Desert Watch

Leadership (part 6) - the offence test

One of the interesting litmus tests of leadership is the offense test. 

Say you are a leader and someone criticizes a decision you have made. You're the leader, you don't have to take that - right? It's a blow to your ego; how dare they question me? So you either give them a lecture about respecting authority or about their bad attitude. If you are a leader in the church you justify this with verses (taken out of context incidentally) like do not touch the Lord's anointed, or submit to your leaders. 

If you are a quieter type person you nurse your wounded ego and internalize the pain and feel sorry for yourself. You don't say anything because you are supposed to forgive and overlook others faults right?But because you've been hurt you subtly begin to exclude that person from your circle of trust - quite justifiable right? 

Another scenario... One of your team or someone in your care complains of being abused in some way by another team member. Do you a) rebuke the person for coming to you and slandering the third person? b) go and give the person accused a good telling off? c) tell the person who came to you that they must forgive and get on with the person (again in the church justified with verses taken out of context about forgiving seventy times seven etc).

Such are the minefields and temptations of leadership. The thing is there is a time to rebuke and correct and there is a time to be wronged without retaliating and there is a time to forgive - we just do these things in the wrong context sometimes.

If we are criticized as a leader that's actually okay... it's a chance to assess the criticism and interact with the person and change if necessary. If they really are just out to get us and the criticism has no grounds there is still no basis for us to take personal offense - it's just a test of character that will keep us humble. The Bible says in those situations not to be revengeful but leave God to be the judge. You won't necessarily trust that person and you may even warn others about them (the apostle Paul did this in one of his letters concerning a person who had caused him great harm) but this is different to retribution against those who offend us.  

If you chose to react against people who offend you; whether you do it in an active or passive way; you have misused your authority as a leader. That authority is for people not over people. Thoughts that we have power over will always lead to abuse whether it be in business, politics, marriage, family or church. Remember the power of a leader is in their example. If you have to make people follow you then you are no longer a shepherd you are a butcher.

Okay say someone in your team comes and accuses someone else of abuse. This is not what the Bible is talking about when it says to overlook one another's sins. There are ample examples in the Bible of stern rebukes given by leaders to abusers with some fairly severe results. The overlooking faults syndrome is what is behind why churches are one of the favorite places for pedophiles to lurk. If there are accusations of abuse we're not to fly off prematurely, we should check it out properly and deal with it firmly. The job of a leader is to ensure that he/she is creating a safe place.  It's a tragedy in the church in particular where people come to God as their refuge and safe place that they be abused again!

So what is the place of forgiveness? The key is that forgiveness is extended firstly for our own benefit. We will never move on into freedom until we forgive (this is a whole huge issue for another time). Then forgiveness paves the way for that person to change. Our forgiveness does not excuse their actions or attitudes but it makes a way for us to make a difference in their lives. Jesus forgives those who are crucifying him... Stephen forgives those who are stoning him to death and it has a profound effect on the hearers. 

Forgiveness is followed by communication (when you did ... I felt...) and telling them this is what you need to do to get my trust back. This makes the way for communication and restoration. It's not about our wounded pride it's about that person; if possible; changing and growing and being in trusting relationship with you again. It's not always possible unfortunately. 

So leadership is tough but we are all leaders in some dimension so it's something we all need to learn and practice. Leadership actually looks a lot like love. Look at the the famous love passage from 1 Corinthians 13 in this light:

Leadership is patient, leadership is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Leadership does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Is that radical or what? Does that have potential to change the world?

Leadership (part 5) - according to Covey and Jesus

Leadership as modelled by Jesus is servant leadership which is also principle-centred leadership. Leadership guru Stephen Covey describes this that we: 

...center our lives and our leadership of organisations and people on certain ‘true north’ principles.

Being principled, we can therefore afford to be flexible and collaborative so that our practice may vary in different cultural or relational settings but the goal of the principle is achieved keeping us stable. This is particularly important in the church which is highly prone to being swept along with the latest fad. 

Leading by principles also allows communication in the media, language and symbols in the current generation without fear of losing our way. We can then flow with changes in society, culture and technology without the fear of syncretism.

As I've said before I see ‘principles’ as not just bare doctrines but understanding ‘why’ . Jesus said to his disciples that he would no longer call them servants but friends because they would know what he is doing and why he is doing it . To achieve this requires our minds to be renewed and as a result we will be transformed into the kind of people who can bring a positive change; not through blind 'obedience'  but wholehearted agreement with God because we actually know why we are following him, believe it is the best way to live and can communicate the principles to others we are influencing. 

Covey says: When you give people principles, you empower them to govern themselves...You become a servant. You no longer control others, they control themselves.  

Leadership (part 4) - principle based leadership

One of the issues that plagues leadership - especially in church or religious organisations - is rule-based leadership. This is where the leader has certain task or ideals and strives to attain to those without understanding why. 

The usual reason they give is because this is how we've always done it or this is what the Bible says or it was good enough before I don't see any reason to change.  They think it's all about obedience.  Do the right things, jump through the right hoops and God will bless you. I submit to you that God is not so much interested in blind obedience as he is in us understanding his ways. 

