A Biblical Model of Leadership <Cartoon>
Question: What
makes someone a great leader? A perso of
vision, having the guts to stand up and declare that vision, the ability to
inspire others to follow, the fortitude to persevere despite whatever
opposition there might be, and ther patiencer to see that vision become a
reality. A biblical good example of this
was Paul.
Question: Name some
good leaders. Why are/were they good?
Question: Do you
know someone whose leadership style appears to be counter-productive,
ineffective, or even offensive? Why are
they not a good leader?
Question: Why is the
issue of leadership so important?
Answer: Anything that transpires, in any organization rises or falls
on leadership. Any vision that is
cast, any decision that is made, any plan that is implemented, is ultimately a
product of leadership. Find success in
an organization and you'll find Q. successful leaders. Find failures and you'll find Q. leadership
failures as well.
Leadership is influence. The very name implies followers. Leadership is
the ability to persuade, guide or direct people
to affect a particular outcome. Although
leadership and management are thought to be about the same thing,
there is a difference Q.? - you manage things, you lead people.
Leadership is about a relationship
with people, and—as we shall see— biblical leadership is about a
relationship with the Lord.
The World’s vs. Christianity’s
Philosophy of Leadership
The starting point in adopting a
biblical approach to leadership is recognizing the vast difference between the world's philosophy of leadership and the Bible's
philosophy of leadership. [In the
Colossians 2:8 passage, Paul warns us to avoid the deceptive philosophies of
the world because they are built on human traditions and the self-centered
principles of human nature instead of the teachings of Jesus Christ: “See to it
that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which
depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than
on Christ.”]
As illustrated in Matthew 20:20-28, the world's philosophy of management
is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of management taught and practiced
by Jesus Christ. The scene opens with
the mother of Zebedee's sons (James and John, two of Christ's disciples)
approaching Jesus and saying, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine
may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” (v.
21). She makes an amazing request: She
actually asks Jesus to give her sons the two positions directly under Him in
His Kingdom (i.e., organization)! Talk
about nerve!
Question: Why did this mother ask
Jesus to give her sons the two positions directly under Him in His
organization?" Answer: The desire
for power.
The further up the organizational
ladder you climb in the world's system of management, the more power
and control over others you possess.
This must have been the main reason Zebedee's wife asked Jesus to give
her sons the two positions directly under Him.
Next to Jesus Christ, she must have wanted her sons to be the most powerful
and influential men in God's organization or Kingdom.
Notice the reaction of the other ten
disciples when they learned about this request: "When the ten heard
about this, they were indignant with the two brothers" (v.
24). Question: Why were they so
indignant and upset? Because each man
wanted a top position for himself! Each of the disciples wanted to move up the
leadership ladder to obtain more power and the honor and prestige
accompanying such a position.
The world's approach to management and leadership
is to (Q Guess?) use power to control others. In fact, a traditional definition of management is "getting work
done through others." This
definition, which for decades has appeared in management textbooks around the
world, is built around the use of power and control as a means of
accomplishing management's plans, goals, and objectives through the rest of the
organization's workforce. It views people
as a means to the end of accomplishing the firm's purposes.
There is nothing new about this approach to
management. It was the popular
management philosophy of organizations at the time of Christ's life on earth
two thousand years ago, and it has remained the model of management used by
most businesses and organizations since then.
Many managers agree with Machiavelli’s famous dictum: “It is
better to be feared than loved.”
The world's definition of
leadership entails power, position, prestige, perks and privileges (5 P’s).
In fact, the
world’s leadership style is pompous, proud kingly leadership,
exemplified by the likes of Jack Welch at General Electric, Michael Eisner at
Walt Disney, and Carly Fiorina at Hewlett-Packard, all now dethroned.
If you are a Christian—a follower of Christ—God asks you to be different from the world. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (Q? World’s selfish values), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (work of the Holy Spirit). Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The definition
of leadership I like follows from this: “One who (1) listens to God (more
on doing this in a moment) and (2) goes a different way than the world.”
Anyway, back to our story: Jesus
observed how quickly the request of Zebedee's wife created dissension, anger,
and quarreling among the disciples. He called them together and proclaimed what
should be a foundational passage for
Leadership and management--(Matthew
20:25-28):
"Jesus
called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord
it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead,
whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom for many.’"
