#392, February 19, 2025

All leaders expect those under them to follow, but there is also a sense in which serving leaders follow those under them!  Paul’s exhortation lays the foundation for our reflections.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV).

Paul was the leader, actively seeking to shape the faith community at Corinth. But he was also a follower and was shaped by the people he led. Serving leadership is not a one-directional exchange between the leader and the follower. It is a reciprocal relationship in which communication and learning happen in both directions. What are the ways that serving leaders follow those under them?

Serving leaders follow those under them by listening for connection.  

Paul had a personal relationship with the church at Corinth. He had spent time with them, he knew their stories, their hopes and dreams. He had strong connections with them. Some leaders see those under them simply as workers. But serving leaders see those under them as people, not machines or robots doing a task. The people who show up for work or attend the church service have needs, challenges, joys and concerns about their lives. They are unique individuals. Serving leaders want to connect with the heart of those they serve. So, they take time to listen, seeking to understand the people they are leading.  This may be in a formal one on one meeting in which the leader asks questions like, “How are you really doing?” “What brings you the greatest joy in life right now?” “Are there personal goals you have that you would like me to know about?” Or it might be a quick question at the beginning of the day like, “How was your son’s soccer game last night?” Serving leaders listen carefully to learn to know the people they serve so that they can connect with them. They follow by listening for understanding.

Serving leaders follow those under them by asking for feedback.   

Some leaders assume that since they are leading and others are following, everything must be alright! But serving leaders humbly acknowledge that they have blind spots. They are willing to ask for feedback from those they lead. They recognize that the only ones who know what it is like to be led by them are those under their leadership! They also realize that followers are not likely to offer feedback unless they feel it is safe to do so and that it is welcomed. So, serving leaders are willing to ask for feedback either formally or informally. They follow by asking for feedback.

Serving leaders follow those under them by adjusting for impact.   

Some leaders seek to treat everyone in the same way and expect those who follow to adjust to their style of leadership. But serving leaders recognize that they are in a position of authority to serve those who follow so they pay attention to the needs of the followers and adjust their leadership accordingly. They allow the feedback of those who follow to help them become better leaders. Because they listen well, they realize that individuals have different needs. Some need more time to adjust to change than others. Some need grace because of a personal challenge they are facing while others need firmness. Some need the details while others want the big picture. Paul rebuked Peter openly; but quietly wrote letters to Timothy. He adjusted his leadership to meet the needs of those under him. Serving leaders follow those under them by adjusting their leadership style to best serve them.  

Serving leaders follow those above them, those over them, those ahead of them, those around them and those under them. Serving leaders lead well…by following well!

For further reflection and discussion:

• How do I take time to listen to those under my leadership? How well do I know their dreams and their fears? What steps can I take this week to listen more carefully?    
• In what ways do I welcome feedback from those who follow me? How will I respond to the feedback?
• Reflect on the needs of 4 or 5 people who follow you. What are the unique leadership needs of each one? How will I adjust my leadership to meet these needs?  
• Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Reflect on how these verses demonstrate the way that Paul followed well and adapted his leadership to serve those he wanted to reach. What do I learn from Paul’s example that I can apply in my own leadership?  

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll begin a new series on how Paul lived out the Five Actions of Serving Leadership™.  

#391, Feb. 5, 2025

Leaders lead—but they also follow! We have examined how serving leaders follow those in authority over them and how they follow those ahead of them. In this issue, we’ll continue to look at Paul’s instructions to the church in Corinth and reflect on how leaders follow those around them, their peers.   

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV).

We can easily overlook the fact that when Paul says “follow my example” he was not writing to an individual but to the entire church. He expected the Corinthians to be followers as a group, not as individuals. Paul assumed they would learn from each other and help each other on this journey. Serving leaders reflect on what it means to lead not in isolation but with others who are on the same journey.  Just as serving leaders follow those who are over them and ahead of them, they also humbly learn to follow those around them. 

Serving leaders follow those around them by noticing.   

