Alert! Watchman!

When is the last time you heard someone take the job of watchman? Today’s term for watchman is most probably “watch dog”. “Watch dog”, though, has a very negative connotation with much thanks to our government. The watch dog organization or group is always looking out to find when you will err. Even when hired internally by corporations, the watch dogs (auditors) are seen as “nit-pickers” even by those who appreciate their value.

I was a banker in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I started at Fulton Federal Savings Bank fresh out of the military. I quickly graduated from administrative assistant to auditor in my desire for quick promotions and success. I was an auditor for only over a year, but what a year! Auditors are auditors only friends inside a corporation. Everyone is afraid to talk about anything even when you are not on the job. If the media is correct (sure!), then the Internal Affairs Department of police departments is probably viewed the same way. Despite the valuable service that auditors, internal auditors, audit boards and other watch dog agencies do– these are all seen in a more negative light.

The watchman was not a negative job but a critically important job. Long before radar, alarm systems, perimeter sensing devices and other advanced security systems, the watchman was critical to social and military survival. In fact, the squad or platoon in the military provides the closest and best understanding of the term. I remember being on “fire watch” in the military. Fire watch was two hours of trying to stay up while you were really supposed to be sleeping. In training, you were looking out for drill sergeants who clearly existed only to bust your hump. In war, you were protecting your fellow soldiers. To fail on watch was tantamount to cheating on your wife. These men, who slept little and not well, relied on you to keep them alive.

For thousands of years, the watchman has been a critical role. Rarely does a high officer pull watchman duty. Presidents don’t pull watchman duty. It is usually entrusted to the lowest ranking and their supervisors. But there are many different types of watchmen. Leaders need to be watchmen for those who don’t know what to watch for yet or who cannot watch. The follower, the college leader, the emerging leader and even at times support staff are not the “top dog” for a reason. It is the Top Dog’s job to watch out for dangers, hazards, attacks and errors that could cripple the following leader, the followers or the effort for which they are all organized.

These leader watchmen exhibit the force of benevolence as they look out for the best of those they lead and the effort. These leader watchmen exhibit guiding force as they provide path corrections to avoid disaster. So many politicians and business people using such tactics spend their time trying to make sure that they have a “way out” or that they “don’t receive the blame.” The true leader however realizes that there is no way to avoid the responsibility of letting your people fail, fall or the effort be thwarted if the leader did not warn the people. True leaders cannot pass the blame downward when it was they who failed to see the disaster that was looming.

'But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand.'

"Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. "But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.

Ezekiel 33:6-9 NASU

The Words recorded in this book of the Bible carry relevant meaning to Christian and non-Christian leaders. A leader must warn those who follow (following leaders and followers) of the dangers ahead. A leader must be on watch. A leader must be looking. A leader who exhibits the force of humility well will find good, solid, enduring sources of information to help in the watch. For the Christian Leader, much of that information can be gleaned from the successes and failures recorded in history in the Bible. Contemporary skills, talents, practice and simply alertness are other valid and needed sources as the leader acts as watchman. Leaders are required to see ahead. Leaders need to know. It is a different kind of watch but a watch that helps others learn, grow and prosper in the effort.

You are a leader. You are never off duty. You cannot give away your watch, but even this is a privilege that few are given. Saving the world is not just for superheros – it is for leaders too.