A Simple Leadership Technique: Love

Love the people you lead.

Yeah, it sounds simple.
We learned it in the first decent leadership book we ever read.

But in the heat of the moment,
when the pressure is on,
when our butt is to the fire,
it’s easy to overlook.

A genuine love loves at all times.

That’s real leadership.

Real leadership says, “I’m less about results and more about you.”
Real leadership says, “You may mess it up, I may discipline you, but it’s about so much more.”

Lead from love.

That’s what Jesus did.
In the midst of Peter’s denial.
In the midst of the scoffer’s spit.
In the midst of our sin.

Jesus loved.

Good parenting does the same.
Good friendship does the same.
Good leadership does the same. 

Following: Simon Says Let Me Lead

Simon says, “hop on one foot.”
Simon says, “raise your right hand.”

We remember the game Simon Says and playing it as a child.

One person would lead the group and give commands.
If it didn’t begin with “Simon says,…” the group wasn’t supposed to make a move.

A wrong move meant that the person was out of the game.

I haven’t checked lately, but I’m betting that fewer and fewer kids are playing Simon Says.

Why?

Because we’ve quit listening to commands,
we’ve quit being willing to follow Simon or anyone else.

Instead, we’ve all decided to be leaders when we often have trouble leading ourselves and our families.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in leadership…

I’d even go as far as to say that I believe that we all have a little ‘leader’ in us.

BUT,

We also have some follower….
a lot of follower.

To follow Christ,
to follow Mom and Dad,
to follow our husband,
to follow our teacher,
to follow our mentor,
to follow our boss,
to follow our pastor,

to follow our leader.

We have to get back to being willing to follow where those people who have been placed in leadership over us want us to go.

To follow,
before we lead.

Simon may say it,
but we’ve quit listening.

Follow your leader.