As Paul encouraged this group to follow his leadership, he expected them to look around at the others in the group and notice what they were doing. A serving leader can also learn by simply noticing what others around them are doing. In some cases, a leader will be able to see positive examples from which to learn. In the Corinthian church, there were lots of examples of people not doing well! All peers offer learning opportunities to leaders who simply notice.

Some leaders are so focused on what they are doing that they don’t notice what others are doing. But serving leaders look around. They observe their peers and learn from them. Where they see their peers making mistakes, they make corrections in their own leadership to avoid the same mistakes. Where they notice success, they are secure enough to affirm that success and reflect on what they can learn from it. They follow their peers by noticing.  

Serving leaders follow those around them by adapting.   

Some leaders see success in another place and rush to imitate what is being done with no discernment of how it will work in the context of their own gifting, vision, and mission. But as serving leaders notice what their peers are doing that is working well, they reflect on what they can learn and apply to their own leadership context. They do not rush to imitate exactly what another person is doing but ask themselves how the success of their peers could best be adapted to their own situation. They may seek counsel from someone ahead of them to help discern what adaptations would be most helpful.  They follow their peers by adapting.

Serving leaders follow those around them by collaborating.

As Paul encouraged the group at Corinth to follow him, he taught them a lot about the unique gifts each person brought to the team. He was encouraging interdependence among them. Serving leaders learn to collaborate with their peers. They acknowledge that they do not have strengths in every area and that there is someone else on the team who can complement their weaknesses.

Some leaders see everyone around them as a potential threat, a competitor. But serving leaders see people around them as opportunities to become stronger. They follow their peers by collaborating.

Following peers requires much thought and discernment and serving leaders should not follow them alone but as they follow those over them and ahead of them. Following only peers is short-sighted; not following them is equally blind! Serving leaders see those who are around them as a valuable gift and gladly follow.

For further reflection and discussion:

• How has my leadership been shaped, or not shaped, by those around me? How has this helped or hindered my own growth as a leader?
• Who do I consider my peers in leadership? (List at least 5 other leaders.) Have I seen this group as competitors or people that I can learn from? In what ways can I learn from their lives? What could I adopt from their leadership that would be effective in my own context?   
• What are specific ways that I could collaborate with my peers? What one step will I take this week to begin this process?
• Read the account of Paul’s interaction with the church leaders in Acts 15. Reflect on how Paul related to them as they grappled with a very contentious issue. Are there ways in which he showed respect for them as authorities in the church? Are there ways he acknowledged that the group of leaders at Jerusalem were ahead of him? In what ways might he have considered this as a group of his peers? What do you learn from his example that can be applied in your own leadership?  

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how leaders follow those under them.

#390, January 22, 2025

  In the last issue, we examined how serving leaders follow those in authority over them as Paul followed Christ. In this issue, we’ll focus on how leaders follow those ahead of them. Serving leaders today have the privilege not only of following those in authority over them, but also following other leaders who are ahead of them on the journey. Again, Paul provides the challenge in his short statement to the church in Corinth:

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV).

As a pioneer and apostle, Paul did not have many contemporaries who were ahead of him in the work he was doing. But he offered himself as an example to the Corinthians of someone they could follow because he was ahead of them on the leadership journey. In doing so he reminds all serving leaders to look for people that are ahead of them and take deliberate steps to follow them. How can serving leaders follow those ahead of them?

Serving leaders follow those ahead of them by observing.  

Paul tells these leaders to follow “my example.” Paul first needed to live a life worth imitating which is a challenge to all serving leaders! Then he invites them to observe his life and to imitate him. For them to do this they needed to stop and reflect on how Paul lived his life, how he led and what his habits were. He recognized that they could learn a lot from his own life if they were only willing to follow.

Some leaders focus on their own journey and see those ahead of them as competitors. But serving leaders realize that those who have gone ahead of them have a wealth of experience and wisdom so they carefully observe their leadership. They are eager to read their stories, listen to their podcasts or simply to observe what they do in order to learn.  

Serving leaders follow those ahead of them by asking.  

Another way leaders can learn from those ahead of them is by asking great questions. In Paul’s situation, he is writing to them and their questions would need to come in a written response. But if he was in person, he would certainly have invited them to ask questions.