Authority in God’s kingdom isn’t given for self-importance, ambition, or
respect, but for useful service to God and others.
A similar incident happened in another key
passage—Luke 22:24-27: “Also a
dispute arose among them (those knucklehead disciples) as to which of them was
considered to be greatest. Jesus
said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who
exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors (a title kings
in the ancient world often gave themselves, suggesting they selfishly gained
something from being leaders). But you
are not to be like that. Instead, the
greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the
one who serves. For who is greater, the
one who is at the table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.’”
The disciples thought that Jesus’ Kingdom
organization was a hierarchy, with them near the top. Jesus turned their thinking upside down
with respect to power and authority. The
disciples were thinking: “Power, master, first, rule.” Jesus was suggesting, “servant, last,
bottom.” Jesus was saying that if a
person wants to be a leader or manager in His Kingdom, he must operate as a servant,
not using the power of the position to lord it over people the way so many
leaders in society do. In effect, Jesus
was saying, "You must use your position to serve the needs of
others, instead of serving yourselves!" He suggested that there is nothing wrong with
wanting to climb the organizational ladder as
long as we are willing to use our position to more effectively serve the
needs of others.
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is practiced by Jeffrey
Immelt at GE (doesn’t pound his chest or crow about his golf scores), kevin
Rollins at Dell (a quiet Mormon), and Mark Herd at Hewelett-Packard (says his
top job is to listen to customers).
In short, the idea of service
underlies the biblical philosophy of management and leadership. It is what Christians call servant leadership. <The
Servant Leadership Conference> This
philosophy of leadership is diametrically
opposed to our basic fallen nature that is self-seeking and striving to
obtain power to fulfill self-centered, career-centered goals and plans. We don’t naturally think this way—serving
goes against the norm.
Question: What does it mean to be a servant? (Note: I said servant, not slave) What does a servant
do? A servant meets the needs of
those he or she serves. Therefore, a biblical
definition of management/leadership is "Serving the needs of others as
they work at accomplishing their jobs.”
The servant-leader does good for others while doing well for the organization. Instead of using people we are to serve
them. Jesus’ mission was to serve
others and to give His life away. A real
leader has such a servant’s heart.
This is the model of the militqry
leader. The military teaches the
responsibility of serving, not just fulfilling your own needs. You learn to sacrifice for others, especially
in war (including the “ultimate sacrifice”—death—which is what Christ did for
us).
Now, we’re going to talk about the use of power.
Question; Is power good or bad?
Power is amoral—neither
good nor bad. What matters is how the power is used—or abused.
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<Figure 3.1> Figure 3.1 shows
the secular model of management, in
which power is used to serve the manager, with the biblical model of management, in which
the manager uses her power to serve the needs of others
<Figure 3.2> Figure 3.2 contrasts the typical secular use of power
with the biblical use of power. What it
boils down to is that generally, left to follow their sinful human nature,
managers will tend to use their power to promote their own self interests
rather than serving others' needs and promoting the good of the organization.
Servant-leadership is marked by a servant’s attitude. Question: What do you suppose is meant
by a “servant’s attitude”?
Servant-leaders first think of others — their colleagues, their
coworkers, their employees, or their customers—before thinking of themselves
and their desires. It also means they resist
the temptation to bring recognition to themselves by focusing attention to
the fact that they are serving others.
Question: What if, like me, you are naturally selfish? Pray for God to give you a heart for
people. GOD CAN CHANGE PEOPL’S
HEARTS! You’ll find that a life filled
with love will make you a better soldier and a more capable leader.
Meeting The Needs of Four Groups
<Figure 3.3> Figure 3.3 shows four groups the manager should serve: (1) those below him, (2) those above him, (3) his peers (fellow managers on his level), and (4) his clients or customers.
Meeting Needs of Those Below
Regarding those below you, before you can serve them by meeting
their needs, you must first Question? discover their needs. (Marketing motto: “Find a need and fill
it.”) Therefore, meet with your
subordinates individually or in small groups to sincerely find out how you can
more effectively meet their work-related needs.
[There is an interesting biblical tale of
David when he was battling the Philistines.