What sort of relationship would we have with a friend or partner or even our children if it was just about obedience? We would have compliance but not community, order but no living relational organism. Jesus is not looking for robots he's looking for friends! He said to his mates:   

You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

He was and is the leader; no question about it. He gives commands (instructions) like anyone who is apprenticing others would, so that they would learn to do what he does. But he's looking for friends not just servants. The greatest thrill for a parent is not that their children obey them (you and your children are in serious trouble if they can't respectfully question or challenge you) but when you begin to see them understand something of your values; what you hold dear and why and begin from a purely inner response to chose to share those values. 

Principle based leadership finds out the reason behind the instructions, then fits the answer to the situation. You see Jesus doing this all the time in the stories about him. He blows people away because he's just not predicable. He shares his Father's values and applies those values to individuals - treating them as the situation requires not from a set of rules. 

A great example was a woman brought to him who had been caught in adultery (not sure why they didn't bring the man too). The religious legal experts had looked in their rule book and agreed that the penalty for adultery was death by stoning - simple. They knew Jesus claimed to be a man of the Word of God so they thought they would spoil his popularity by either being party to a stoning or going against the Law. Jesus saw that the principle behind the marriage/ adultery law was faithfulness. It's not about stoning people who don't comply; it's about finding out what is going on and helping them come to a better place if possible - which is just what he did with the woman - and taught the accusers a lesson in humility at the same time (see the whole story here).

How do we become this kind of person and learn God's ways? Become Jesus apprentice (his call to people is 'follow me'). Study how he did things in the stories in the Bible, pray and ask him to lead you by his Spirit. He will.

Leadership (part 3) - when good leaders go bad

We've all heard the saying about how power corrupts. Some have responded by saying that power, authority and leadership are inherently wrong and therefore to be avoided - part of this corrupted world system. 

The church kind of oscillates between strong leadership (to be unquestioningly obeyed because of title and position) and no leadership (where God is supposed to work through everyone). Strong leadership has and continues to be prone to abuse because as we saw people love the good feelings it gives them when people respect and obey them and it does go to their heads. People tolerate this kind of leadership because they feel secure with a big person who can tell them what to do. Their growth has been stunted and they have been trained in victim-hood to the point where it seems normal. This kind of leadership is justified from the Old Testament models of Moses, Joshua etc. It is militaristic and hierarchical. 

Then we swing back to collaborative leadership where there is no leader as such. This has some value as the Bible speaks of us all being part of one body and all being uniquely gifted and able to hear from God ourselves (theology calls this the priesthood of the believer).  But this can also be abusive because there is no-one to ensure that this is a safe place. In this environment abuse often happens below the surface and anyone who tries to correct will be accused of being trying to be controlling.

How I see it is that believers are all equally valuable members of the Body of Christ with unique and important contributions but that one of the gifts that God gives is the gift of leadership. Leaders are not over other people in the church but they do have a gift and position of oversight because of their gift and character. Leadership is not about title its about character and experience so people follow those who earn their trust and respect. And those who are entrusted with that respect won't abuse it because their motive is not to lead, it's to serve others so that they grow. Sometimes that may require authoritative action and correction, but not because the leader is feeling personally threatened but to protect the innocent and make the church a safe place. 

Leadership (part 2)

Why would someone desire to lead others? 

2 answers really; 1) To serve: the fire chief breaks through the darkness, smoke and blaze with his breathing gear, fire protective suit and infra-red goggles to find the people trapped inside. He leads them out because he knows the way and they don't. 2) To be served: The corporate climber wants power, prestige, money, respect and others to serve him. Leadership is the way he sees to achieve this.

Jesus was discussing this issue with his disciples one day when they were getting big-headed with their success. He said: 

You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around ... and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.

Jesus set the example by not just leaving his highest position as God served by millions of angels, but he became human. He not only became human, he became a nobody-human in a nobody-nation under the rule of cruel Roman leadership. He not only became a nobody-human he became a despised nobody-human; hated for his stand against injustice and his exposure of hypocrisy among the religious people. He not only became a despised-nobody-human but he was a tortured, forsaken, beaten, mocked, ridiculed, crucified despised-nobody-human. He went from the highest to the lowest and in the process became the greatest leader and example of leadership ever seen. 

The requirement for leadership that actually represents God properly is not just a higher standard of leadership- it’s totally different leadership. It’s not just coating intimidation with religious clichés, it’s actually a whole other motivation. It’s not about us getting others to help us get our dreams fulfilled, it’s about us helping others to grow into their full God-given potential. Character, example, sacrifice.

Leadership

Bad day at work, unfairly treated, grumpy at wife, wife snaps at toddler, toddler kicks cat. Sound familiar? We are all impacted for good or bad by leadership. We all practice leadership whether we realise or not (most powerfully by our example). Leadership is power and power can be used for good or evil.

Leadership is greatly discussed and widely attempted, but not often done well (putting my hand up here!) I've struggled big-time with leadership in the church - both being lead and having leadership responsibility. It's pretty hard both ways but surely the church more than anywhere is supposed to model good relationships and good leadership.

One of the things I had to get purged out of my life was finding my identity in title and position. After being in 'full time ministry' role in the mid 90's I left and went back into the world of work. That was hard for me; partly because I missed doing the things I was passionate about in a more formal setting but also I think I had too much identity value in that role. I felt lost as a person out of that role. I had to learn that my identity and value is ultimately not in what I do or the title I hold but in the fact that God loves and accepts me. 

Jesus said this about the religious leaders of his day:

Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them 'Rabbi.'"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

An insecure leader is an abusive leader and someone who finds their value in their title and position will be insecure.