Some leaders believe that asking for help is a sign of weakness. They are afraid to acknowledge the things they do not know about leadership. But serving leaders readily acknowledge they don’t have all the answers. They are eager to ask those who are ahead of them for counsel and advice. They reflect on the challenges they face and develop questions they can ask those ahead of them that would most help them in their own journey.

Serving leaders follow those ahead of them by imitating.  

As Paul invites these leaders to “follow my example” he is expecting that they will do more than observe and ask good questions. He expects them to put into practice what they see him doing. Of course, he does not expect them to become just like him in terms of their unique personalities, giftings, and callings. But he does call them to ask questions and then carefully and prayerfully apply in their own context what they see in him.  

Some leaders view any form of imitation as a sign of their own defeat. But serving leaders humbly acknowledge that they can grow by imitating those who are ahead of them in leadership. They maintain their own unique calling, position and personality, but find ways to move ahead more quickly by imitating those who are ahead of them.   

Serving leaders see those who are ahead of them as a valuable resource and gladly follow!

For further reflection and discussion:

• In my realm of leadership who are 3 leaders who are ahead of me? In what ways have I already learned from their example? How can I be more deliberate about following them in a healthy way?   
• What are five questions that I could ask of one of the leaders I listed above? (Take some time to reflect on what leadership issues you most need help with and what questions would help you gain insight from a leader that is ahead of you.)
• How and when will I ask the questions above? (Consider your proximity to that leader. Are you able to ask for a 1 hour meeting with them? Can you send an email or letter with your questions or schedule a call?)
• How can I best imitate those ahead of me in my current role? What dangers must I guard against as I follow their lead?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how leaders follow those around them.

#389, January 8, 2025

Leaders call others to follow, but leaders also follow! Paul was an amazing leader in so many ways. He was an apostle, a pioneer in the early church, a church planter, an author, and a developer of other leaders. Yet consider his call to the believers in Corinth:

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV).

Paul packs a lot of leadership principles in this short sentence! He calls the Corinthians to follow his example, a basic leadership action. But he calls them to follow “as I follow…Christ”. Paul was a leader and a follower. Paul was stating a reality that many leaders overlook, leaders also follow. In this exhortation Paul acknowledged that he was first a follower, then a leader. Because he followed, he called others to follow.  In this series, we’ll look at four categories of people that good leaders follow. In this issue, we’ll examine how serving leaders follow those in authority over them. 

All legitimate leaders are under some authority. All leaders are subject to the laws imposed by their governments. Many leaders have a direct boss or supervisor. Other leaders have a board or governing body that provides directions. Church leaders have overseers, bishops or others to which they are accountable. In democratic nations, presidents are accountable to the citizens who elect them. Business owners are accountable to their customers, employees, investors and the laws under which they operate.

How do serving leaders follow those who are in authority over them?

Serving leaders follow those over them by respecting their authority.  

Paul clearly recognized the authority Christ had over him. His following was a willing acknowledgment that Christ had the authority to tell him what to do. He did not resist that authority; instead, he showed respect and followed willingly.  

Some leaders drag their feet or become annoyed at any suggestion from authority. They might show outward agreement with the authority but quietly let everyone around know that they do not like what is happening. They don’t fully respect the right of the boss or the board to tell them what to do.

But serving leaders acknowledge and respect those over them. They talk respectfully about those over them. Even when they disagree with a direction or decision, they voice their view respectfully and respect the right of their authority to make a final decision.

Serving leaders follow those over them by supporting their priorities.      

Paul said that he followed “the example” of Christ. He understood the priorities of Christ and he sought to live those out in his daily practice.

Some leaders don’t even care about the priorities of those over them. They simply pursue their own dream. Others pay lip service to the priorities of those above them but don’t act on them in their daily leadership. But serving leaders seek to understand and implement the priorities of those over them.

Serving leaders follow those over them by seeking their success.

Paul didn’t measure his success by what he wanted. Instead, he was focused on carrying out the mission that was given to him by Jesus. Before he encountered Jesus, he was focused on his own goals; now, he simply wanted to see the mission of Jesus succeed.

