In the world of workplace movies, you may have heard of the classic 9 to 5, or more recently, Horrible Bosses. Both depicted life and work under terrible leaders. Just because you are in a leadership role or position does not mean you are a qualified and capable leader. Just like the movies you may be mean, selfish, manipulative or dishonest. We can laugh at this on the big screen, but the reality is that bad leaders do exist in all facets of our culture. Are you a model leader? Put another way: consider whether anyone should be led by you. What does your leadership experience and execution bring to the table that is valuable and enhances the life and work of those in your sphere of influence?
Dabney Coleman played a horrible corporate leader in the classic movie “9 to 5”.
The biblical model for leaders is not engrossed in someone who issues instructions or make decisions. Rather it is relational and spiritual. Hebrews 13:7 tells us to “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” This teaching directly states the role of a leader is to share God’s Word and to be a mentor in faith. In fact the New Testament is filled with examples of leaders in mentoring relationships, sharing their lives and experience with others. When you think about your leadership, consider these four facets:
Are you approachable? A faith-centered leader must be relationship-oriented. 1 Timothy 3:2-3 qualifies leaders as “above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” Many of these characteristics are directly related to how a leader interacts with others—faithful, temperate, respectable, hospitable, gentle, generous. When you fail to connect with others, you make it far more difficult to communicate. You may also exhibit other negative qualities like irritability, sarcasm, selfishness, blame and lack of emotion or empathy. Someone who is not approachable lacks a key leadership skill.
Questions to consider: Do you connect regularly with others in your sphere of influence? Do you smile, make eye contact, engage in conversation, learn names and provide honest feedback? Do you overreact to crises or challenges?
Are you trustworthy? Scripture sets a high standard for leadership. James 3:1 cautions, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” This goes directly to the trustworthiness of a leader. When a leader is not trustworthy, he puts distance between himself and others. He places himself under constant suspicion and judgment. Those he works with become unwilling to take him at his word, or join him in elements of vision, direction or risk. Someone who is not trustworthy cannot effectively lead because trust is a foundational element of leadership.
Questions to consider: What are you doing to build trust with those in your sphere of influence? Do you communicate openly? Do you follow through on your word? Are you pursuing selfish ambitions?
Are you for people’s good? There is perhaps no greater mark of genuine leadership than that of the servant leader. Jesus clearly taught that leaders should serve others. Philippians 2:3 tells us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” Valuing others first means we must be for their good, and desire to see them grow and flourish in their roles as people and professionals. If you idolize your leadership role, and are consistently thinking about your own interests, you miss the greatest test of true leadership, which is to develop others. Someone who is not for the good of others cannot lead well because they selfishly miss the key point of leadership.
Questions to consider: Are you generous to others with your knowledge, time, support and resources? Do you think about others in your sphere and how they may grow in their roles? Are you known as an encourager by other around you?
Do you possess passion and vision? A good leader is going in a direction that others want to follow, regardless of whether the path is challenging, even difficult. A leader should look forward and move in a direction he knows to be in the best interest of his people and organization. Ephesians 4:15-16 states a leader’s spiritual goal, which is “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” This means the leader understands that each person has a specific spiritual role in life and leadership. The Scripture instructs that a leader is truthful, respectful, supportive, encouraging. These are the traits needed to garner buy-in to a vision and mission.
Questions to consider: Do you have a God-driven vision for where you are going in life and leadership? Are you leading in such a way that others buy-in to that mission? Do you see each person in your sphere of influence as someone who has a specific role and can be supported as part of the whole?
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an English-born Founding Father of the United States. An inventor and philosopher, he authored Common Sense, a pamphlet that was influential at the start of the American Revolution.