The Philistine soldiers had surrounded David and trapped him in the
Question: Now what does
this mean? David was saying, "Yes,
I want that water badly, but I am not going to take it at the expense of the
lives of my men." More than he
wanted water, David wanted His men to know that he put their interests
first, and that only the Lord was worthy of the sacrifice they had made. And so
the water was poured out as a sacrifice before the Lord.]
In dealing with subordinates, one must
avoid an authoritarian style of leadership. Question: Why? Authoritarianism breeds resentment. The key to avoiding authoritarianism is Q.
Guess? a profound awareness that, even as you lead others, God is (if you let Him) leading you. Just as others submit to your authority, you
submit to His authority.
Romans 13 teaches that all true authority comes from God: ”The authorities
that exist have been established by God.”
More on letting God lead you in a few minutes.
(On a related note, when hiring subordinates the most thing to
look for is someone with a servant heart. A good rule of thumb is that the person who
is ambitious to have power over others shouldn’t be hired. The person who desires leadership to build
himself up and indulge his personal ego is a poor candidate. The person who wants to genuinely help the
organization is the one to hire.)
Listen to
I Peter 5:1-4: “To the elders among
you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who
also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is
under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are
willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over
those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”)
Meeting Needs of Those Above
To meet the needs of those
above you, you should meet periodically with your immediate supervisor
for the sole purpose of discovering how you can better meet his or her
needs. Initiate a discussion of your
performance and how you can improve it. This is something a reasonable boss will
greatly appreciate. Proverbs 19:20, 21
says, “2 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you
will be wise.” Again, humility is called
for. 1 Peter 3:5-6 says, “Young
men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility
toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under
God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Meeting Needs of Those At Your
Level
Whereas serving the needs of your subordinates and supervisors will
almost always serve your needs too, serving your peers' needs
will usually not be self-serving.
Talk to them on a regular basis, one-on-one, to find out how you can
help them. Don't try to meet their needs
so they'll owe you a favor in return.
However, don't refuse their help if they offer it, for thereby they too
will learn the value of meeting others' needs.
Meeting Needs of Customers
Finally, as we teach in Marketing 101, an
organization exists for the purpose of - remember? - serving and meeting the needs
of its clients or customers That is
always in your own best interest. As the
marketing concept suggests, it is the means to achieve the firm’s end of
profits.
Letting God
Lead You
Key Question: How does a leader let
God lead him or her? Christian
leadership begins and ends in a personal
relationship with God. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom.” King Solomon
began his erign by praying for wisdom to lead
Question: How does this relationship
work? What is it all about? It means putting God at the center of your
life, above everything and anyone else.
In fact, idolatry is anything
we place ahead of Him—even good things like family, friends, and career (and
certainly money, power, and status).
God can use anybody if—“if” is the big word here—if they are willing to follow God. Leaders must be willing to follow and depend
fully on God. We must follow our
Leader. Problem is: too many people are self-sufficient,
and view dependence on anyone else as a crutch and sign of weakness.
Question: How do we follow and
depend on God? Step one is to recognize
that you (like me) are a sinner and therefore need to “get right” with
God. You do this by admitting to God
that you have displeased Him by sinning (many people don’t want to do this
because pride gets in the way). You then turn control of your life, including
your sin habits, over to God by inviting Jesus into your life to take control
as your Lord (your ruler or Divine Director) and Savior. Key here is a willingness to do our best to
turn away from sin, with His help.
Step two is regular communication
with God. Don’t assume you’re a know-it-all
and refuse to learn from God and other wise Christians (“In many counselors
there is wisdom” says a biblical
proverb). Be open to others’ advice,
especially those who know you well. A
bad leader is closed to anything new and refuses to listen and learn.
Question: How do we
communicate with God? By developing the
habit of daily (1) Bible
reading and (2) prayer. To get God's perspective when leading we need
to be spending time with Him each day in prayer and Bible reading (this
isn’t just a Sunday thing). Once you
commit your life to Christ, then the third Person of the trinity, the Holy
Spirit, takes up residence inside you.
Then, when you read the Bible, through the Holy Spirit’s help, Scripture
comes alive and takes on personal meaning—it is God speaking directly to you! And, of course, we speak directly to God through prayer, asking him to guide
us, to show us the way.