Some leaders focus their leadership energy on their own success. They make decisions based on how they will benefit and how that action will make their dream happen. But serving leaders seek the success of those in authority over them. Ultimately, they lead to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (see Mt. 25:23).   

Serving leaders see those who are in authority over them as a blessing and gladly follow!

For further reflection and discussion:

• What is my heart attitude towards those in authority over me? How do I reflect this in my leadership? What is the impact of my attitude on those who follow me?    
• How clearly do I understand the priorities of those in authority over me? What have I done to clarify my understanding of these priorities? Are my leadership actions aligned with those priorities or do I quietly implement what I believe is most important?  
• Do I measure success by my own metrics or by the goals of those in authority over me? How does this impact the way those under me measure success?       

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how leaders follow those ahead of them.  

December 11, 2024

One of the profound mysteries of the Christian faith is that God came to be with us in the person of Jesus! One of the many names of Jesus is Emmanuel which means “God with us.” (See Mt. 1:23). Theologians call this the incarnation which means that in Jesus the divine spirit of God and human flesh were united. John calls Jesus the Word and summarizes it in this way:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14, NIV).   

The incarnation, when God came to be with us, changes everything! And in the incarnation, Jesus models the way for serving leader to be with those they serve.

Incarnational leaders identify with those they serve.  

“The Word become flesh…” Jesus became one of us so that He could fully understand us. He was born as a helpless child and went through the normal process of growing up. He experienced pain, exhaustion, temptation, hunger, betrayal, etc. so that He would understand what those He served experienced in life. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tempted as we are. (Hebrews 4:15)

Some leaders rise in power and authority and forget what it was like to be on the other side of leadership. They forget the growing process they went through and the many mistakes they made along the way. They fail to identify with those they serve. But serving leaders see themselves as human and recognize that those they serve are also humans. They call for growth, but they also sympathize with failures. Serving leaders identify with those they serve.  

Incarnational leaders relate with those they serve.   

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Jesus came to live with us! A paraphrase (The Message) says that Jesus “moved into the neighborhood.” Jesus spent most of His time with the people He came to serve. He ate with them, walked with them, worked with them, laughed with them and cried with them. He built strong relationships with them.  Jesus laid aside His rights and privileges as the King of Kings and related with others in a natural winsome way. He came to be with them, not over them.

Some leaders seek to distance themselves from those they serve. They insist on special privileges and titles that distinguish themselves from followers. But serving leaders follow the example of Jesus. They lay down their rights and bridge the gap between leaders and followers. They do not seek to dominate or dictate but build genuine relationships with the ones they serve. Serving leaders relate with those they serve. 

Incarnational leaders share with those they serve.  

“We have seen his glory….full of grace and truth.” Jesus was incarnational and human but He was also a leader. He had a mission to accomplish and part of that was to reveal His plan to His disciples. He shared with them a different way to live and a different way to lead. He shared truth with them that was perfectly balanced with grace.  

Some leaders share plenty of truth but with very little grace! Others show so much grace they never get around to the truth. Serving leaders share both grace and truth.  

Some leaders start by sharing truth and see their only function as getting people to do what is expected and produce the desired results. But serving leaders follow the example of Jesus. They don’t share truth until they identify with and build relationships with those they serve. From that foundation, they share both truth and grace. Serving leaders share with those they serve. 

For further reflection and discussion:

• Take a moment to identify with one person that you lead. Imagine what life is like for them. What challenges are they facing at home, physically, financially, emotionally, spiritually? What difference will this make in the way you lead them?
• Reflect on the level of your relationship with those you lead, especially those at the lowest level in your organization. Do I enjoy being with them? When is the last time we have eaten together? Do we ever do things together that are not related to my role or because of being in the same organization?  
• Leadership is about being with those you serve. In what ways this season can you be with those you serve? Find ways to give more of your presence which is more precious than presents.     
• Have I shared truth with those I serve before I identified with them and build a relationship with them? What was the result in my leadership?
• Do I most often share more truth or more grace? How does that impact my leadership?
• Consider the following verses and reflect more on what it means to be an incarnational leader from the example of Jesus and instructions of scripture: John 4:6; 8:1-11; 11:35; Hebrews 4:15-16; 5:2; Ephesians 4:15; Philippians 2:1-11, Galatians 6:1-3.  In what way can I more closely reflect Jesus’ incarnational leadership?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

#387, November 27, 2024

A shepherd is the most common biblical image of leadership. Shepherds are tasked with the responsibility to guide and protect the flock under their care which is a great picture of leadership. Yet, not all shepherds (leaders) lead as true shepherds. Consider Ezekiel’s words:

¹The word of the LORD came to me: ²“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? ³You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. ⁴You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. ⁵So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. ⁶My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them (Ezekiel 34:1-6, NIV).

