Over the course of my career, there have been many people whom I have sometimes referred to as “bosses.” These are the people I reported to, who hired me, and if I did not do my job conscientiously, they would have the right to fire me. Luckily, in most cases, my “bosses” were also good leaders. But in the business and professional world, this is not always the case.
Who cares? Speaker, author, and consultant Tim Kight summed it up by describing how the "boss's" perspective differs from that of a true leader. He said the boss's mindset is: “The people I manage work for me. It’s their responsibility to do what I tell them.” However, Kite said, the mindset of a true leader is: “I work for the people I lead. It is my responsibility to provide them with the support they need so they can achieve great things.”
This reminds me of Jim Collins' classic business book, Good to Great. The book is dedicated to the research he and his research team conducted on top-performing companies. They found that in most cases, leading corporations were led not by famous charismatic individuals, but by humble people whose desire for excellence and success was balanced by deep humility.
Reviewing the research, Collins noted: “Leaders who have achieved extraordinary results never wanted to become extraordinary heroes. They never sought to be placed on a pedestal or become unattainable idols. It would seem that these were ordinary people who calmly achieved outstanding results.”
As we read the Bible, we find people like this: Joseph, Moses, David, Nehemiah, and others in the Old Testament, and in the New, the apostles Paul and Peter, and especially Jesus Christ, were all leaders who, to use Kite's terms, considered it their responsibility to lead the people they led with the support necessary to achieve great goals. Here are just a few of many examples.
Creating a unifying perception of the environment. One of the best ways to lead is to present a vision for the work that can inspire everyone involved. Nehemiah did this after visiting the ruins of ancient Jerusalem. “Then I said [to everyone who would participate in the work]: “And I said to them: You see the disaster in which we are; Jerusalem is desolate, and its gates are burned with fire; Let's go, let's build the wall of Jerusalem, and we won't be in such humiliation in the future. And I told them about the hand of my God that had been good to me, and also the words of the king that he spoke to me. And they said, “Let us build,” and they strengthened their hands for a good work” (Nehemiah 2:17-18). It was completed in a surprisingly short period of time.
The desire to be useful to others. If anyone had the right to insist that all obey Him, it was Jesus Christ, God incarnate. Yet He remained true to His mission - to become an atoning sacrifice for the sins of mankind and to offer new life to everyone who follows Him. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Ensuring the prosperity of those under your care. Instead of focusing on what people can do to achieve their own goals, the best leaders strive to find ways to encourage and influence those under them to succeed in using their God-given gifts, skills, and talents. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vanity, but in humility, consider each other better than yourselves. Let each one not only be concerned about himself, but each one also about others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
© 2024. Robert J. Tamasi wrote Market Ambassadors: The Continuing Legacy of CBMC Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at its Best: Timeless Proverbial Wisdom for Today's Workplace; Finding Life with a Shepherd's Heart, co-authored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, co-authored with David A. Stoddard. Bob's bi-weekly blog: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Questions for reflection/discussion
NOTE. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 28:2,16; Matthew 7:9-12; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Ephesians 6:5-9
Difficult task
You may hold a leadership position in your organization or have limited ability to manage others. Either way, take the time to evaluate your leadership strengths and weaknesses.
You may find one or two trusted friends who can tell you honestly about your leadership abilities. Then think about the steps you need to start taking to become an even more effective leader who puts the needs and interests of others first.