Joseph R. Myers is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and owner of FrontPorch, a consulting firm that helps churches, businesses, and other organizations promote and develop community. Author of The Search to Belong, Myers is also a founding partner of the communications arts group settingPace, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can find out more about Joe at www.languageofbelonging.com
I am swearing to you…. I will not read another leadership book based on the leadership style of Jesus. Is there anyone that will hold me to this?
Why do I feel this way?
For several reasons, but let’s unpack just one that confuses me.
There are at least two times where Jesus had an opportunity to lead an anxious group forward and he runs.
First, Jesus described the competencies of a good shepherd, and he said something like “If it were me, I would leave the ninety-nine in the desert to go find the one who has lost its way.” That doesn’t sound like a great leader. I’ve never heard any of the books describe a good leader as someone who would escape the responsibility of caring for the group for the sake of one rebellious soul. That just doesn’t sound like a “getting the right people on the bus” mentality.
Second, Jesus was talking to a group who were in their hour of dire need. And again, he ran. “I must leave you. I can’t stay. But don’t worry, someone else is coming.” I haven’t seen a leadership model like this in the literature I’m reading.
It seems to me that a leader is to lead by presence more than by being present. A movement based on a leader being present will surely die. To lead a movement by presence requires one to leave.
So maybe the question is, “Can you leave, knowing that whatever or whoever you are leading will continue to move forward without you?”
Leading with such presence may require an organic use of power.
A Master Plan tries to deliver power to individuals through position. A person is set into a position on an organizational chart and given corresponding control, authority, jurisdiction, permission-granting rights, and influence. He or she is trained in how to use these tools to achieve the master plan.
An Organic Order asks, “Who is the steward of power now?” and “Who is leading now?” Positions have no place of permanent importance. There is a revolving understanding of power.
In a framework of revolving power, there is no dominant member. Like the dynamic game of “rock, paper, scissors,” no one element stands as permanent leader. Rock is covered by a single sheet of paper. Paper is cut down to size by scissors. Scissors are crushed under the rock. This revolving understanding of power gives flow to the game and makes it competitive. (And interesting!)
Feel free to lead with presence and a revolving understanding of power. Let go of your fleeting positional power. Not even God tries to control your life with positional power.
God, you left the kingdom in some messy hands, please let me be as wise.
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