Thus, leadership as a threefold process. First, the leader hears from God what the people should be doing. Question: How? Via prayer (“still small voice”), searching
the Scriptures, and others’ advice.
Second, the leader communicates
this to those under him. Third, the
leader serves them and helps them do
it. Christ exemplified this by his love
that he demonstrated to the people around him.
Even some companies have caught on to this by taking their organization
charts and turning them upside down to say that the management is here to
support the workers.
[There is an interesting story from Scripture that illustrates what spiritual
leaders should do. In Second Kings we
read that the King of Aram is at war with
Christians can consciously strive to get their own egos out of the way and use their positions of authority to show others that there is Someone to Whom we are accountable. By our attitude of gentleness and respect we can show that we too are under authority.
What Christians should seek is not
power but a moral authority that comes from God. And this moral authority comes as a direct
consequence of putting 1. Him and 2. Other people before self.
In short, servant-leadership is first
rooted in an intimate, passionate
relationship with Christ. A
servant-leader recognizes that God is the source of his or her guidance
and direction.
Character Traits of Christian
Leaders
There are several character
traits of Christian leaders: humility, forgiveness, and love. These are developed slowly over time through
a relationship with Christ.
First, to serve others requires a healthy dose of humility. Romans 12: 3 says, “Do not think of
yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober
judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you”. Evaluating yourself by worldly standards of power,
wealth, and achievement can cause you to think too much about what others
think of you rather than what God thinks of you. 1 Peter
3:5-6 says, “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those
who are older. All of you, clothe
yourselves with humility toward one
another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
Humble yourselves,
therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Second, one should be forgiving
(albeit firm) when subordinates make mistakes or fail (“freedom to fail”). This doesn’t mean taking a cavalier or
laissez-faire attitude toward failure, but it does mean recognizing human
fallibilities. One challenge of
leadership is to understand and make provision for the fallible and fallen
nature of people. Such an approach is
rare in the world of business, where one mistake can land an employee out of a
job. Peter Drucker said, “I would
never promote into top management a man who was not making mistakes – otherwise
he is sure to be mediocre.” Harry S. Truman
remarked, “No one who accomplishes things can expect to avoid mistakes. Only those who do nothing make no
mistakes.” And, Henry Ford said,
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. Those who succeed are largely those who have
failed, learned lessons from their failures, drawn conclusions, and tried to
adjust their next try to what they have learned. In the “learning organization”
failures are viewed as an opportunity to learn; failure is feedback.
Third, one should be loving. The model is found in “the great love chapter,”
I Corinthians 13: It says that:
Love is patient. A leader should
never be in a hurry and waits on God.
The leader will be calm, trusting that God is in control and will make
good happen in His time.
Love is kind. Jesus spent most of
His time being kind to people around Him.
Kind words and deeds can be so encouraging.
Love does not envy. There will be
other people who can do just as good of a job as you or even much better. The leader will welcome their help and is
grateful for them.
Love does not boast. A leader
does not brag about himself, only about what God is doing.
Love is not proud. Pride means feeling
superior and promoting yourself.
“Love is not rude, self-seeking,
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres. Love never
fails.”
But a good leader is willing to take the risk of failure. Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric, has said,
"Risk is stepping outside your comfort zone to a place where you cannot
predict with any degree of certainty the outcome of your actions. Risk is
taking on something that holds an
By the way, this discussion applies
across the board – whether we are talking about managing/leading a student
organization, a dormitory (RA) , business organization, a church, an academic
department, a class, a household, or whatever.
We are all leaders in one or more of these arenas, whether CEO of a
large corporation or parent in a small family.
Leadership is never a call to lord it over others; rather it is a
call to serve them, to put their needs first. Whether it is in the church, the home, or the
marketplace, we recognize that there needs to be a marked difference between
leadership the world exhibits and leadership exercised by Christians. Servant-leadership is as applicable in the
boardroom as in the homeroom; as effective in the office or factory as in your
home. This pattern of leadership may not
be easy, but leaders must live by higher standards than do their followers.
Q; Is your leadership style characterized by a clear commitment
to those around you and to their best interests? That’s the mark of a servant
and also the mark of a leader!