Ezekiel spoke for God and delivered His rebuke to the leaders of the nation. In doing so he revealed different ways shepherds can lead.

Shepherds see leadership either to benefit self or others.  

The accusation against these leaders was that they were using the flock to care for their own needs. “Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?” The leaders were enjoying the meat, the wool, and the milk from the flock. God does not say that these things should not be enjoyed, but when the focus of the leaders was only on themselves it was wrong. Instead, they should have been focused on strengthening the weak and taking care of the sick and injured. God rebukes them because they “have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.”  If they would have strengthened the flock, they could have enjoyed a good lamb dinner. But when they focused on the dinner, they destroyed the flock.  

Some leaders are continually focused on how they will benefit from their position but serving leaders use their position for the benefit of others.  Some leaders ask “What’s in it for me?” but serving leaders say, “I’m in it for you!”

Shepherds use leadership either to display their own power or empower others.

Another accusation God makes is, “You have ruled them harshly and brutally.”  These shepherds abused their power and used it to rule harshly. They showed no concern for the well-being of the sheep. Many leaders use their leadership role to let everyone know who’s the boss! They see care and compassion as signs of weakness instead of strength. But serving leaders are in power to empower. They use their authority to give authority to others. They show genuine care for those they lead.

Shepherds demonstrate leadership that scatters or unites others.

 God describes the impact of the poor leadership on His people, “So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,…”  Without adequate leadership, the sheep were lost and started wandering to other places. They looked elsewhere for direction and guidance and ultimately scattered. Some leaders use their power to “divide and conquer” people.  They allow and encourage mistrust, petty gossip and division, believing that they will be more powerful when others are divided. But serving leaders use power to bring people together in ways that unite them. They believe strength comes from strong teams united around a common vision and goal.

As a leader, you are like a shepherd. What kind of shepherd will you choose to be?

For further reflection and discussion:

• What benefits do I enjoy as a leader? (List everything you think about, tangible and intangible items.) Then reflect on these questions:
  • Do I lead because of these benefits or do I lead because of what I can do for others?
  • Do the benefits I receive cause me to focus more on my own needs and desires than on those of the people I lead?
• How do I use the power I have? How quickly do I share power with others? What is the result in my leadership? (Reflect on a leadership action you took in the past week as you answer these questions.)
• Do I lead most naturally with the mentality of “divide and conquer” or “our unity is our strength”? What have I done in the past week to demonstrate this?  
• Read the rest of this chapter (34) in Ezekiel and look for additional insights into the impact poor leaders have on others.         

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how leaders follow.

November 13, 2024

Paul’s description of a thriving body that grows and becomes stronger and stronger is a powerful image for any organization and a healthy model for any leader to follow.

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:11-16). 

In this scripture, Paul describes a thriving world. We have already looked at the actions of clarifying and embedding the vision, values and mission and building teams on strengths. In this final issue, we focus on how serving leaders share their power with others. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Upend the Pyramid™” as this concept turns the traditional model of leadership upside down! Serving leaders spread their power.

Serving leaders spread the power by delegating.

Paul says that the work of the leaders is to “equip his [God’s] people for works of service.” Many leaders see their work as doing the work. They work hard and demonstrate how much they can do. They insist on doing the work themselves and want to keep all the power. But serving leaders realize that the work of leadership is to delegate power to others who are called to do the work. They recognize that they are in power to empower others. Their work is to serve those doing the work. They reflect on what tasks they are doing that others could do. Then they delegate that work to others and give them the corresponding authority.   

Serving leaders spread the power by equipping others.

