Lesson In Leadership
Before we talk about leadership, it might be good to point out that management and leadership are not synonymous. While having a title of manager does involve leadership at the very basic level, they are different in their purpose and function. For instance, managers tend to be concerned with the assignment at hand, while leaders are looking at not just the assignment at hand but also how it impacts the organization or project in the future. There are many nuances, but let’s just agree that they are different for the purpose of this discussion. I also acknowledge that there are good and bad leaders as well as managers, but I am focused on the ones that are better than average.
I love characters in the Bible because they give us not just history lessons, but also a road map to guide and help us. David is a Bible character that inspires me. He was certainly flawed in many ways, but he was an amazing leader. He rose to power when he was just a shepherd boy when he stepped up and did what no man in Israel had the guts to do….face Goliath…a literal giant of a man! I love his fearlessness, faith, and focus…all signs of a great leader. Moses was another patriarch of the Bible that was a great leader, but he did not start out that way. He did not like public speaking (not many people do!), and when he did step up to lead, he tried to do everything himself. He obviously felt like many managers do: “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself.” While I get the “why” he did it, it nearly killed him doing the work because he was totally wearing himself out settling disputes among the people of Israel. He finally got some wise counsel to delegate authority to people under him, and thus the organizational tree took root.
Jesus is my favorite example of leadership, and He goes against what most people think about when they think of leaders. Jesus was and is someone who literally changed the world with His teaching and His sacrifice. He understood being under authority, and He knew what authority had been given to Him by God. Jesus is the perfect example of servant leadership. He embodies strength, purpose, unwavering faith, humility, sacrifice, and obedience. He challenged the religious leaders of His day and their self-righteous attitudes. He understood that truth had to be told, no matter how hard it was for the people to hear. He was the ultimate encourager to His followers and gave us the Holy Spirit when He returned to Heaven.
Leaders are not necessarily born. They may be destined to lead, but whether or not they fulfill their destiny often hinges on the choices they make along the way. I would encourage you to examine your leadership role. Whether you are leading at home, at work, at church, or in society, are you leading to your potential? Do you treat the people you lead with respect? Do you micromanage them or empower them? Do you value their contributions and their opinions? Do you allow people to challenge your decisions? Are you rigid in your thinking, or flexible to adapt to the situation? Do you know the power of having a servant’s heart? Do you know how to lead with love?
I hope you rise to your potential, not to your level of incompetence (The Peter Principle). We all have the potential for greatness written on our hearts. It is up to us to find out what that is and then walk it out…in faith and with humility. You won’t go wrong if you lead like Jesus.
Shalom!
Daniel Skognes