5. Lead Like Jesus, and Jesus led by serving.
Leadership by nature requires followers. As John Boehner famously said, “A leader without followers is simply a man taking a walk.” As a leader, Jesus clearly understood the connection between leading and serving, frequently teaching and saying things like, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31
To go back to Paul, just before his comments on how Jesus lived under authority, wrote this:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. – Philippians 2:3-5 (NIV)
Leading like Jesus means serving those who willingly choose to follow you. A Christ-like leader must rid their heart of selfish ambition and vain conceit. Jesus always put others ahead of himself – to the point of death. Serving the people who are following your leadership represents Jesus best.
6. Jesus set boundaries.
Leadership can be grueling. When all decisions, responsibilities, and directions ultimately fall on your shoulders, exhaustion is inevitable.
Even Jesus took time away from leadership to recuperate. Often, Jesus would get away from his followers and the mounting crowds to rest, pray, and replenish. How you do this will be unique to you. I wrote about trying to bring my best back home here (5 Strategies to Bring Your Best Back Home). The advice in this post should better help you set boundaries.
Leading like Jesus means setting boundaries to stay emotionally and physically healthy.
7. Jesus developed leaders through delegation.
Watching Jesus’ interactions with the Disciples is fascinating, especially when you know the end of the story. From the very beginning, Jesus led these men with the end in mind. Specifically, Jesus knew that this movement would require leadership after his time on earth ended. During his three-year ministry time, Jesus consistently prepared his followers to become leaders.
Jesus often delegated tasks and authority to people not yet fully prepared for the job. Check out Luke 10:1-17.
To lead like Jesus means intentionally developing those around you to lead alongside you. I’ve found incorporating a system for delegation extremely helpful.
8. Jesus saw leadership as stewardship.
None of us will lead forever. We will leave our role at some point, giving way to a new leader. This reality means that leadership is ultimately a stewardship. During our time in a leadership position, we should steward the role, the resources, and the people as well as we can.
