A Sense of Timing: A Time to Shut Up
Issue #196, December 14, 2016 Leaders talk! But servant leaders acknowledge that there is a time to talk and a time to be silent. In the last issue we examined when it is time for a leader to speak up. Now, we’ll consider when it is time to shut up! Servant leaders know it’s time […]
Daniel: Appealing to Authority
Issue #159, July 8, 2015 Our first lesson from Daniel’s life was his resolve not to be defiled; he lived with a moral compass that would not be moved. But his moral resolve quickly brings Daniel into conflict with the king’s plans and leads to his first leadership challenge. But Daniel resolved not to defile […]
David: Learning Submission
Issue #138, September 17, 2014 David continued to carry out his duties under Saul as well as he could. But Saul’s jealously and determination to kill David finally forced David to flee for his life to the desert. Saul’s insecurity was extreme. Not only did he want to kill David and attempted to do so […]
Lead with Your Ears: The Benefits of Listening
Issue #127, April 16, 2014 My tongue has gotten me in plenty of trouble, but my ears? Never! If only I would learn to follow James’ counsel, Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear (James 1:19, The Message). Not surprisingly, the first recorded action of […]
Quality Assurance: Respectable
Issue #102, March 27, 2013 Paul’s next instruction to Timothy is to find leaders who are “respectable” (1Timothy 3:2). Being respectable is much deeper than looking good on the outside or impressing people with charisma or leadership skills. Paul recognized that followers will not long follow a leader they do not genuinely respect. He understood […]
Servant Leaders Need Servant Followers
Issue #17, October 22, 2009 At a break in a conference a leader came to me and said, “People trusted me until I became a leader.” He was a part of an organization that had a deep mistrust of leaders and his comments addressed the difficulty of leading in this environment. Servant leadership is not […]