Delegating releases power to others; equipping trains them to do the work well. Some leaders assign tasks to others but assume that they’ll learn how to do it on their own. But serving leaders spend more and more of their time equipping others. They recognize that as they grow others, they are developing other leaders not simply followers. As they do so they are also growing an organization where people thrive.

Serving leaders spread the power by preparing for succession.  

When leaders are spreading the power, growing and developing others around them, they are effectively preparing the organization for the time that they will no longer be in the leadership role. Some leaders work hard with little thought to what will happen after they are gone. But serving leaders prepare for the long-term success of their organization by delegating responsibility, sharing their power and equipping others to do the work. Little by little the organization becomes mature and able to thrive even in their absence. Where leaders spread the power people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

-Reflect on your own leadership in the areas of delegation and empowering others. How effectively does my leadership release power? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?

-When is the last time I delegated something to others? Was it primarily to develop them or to avoid doing the work myself? Did I clearly articulate what I expected from them and what level of authority I was giving them? What was the result and what can I learn from it?

-How much of my time is spent doing the work and how much time is spent equipping others to work? What can I do to increase the time I spend on equipping others?  

-What would happen in my organization if I was suddenly gone? Would it survive? Thrive? What does this say about my leadership and what can I do to better prepare for the time I will be gone?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of empowering others. What is one step you can take this week to improve?            

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at a new series!

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: UTP Empowerment Planner Complete A4 v.17

October 30, 2024

When the vision, values and mission of any organization are clarified and embedded deeply into the culture of the organization people thrive. But Paul’s vision also includes two more actions serving leaders can take to build a thriving world. 

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:11-16). 

In this scripture, Paul describes a thriving world, one in which each person is contributing their best to the whole. In this issue, we focus on how the serving leader synchronizes the team. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Build on Strength™”.

Serving leaders synchronize the team by acknowledging strengths.  

Paul’s vision of the church body is diverse. He mentions a variety of gifts for the leaders and concludes by saying that the body will grow “as each part does its work.” Each part has a unique work. No part can do every work. Some leaders assume that if someone can do a job well, it must be a strength. But serving leaders look for areas of service that are life-giving to people. They first identify their own strengths and then work with their entire team to help each one identify areas in which they are not only good at doing but also enjoy doing.

Serving leaders synchronize the team by aligning strengths to tasks.   

When strengths are identified it is possible to begin to align assignments to those strengths. Paul would not ask the evangelist to prophesy; he would expect the evangelist to bring in new members. In the same way, serving leaders identify activities that bring life to their team members and then as much as possible align their assignments to that area. Each one will use the strengths that they have to bring their best to the team. Many leaders assign people to tasks simply based on what needs to be done and who is available. But serving leaders recognize that each person is uniquely wired to thrive at specific tasks. Wherever possible they adjust responsibilities to align with strengths.

Serving leaders synchronize the team by adjusting team roles.   

The beauty of teams is that each part needs the others. Paul implies that no leader with one of the gifts mentioned will be able to lead alone. They need the others.  Some leaders believe they should be able to do everything well. But serving leaders acknowledge that there is no such thing as a “well-rounded leader” but there can be well-rounded teams! They deliberately work to bring people around them that will help strengthen them in complimentary areas. And they work to align their teams to thrive by adjusting roles as much as possible to get people working in the areas of their strengths. Where teams are synchronized, people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

-Reflect on your own leadership in this area. How effectively does my leadership synchronize my team? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?

-Are there things I am good at but do not enjoy doing? What should I do about this? What about those on my team? Do I actually know what they enjoy doing most? How can I find out? 

-When I identify strengths on my team, what can I do to shift their assignments towards areas of strengths?

-How can we talk as a team about individual strengths and make adjustments as much as possible and appropriate?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of teamwork and finding the right place for every person. What is one step you can take this week to improve?        

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how serving leaders create thriving by spreading their power.

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area:  BOS Functional Strengths Identifier.

October 16, 2024

We have reflected on two actions that serving leaders take which produce a thriving world—they shape the vision and set the values. A third action serving leaders take to produce thriving is to share the mission. Again, consider Paul’s vision of the church body.