But, you might protest
that servant leadership would make you servile
- lowly and slavish. Not so. Leighton
Ford had defined servant-leadership as meaning, "...to receive power from
God and to use it under God’s rule to serve people in God’s way." Defined in these terms, servant leadership is
not weakness, it is not a "doormat theology" or giving up your own
personhood. It is not the mark of a
leader who lacks spine, but the mark of a leader deeply committed to the
development of others. Servant leadership
takes its example from Christ, the master leader, when he demonstrated that he
"…did not come to be served, but to serve." (Mark 10.45).
It’s a myth to believe that servanthood diminishes a
person's stature or that humility limits one's ability to exercise
authority. On the contrary, the more
that a leader demonstrates the capacity to be a humble servant, the more
ability that leader will have to command the respect and allegiance
of others.
The
Fortunately, the world is getting away from the command-and-control
style of leadership. Participative decision making says that
Q. people ought to have a say in matters that affect them. Leadership has moved away from the ideas of
power and dominance to shared governance, bottom-up decision making,
teamwork, collaboration, and empathy. Interestingly,
these are traits found in mothers and wives, who are increasingly
entering senior management positions.
People no longer wish to be led around by the nose and told what to
do. Megatrends
author John Naisbett said, "The modern leader is a facilitator, not an order
giver." Both "shared
governance" and "building consensus" are part of the newer idea
of "empowering
employees." Whereas the old school
saw a good leader as someone who is smarter and more experienced than others,
the new school sees a good leader as someone who is good at building group consensus and team support. Modern leadership isn't directing, it's
developing. The new role is facilitator,
not foreman (and not floormat!).
Leadership has moved away from power to empowerment.
<Figure 6.1> A comprehensive definition of leadership that
captures both the Christian and new secular views is that leadership is the four-step process of (1) creating vision
(obtained from God), (2) inspiring behavior, (3) directing efforts, and (4) empowering
followers - all toward the performance of some service for others.
What Christian Leadership Is Not
But as we consider what Christian
leadership is, we must also take into consideration what Christian leadership is
not.
1. Leadership Is Not a Position: Leadership is more than a title or
rank. Almost anyone can be elected,
selected, anointed, self-appointed, promoted or succeeded. Christian leaders should be certain that their
goal is to serve God and others, not to receive the title or honor
that may come with leadership.
2. Leadership Is Not Privilege: In recent days we have witnessed
"leaders" using their position for personal or financial gain
at the expense of the organization or ministry they lead—the firm has become a
personal piggy bank for the privileged piggies.
Authentic leaders will not use their position for their own advantage or
comfort and should not ask others to do what they are unwilling to do
themselves.
Servant-leadership recognizes that leadership is a sacred trust, not a position of power. A servant-leader recognizes that the only
authority they have is that which others (including God) have entrusted in
them. When you are meeting others'
needs, Question Guess what? They
will come to like and respect you, and it will make you a person who has
self-respect. This is ultimately what
commands respect from others – not blustering or bullying, but humility and a
sober sense of responsibility. In a
world where it’s thought that perks and privileges should accompany the road to
success, little thought is given to the other changes that come with the upward
journey. The reality of true leadership
is that your rights actually DECREASE as you rise in the organization, while
your responsibilities INCREASE. Again,
this suggests that leadership involves not power or prestige but servanthood.
3. Leadership Is Not Building a Personality Cult: Peter Drucker said, “Leadership is not
magnetic personality. That can just as
well be a glib tongue. It is not making
friends and influencing people; that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to
higher sights, the raising of a person's
performance to higher standards, the building of a personality beyond its
normal limitations."
4. Leadership Is Not Being Indispensable: Some leaders build followers
so that they can maintain their position of leadership, while others build… leaders! The mark of a true leader is demonstrated by
the fact that the show must and can go on without him or her. A leader who is ambitious to be a star
disqualifies himself as a leader. A
servant-leader recognizes that leadership does not rest in a single person
but in many people utilizing their gifts and abilities. Servant-leaders seek to prepare others for
leadership and to be an effective follower when others are called to step
forward. Truett Cathy, founder of ChickFil-A says, "To be a good leader,
you must be a good follower. That is the
very first thing."
