Issue #126, April 2, 2014
For a long time, I had the following verse posted on my office wall: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear (James 1:19, The Message). I love the perspective The Message offers to servant leaders, “Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue.” Many of us have had lots of training on how to use our tongues to lead; very few have taken classes on how to listen well. As a result we usually lead with our tongues and follow up with our ears! Servant leaders pay attention to the art of listening. In this issue we’ll focus on listening to the right voices.
Servant leaders listen to Jesus.
All true servant leadership flows out of intimacy with Jesus, learning to hear his voice and respond in obedience. Jesus said, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27). Jesus’ life repeatedly demonstrated a commitment to listen to and obey His Father, setting an example for us all. Servant leaders recognize that hearing from Jesus is their first priority and they develop habits of listening to Him. Daily, they set aside time to listen before the pressures of the day and leadership responsibilities fill their schedules. They cultivate attentiveness to God’s voice throughout their daily schedule and often make changes as a result. They build into their routines time to get away for more significant blocks of time to pray and hear from God, especially before making significant decisions. We can all strengthen our attentiveness to the voice of Jesus, the best way to lead with our ears.
Servant leaders listen to their followers.
Servant leaders listen well to those who are following, not because they lead by consensus, but because they genuinely care for those they lead. They are attentive to how followers are responding to change, the challenges they are facing in their work and personal lives, and their overall morale. Servant leaders fight the natural tendency to be further removed from followers as responsibilities increase. They look for ways to genuinely listen to followers at all levels in their organizations. This listening might be through formal feedback or evaluation but is often done over a cup of coffee or at a lunch break.
Servant leaders listen to their colleagues.
Servant leaders find others who face similar leadership challenges and create opportunities to listen to them. They don’t view other leaders as competitors, but as a resource for learning. Whether this happens in a professional association, a pastor’s fellowship, or a seminar, servant leaders listen to learn new ways of responding to current challenges. They listen and learn from mistakes others have made. As they listen to those around them, they gain insight to lead effectively.
Servant leaders listen to their counselors.
Servant leaders recognize the need for good counsel and actively seek those who can give good advice. They acknowledge the truth of Proverbs 15:22, Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. The counselor may be a supervisor, a coach, a mentor, or a trusted friend. A leader who leads with his ears may have someone who provides spiritual counsel, another person who provides vocational counsel and another who offers leadership advice. Servant leaders also learn to listen to the counsel of their spouse! They are not too proud to ask for counsel and listen attentively to those who can provide good insight.
Lead with your ears by listening to the right voices!
For further reflection and discussion:
- How attentive am I to the voice of Jesus? What disciplines have I built into my routines that allow me to hear Him? What can I do to improve my attentiveness to Him?
- In what ways do I regularly listen to my followers? Do I rely primarily on formal or informal ways of listening? What have I heard them saying recently?
- How do I listen to colleagues around me? What key lessons have I learned from them in the past six months? What persons should I be seeking out for advice?
- Who are the ‘counselors’ in my life? Am I deliberate about seeking their advice?
- How balanced is my listening in relation to the four voices mentioned in this issue? If some are being neglected, what is the result in my leadership? What will I do to change?