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead of speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:11-16). 

Paul describes a thriving world in which each part is doing its part and the body is growing to healthy maturity. In this issue, we focus on how serving leaders share the mission of the organization. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Blaze the Trail™”.  Mission addresses the question, “What do we do that brings value to those we serve?” 

Serving leaders share the mission by clarifying priorities.

Paul reveals the mission of the body in this passage. There are “works of service” and an acknowledgment that “each part does its work.” There is work to be done and clients, customers, or members to serve. Each member has a part to play in fulfilling the mission and every organization has a unique way in which they add value to the world. Many leaders focus on making sure everyone is busy. But serving leaders share the mission with everyone by clarifying priorities so that everyone is busy doing the right things. They make it abundantly clear to everyone what work serves the customer/client/member in ways that ensure the mission is accomplished. 

Serving leaders share the mission by teaching.

Paul encourages the leaders to “equip his [God’s] people for works of service.” He understood that thriving required the leaders to teach others how to do their work. Many leaders, especially founders of organizations, intuitively understand the special value that they bring and what special “flavor” of service they bring to the world. And they assume that in time others will learn it from them. But serving leaders realize that mission critical work must be taught. They are quick to say, “Let me show you how we do this in this organization and why doing it this way helps us accomplish our mission.” They teach, train, observe, correct and instruct until the work is done in the right way.

Serving leaders share the mission by removing obstacles.

Paul talks about the “waves” and “winds” that will distract people from the real work of the church. He recognizes that it will be easy to lose focus and start doing things that don’t really produce maturity. Over time many leaders slowly allow excessive reporting, unnecessary meetings, redundant tasks, and inefficient workflows to develop. But serving leaders work continually to remove obstacles to the mission.

Where the mission is clear and everyone knows how to do their part to accomplish the mission people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

-Reflect on your own leadership in this area. How effectively does my leadership share the mission of our organization? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?

-How clear is our mission? What do I need to do as a leader to clarify what activities are mission-critical in our organization?

-What percent of my time is invested in teaching others how to do their work? What should it be? What do I need to do to move in the right direction?

-What areas of waste exist in my organization? (Consider inefficient movements, wasted time, meetings that are not focused, paperwork, time spent on email and other areas.) Which one of these will I do something about today?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of your mission. What is one step you can take this week to improve?        

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how serving leaders create thriving by synchronizing their teams.

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: BTT Success Factors Discovery Tool A4 v.17

#384  Serving Leaders
Produce a Thriving World: They Share the Mission October 16, 2024Snippet:  Reflections for Serving Leaders, latest issueWe have reflected on two actions that
serving leaders take which produce a thriving world—they shape the vision and
set the values. A third action serving leaders take to produce thriving is to
share the mission. Again, consider Paul’s vision of the church body. ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to
equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built
up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure
of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be
infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every
wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful
scheming. ¹⁵ Instead of speaking the truth in love, we will
grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, Christ.
¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work (Ephesians 4:11-16).  Paul describes a thriving world in
which each part is doing its part and the body is growing to healthy maturity.
In this issue, we focus on how serving leaders share the mission of the
organization. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Blaze the Trail™”.  Mission addresses the question, “What do we
do that brings value to those we serve?” 
Serving leaders share the mission by
clarifying priorities. Paul reveals the mission of the body
in this passage. There are “works of service” and an acknowledgment that “each
part does its work.” There is work to be done and clients, customers, or
members to serve. Each member has a part to play in fulfilling the mission and
every organization has a unique way in which they add value to the world. Many
leaders focus on making sure everyone is busy. But serving leaders share the
mission with everyone by clarifying priorities so that everyone is busy doing
the right things. They make it abundantly clear to everyone what work serves
the customer/client/member in ways that ensure the mission is
accomplished.  Serving leaders share the mission by
teaching. Paul encourages the leaders to “equip
his [God’s] people for works of service.” He understood that thriving required
the leaders to teach others how to do their work. Many leaders, especially
founders of organizations, intuitively understand the special value that they
bring and what special “flavor” of service they bring to the world. And they
assume that in time others will learn it from them. But serving leaders realize
that mission critical work must be taught. They are quick to say, “Let me show
you how we do this in this organization and why doing it this way helps us
accomplish our mission.” They teach, train, observe, correct and instruct until
the work is done in the right way. Serving leaders share the mission by
removing obstacles. Paul talks about the “waves” and
“winds” that will distract people from the real work of the church. He
recognizes that it will be easy to lose focus and start doing things that don’t
really produce maturity. Over time many leaders slowly allow excessive
reporting, unnecessary meetings, redundant tasks, and inefficient workflows to
develop. But serving leaders work continually to remove obstacles to the
mission. Where the mission is clear and
everyone knows how to do their part to accomplish the mission people thrive!   For
further reflection and discussion:Reflect on your own leadership in this
area. How effectively does my leadership share the mission of our organization?
How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team? How clear is our mission? What do I
need to do as a leader to clarify what activities are mission-critical in our
organization? What percent of my time is invested in
teaching others how to do their work? What should it be? What do I need to do
to move in the right direction? What areas of waste exist in my
organization? (Consider inefficient movements, wasted time, meetings that are
not focused, paperwork, time spent on email and other areas.) Which one of
these will I do something about today? Read again the scripture above
(Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of your mission.
What is one step you can take this week to improve?           Until next time, yours on the journey, Jon Byler In the next issue, we’ll look at how
serving leaders create thriving by synchronizing their teams.   Click here for a resource from Center
for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: Success Factors Discovery Tool
 

