The Croissant Ultimatum

Back in my engineering days I worked at an avionics manufacturer in Santa Monica, California. It was a trial by fire experience for a new graduate. On my first business trip to Europe, my host kindly informed me that I wasn’t leaving until the problem was fixed. I wondered how long my appreciation for croissants might last.

I can’t say I blamed them. They spent millions of dollars on equipment that wasn’t working. I had replaced an engineer who quit before getting to the bottom of things.

Life is filled with interesting twists and turns, and I’ve served in various leadership roles since then. And while it’s been a long time since I’ve been in avionics, there’s one thing from my experience that continues to stay with me.

I had a modest salary, and my boss seemed apologetic whenever review time came. He seemed to think the maximum raise he gave me was still somewhat short. But when he sent me on a business trip, he suggested that I take the train between cities so I could do some sightseeing along the way. He offered to arrange a two-month stint at the office in southern France just for the experience. While I never took him up on those offers, I felt a deep sense of loyalty to him for his kindness.

In a similar, but infinitely more expansive way, God is not only a leader who cares about us. He loves us. And when we know we are loved, there isn’t anything we can’t accomplish.

With an eye toward this magnificent love of God, here at Summit Clear we aim to explore the intersection of culture, spiritual formation, and what it means to make a difference in this world.

Incidentally, I did manage to fix the problem. I had the encouragement of a good leader to thank for it.

There is such a shortage of good leaders in the world. We hope this and many stories to come will inspire your own growth as a leader.