The Freedom to Flourish: Creating Kingdom Culture in Business
"At the end of the day, who has the authority to make the decision?"
This question reveals how deeply we've been programmed by worldly power structures. We struggle to imagine decision-making outside a hierarchy where someone must have "final authority." But what if I told you that this question itself is the problem?
The Wrong Question
When people ask me how I run Dewbrew Realty without a traditional pyramid structure, they're essentially asking, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" The question contains an assumption that makes any answer problematic.
If I say "yes" to someone needing final authority, I'm accepting the premise that business must operate as a hierarchy. If I say "no," they assume chaos must reign. But the question itself is flawed because it assumes there are only two options: hierarchy or chaos.
There's a third option: God's Kingdom model.
Two Kingdoms, Two Systems
In the world's system:
Power flows downward in rigid chains of command
Authority means control over others
Success means climbing higher on the pyramid
Leadership equals being the boss
Competition is the driving force
In God's Kingdom:
Power flows in all directions like a circle
Authority means responsibility to serve and lift up
Success means everyone rising together
Leadership means going first to serve others
Collaboration creates exponential results
The Tesla Revelation
I once heard an interview that perfectly illustrates Kingdom thinking. When asked about competitors entering the electric vehicle market, Elon Musk said something remarkable: "We got into this game hoping to show them that it could be done and to provoke others to follow for sustainable energy. If they make a better car, they'll probably sell more than us. But as long as we keep making great cars, we're still going to continue to sell Tesla."
Here's the richest man on the planet, completely unthreatened by competition because he doesn't see it as others taking his piece of the pie. For him, there's plenty of pie—we'll just make more pie.
That's Kingdom mentality. Principles work whether people know God or not, because these are God's principles built into the fabric of creation.
How This Plays Out in Real Business
At Dewbrew Realty, if we drew a traditional pyramid on the wall, I'd be sitting at the top. But we don't operate that way because we serve a different Kingdom.
Here's how Kingdom business actually works:
1. Servant Leadership
My agents are my number one clients. They're my family in the business. My ultimate goal is to make sure they're successful—to come under and lift them up. When they serve clients well, everyone wins.
2. Wisdom-Based Decision Making
When we had a huge decision to make about a database system, I could have exercised my "right" as the owner to make the final call. Instead, I had Maria Harvard, who had more knowledge in that area, do the homework. At the end of the day, I asked, "What would you do, Maria?" We got the best system we've ever had.
3. Trust Over Control
I have to trust the Lord to give me guidance on how to serve my agents well. If I start micromanaging out of fear—fear of loss, fear of mistakes, fear of being sued—the enemy uses that to get me operating in the wrong kingdom.
4. Mutual Empowerment
I don't feel threatened by the high performance of others around me. Their success makes me happy because we're one team. When someone excels, we all benefit.
The Fear Factor
The world reverts to power-based pyramids because of fear. People feel vulnerable and threatened: "I've got to fight for my rights. I have to be number one, or you may stab me in the back."
But healthy fathers and mothers don't feel threatened when their children exceed them. Any time you see a mom trying to outshine her 17-year-old daughter, something is broken.
The world is hungry for people who will truly lay their lives down to lift others up, especially in our most intimate relationships and business partnerships.
The Reciprocal Flow
In Kingdom business, if I'm pouring my life out to people and some of them get it, they pour back in. It becomes an ebb and flow—a reciprocal relationship that creates exponential results.
This is exactly what happens in healthy families, healthy churches, and healthy businesses. It's not about one person pouring out until they're empty. It's about creating an environment where everyone contributes their gifts and everyone benefits.
The Culture Question
"But what if your board said Dewbrew Realty shouldn't be overtly Christian?"
My response would be: "How'd you all get on my board? Who are you people?" Because the truth is, I've attracted like-minded people—not people who think just like me, but people who share my same values and vision.
Culture is a shared set of values. I do have a role in safeguarding the vision of Dewbrew Realty. But that doesn't mean I rule with an iron fist. It means I create an environment where Kingdom principles flourish.
The Cornerstone Principle
Here's a key distinction: In Dewbrew Realty, I am the cornerstone—the one who initiated it and set the foundation. But being the cornerstone doesn't make me the dictator. It makes me the one responsible for maintaining the culture and vision while empowering others to build upon that foundation.
The cornerstone doesn't control every brick; it provides the stable foundation that allows all the other pieces to find their proper place.
The Multiplication Effect
When you operate from Kingdom principles:
Creativity flourishes because people feel safe to innovate
Collaboration replaces competition
Everyone works to their strengths instead of fighting for position
Problems get solved faster because more minds are engaged
Success multiplies because everyone is invested in the outcome
The Practical Reality
"But someone has to make decisions!"
Yes, but the question isn't who makes decisions—it's how decisions get made. In Kingdom business:
Decisions flow from wisdom, not position
The person with the most expertise leads in their area
Everyone's input is valued and considered
We wait for unity rather than forcing quick decisions
Final accountability rests with whoever initiated the vision
Breaking the Pyramid Mentality
The pyramid mentality says: "What can they do to serve me? What can they do to fulfill my vision?"
The Kingdom mentality says: "How can I serve them? How can I help them fulfill their calling? How can we succeed together?"
This shift in thinking changes everything. Instead of people vying for position, they're focused on contribution. Instead of office politics, you get genuine collaboration. Instead of people protecting their turf, they're looking for ways to help others succeed.
The Freedom to Flourish
When you create Kingdom culture in business, something beautiful happens: people have permission to be fully themselves and use their gifts without fear. They don't have to play political games or walk on eggshells around the "boss."
This doesn't mean there's no accountability or structure. It means the structure serves the people instead of the people serving the structure.
The Bottom Line
Kingdom business isn't just a nice ideal—it's a practical model that produces better results. When people feel valued, empowered, and secure, they perform at their highest level. When they know their success contributes to everyone's success, they're naturally motivated to excel.
The world's pyramid system creates fear, competition, and limitation. God's Kingdom system creates love, collaboration, and exponential multiplication.
Which system are you operating in? And more importantly, which system is operating in you?
The choice is yours. But remember: we can't defeat the wrong kingdom by using its own structure. We can only overcome it by demonstrating a better way.
Welcome to Kingdom business, where everyone wins because everyone serves.
Blessings,
Susan 😊