5. Servant leadership is not about controlling: Servant-leadership
seeks not to control but to use power to enable others to grow. A servant leader is comfortable with power
but chooses to use it to nurture growth in others. He is deeply committed to the personal,
professional, and spiritual growth of each and every individual within the
institution. A servant-leader asks,
"Are those around me better off, wiser and more likely to become servants
because of my leadership?"
The pages of Scripture attest the virtue
of leaders like Moses, Abraham, Joshua, and Peter, whose courage and faith were
vehicles of God’s blessing and success on the multitudes who followed them.
Here is a lesser-known example of a bold
leader—Nehemiah—a model of committed, God-honoring
leadership (he even had a book of the Bible named after him!). As a
cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah held a prominent position. When Jews who survived the Babylonian
captivity entered the Persian capital, they encountered Nehemiah who inquired
of the people’s welfare in
First, we see how to deal with subordinates—ask and listen: First,
Nehemiah inquired and listened: “I asked
them” and “they said to me.” (Nehemiah 1:2-3)
Leaders must be willing to investigate and learn, but also be just as
keen to hear what others say. The
essence of leadership is not simply to achieve our personal objectives but to
become servants in seeing the goals of others fulfilled. As Proverbs 27.17 states:
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Second, wait
and pray: Nehemiah waited and
prayed: “I sat down…for many days.” (Nehemiah 1:4)
Leadership is not impulsive.
We must spend time considering the situation, assessing the implications,
and allowing our commitment level to grow.
Also, bringing the need before God allows us to gain wisdom and discern
His guidance. Proverbs 19:21 says, “2
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that
prevails.”
As another example, Joshua was told to
get 2 million people ready to go across the
Third, formulate a strategy for action: Next, Nehemiah developed a plan: “If it pleases the king, [may I have] a letter to Asaph [stating} that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel.” (Nehemiah 2:7,8) Nehemiah determined to approach the king and ask for the tools needed to complete the task. He wasn’t afraid to ask for the help he needed. An effective leader takes counsel with others, gathers information, seeks insight, and then formulates a strategy. Goals are established, and timetables are implemented. We must know what we want to do and how we are to do it.
Fourth, recognize the value of teamwork: Then, Nehemiah recruited others to help him. “Then I arose in the night, I and a few with me;… So, they said, “Let us rise up and build.” (Nehemiah 2:12) Nehemiah knew the task was too large for one man. So he selected able, committed men to assist him. Leadership recognizes the value of teamwork and enlists them in the vision. Leaders don’t merely have followers; they also have coworkers who tackle the objective with the same intensity and fervor as the leader.
Fifth, Persevere!: Nehemiah persevered despite numerous obstacles, such as attempts of enemies to stop the work: “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.” (Nehemiah 4:21) Successful leadership keeps everyone’s eyes on the goal and refuses to be distracted by obstacles. Perseverance—the ability to “bear up under the load”—is necessary for leadership to finish the race.
Finally, Give Credit Where Credit Is Due: Nehemiah gave proper credit for the feat: “They perceived that this work was done by our God.” (Nehemiah 6:16) Leadership that works passes on the praise to others and sees God as the only true source of the blessing. “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”
Harvey Mackay, author of the book Swim
with the Sharks," recounted the story of Philip Pillsbury of the
Pillsbury milling family and his willingness and example to do anything on the
factory floor. "The tips of three of his fingers were missing, the
unmistakable mark of a journeyman grain miller.
Philip Pillsbury had an international reputation as a connoisseur of
fine foods and wines, but to the troops, his reputation as a man willing to do
a hard, dirty job was the one that mattered and you can be sure everyone was
aware of it." Only through
modeling Christ's example of servanthood will contemporary leadership
effectively and strategically shape the future.
The best leaders see themselves as servants, and those that are greatest
in the
Questions for Reflection
Question: Think
quietly for a moment about your leadership style; i.e., how do you lead people
when given an opportunity. When you
search your heart quietly concerning your leadership style and practices, how
do you compare with the model presented in this study?
Question: Share with the group some examples of things
you have done as a “leader” that have been successful…in your college
organizations, in your family, at the church, or on your job. Do you really believe that “servant
leadership” will work for you in the key roles you play in life?
Question: How does this approach compare with what you have
learned in life…perhaps in the military, on the job, in school, or in
seminars and leadership courses? Is it
too radically different?