to do it with the right people often have a slow life. However, those who know how to get along with excellent people, how to make friends, and how to sort out their own connections will often maximize the value of life."
“Many people pay attention to money, but money is not the most important thing. The most important thing is the people around you and whether you know your identity. When you have vision and direction, there will be a group of people walking with you. Resources will come after you, and funds will come after you. So do not pursue money but pursue the real vision and direction of your life.” Dr. Liu concluded.
- Translated by Charlie Li