October 2, 2024

Serving leaders create a world in which people thrive. This world is described by Paul:

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:11-16). 

Paul’s vision is of a thriving body, where leaders are doing their work and the followers have also found their place to thrive. In this issue, we focus on how serving leaders produce thriving as they set the values of the organization. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Raise the Bar™”. Values answers the question, “How will we relate to each other and those we serve?”  

Serving leaders set the values by naming them.   

Paul clearly identifies at least one value in this passage, “speaking the truth in love.” He wants to make clear the kind of communication that is expected in this body so he names it.  All organizations have values whether or not they are named. You can observe the values of any group by observing behaviors and noticing what is allowed, what is encouraged and what is rewarded. However many leaders don’t name their values, they just focus on getting the work done with little thought or concern about how people are relating to each other. But serving leaders, like Paul, take the time to think about the values that they want to see expressed in the organization and name them.  They find a few values that they really want to focus on and keep them in front of everyone in the organization.

Serving leaders set the values by defining them.

A value like “speaking the truth in love” may look good on the wall, but what does it actually mean in daily interactions? Some leaders assume that if a value is named, everyone will understand what it means. But serving leaders understand that values need to be clearly defined if they are to impact behavior. So they work hard to define what each value looks like in real life. They give examples of what it looks like as well as what it does not look like and make sure everyone understands what that value looks like. Then serving leaders look for opportunities to connect an action they observe with a value of the organization.

Serving leaders set the values by enforcing them.

What happens when someone does not speak “truth” or not speak it “in love”? This is a test for leaders.  Followers watch closely to see what happens when a value is not practiced. They watch to see if the leader practices the value or just tells others to practice it. They watch to see if all will be held accountable or only certain persons. Some leaders are not willing to uniformly hold everyone to the shared values. But serving leaders hold the standards high and enforce them diligently. They are willing to have hard conversations around values instead of hoping that with time the behaviors will change. They understand that naming, defining and enforcing values creates a thriving world for their organization.

 Where values are clearly understood, defined and enforced, people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

-Reflect on your own leadership in the area of values. How effectively does my leadership name, clarify and enforce values? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?

-Are the values of my organization clearly named? If so, how well am I living out these values as a leader? If not, use the tool below to name your values. You may want to do this with your leadership team or other key individuals in your organization.

-How well does every person on our team understand what our values look like in real life? What can I do this week to strengthen our team in this area?

-Is there someone on our team that has been violating a value but I have not taken any action? What do I need to do and when will I do it?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16). Are there other values implied in this passage? If so, what are they?           

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how serving leaders create thriving by sharing the mission.

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: Values Discovery and Definition Tool.