3 Keys to Leadership Taken from the Life of Jesus Christ
We have all seen great leaders. There is something about them. It's hard to put your finger on. When they are in the room, something changes. I once heard someone say, "there are leaders you can hear, and then there are leaders you can feel". A great leader has a presence that you can feel when they walk into the room. They ignite a fire within their followers that drives belief which, in turn, drives action.
What is the difference between a leader that you can hear, and a leader you can feel?
I believe that Jesus Christ was a leader that you could feel. No one in history has surpassed his ability to lead.
I have a philosophy of always looking to the very best in their craft to discover how do excel. There is no better example than Jesus when it comes to leadership. To this day, Jesus has more followers than any leader in history and the book about his life is the number one best seller every single year without fail.
Lets look at a few traits of the greatest leader of all time.
What is the difference between a leader that you can hear, and a leader you can feel?
I believe that Jesus Christ was a leader that you could feel. No one in history has surpassed his ability to lead.
I have a philosophy of always looking to the very best in their craft to discover how do excel. There is no better example than Jesus when it comes to leadership. To this day, Jesus has more followers than any leader in history and the book about his life is the number one best seller every single year without fail.
Lets look at a few traits of the greatest leader of all time.
Passion
Jesus was never one to pull his punches. He was very passionate about what he believed and he was not afraid to show it. In Mark 11:15 Jesus flipped tables and chairs in the temple, because people had turned what was supposed to be a house of God into a market for thieves. Jesus was also ruthless when it came to his criticism of the pharisees. When the pharisees became upset at Jesus for casting out a demon, Jesus called them a "brood of vipers" and "evil". (Matthew 12:34)
Jesus' most profound demonstration of passion was his willingness to die for the love of his followers and the glory of his Father. Jesus felt so strongly about his cause that he gave up his life. That is true passion.
When you exhibit true passion people can feel it. When passion is inauthentic people can almost always tell. If you want to be a great leader, find a way to be passionate about what you do. Don't be afraid to be bold about what you believe. Many people will not like this kind of leadership, but the followers you acquire will follow you with all their hearts, because they will believe in the vision that you are so passionate about.
Jesus was never one to pull his punches. He was very passionate about what he believed and he was not afraid to show it. In Mark 11:15 Jesus flipped tables and chairs in the temple, because people had turned what was supposed to be a house of God into a market for thieves. Jesus was also ruthless when it came to his criticism of the pharisees. When the pharisees became upset at Jesus for casting out a demon, Jesus called them a "brood of vipers" and "evil". (Matthew 12:34)
Jesus' most profound demonstration of passion was his willingness to die for the love of his followers and the glory of his Father. Jesus felt so strongly about his cause that he gave up his life. That is true passion.When you exhibit true passion people can feel it. When passion is inauthentic people can almost always tell. If you want to be a great leader, find a way to be passionate about what you do. Don't be afraid to be bold about what you believe. Many people will not like this kind of leadership, but the followers you acquire will follow you with all their hearts, because they will believe in the vision that you are so passionate about.
Calming presence
Throughout his entire life Jesus never panicked. He was surrounded by disciples that were always panicking when something bad happened, yet he always maintained a calm demeanor.
A perfect example of this is when Jesus walked on water. When his disciples saw him they were terrified and they thought that he was a ghost. Jesus' response was, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then Peter walked on the water and began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. Just looking at Jesus was enough to give Peter the confidence to walk on water!
Shortly before Jesus walked on water he was speaking to a crowd of 5000 men and his disciples became worried about how the people would eat and wanted to send them home. Jesus responded to his disciples with surprising simplicity. He said "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." He then used 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed the entire crowd.
Some of you may be thinking, "well it was easy for Jesus not to panic, because he could perform miracles." We may not be able to perform miracles, but if we are honest there is almost always a fairly simple solution to the problems we face in our jobs and our life. We also know that worrying or panicking will not help the situation it only ever makes things worse.
As a leader you must remain calm when everything seems to be falling apart around you. Your followers will feed off of your calm demeanor and will gain confidence through your steady belief.
A perfect example of this is when Jesus walked on water. When his disciples saw him they were terrified and they thought that he was a ghost. Jesus' response was, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then Peter walked on the water and began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. Just looking at Jesus was enough to give Peter the confidence to walk on water!
Shortly before Jesus walked on water he was speaking to a crowd of 5000 men and his disciples became worried about how the people would eat and wanted to send them home. Jesus responded to his disciples with surprising simplicity. He said "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." He then used 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed the entire crowd.
Some of you may be thinking, "well it was easy for Jesus not to panic, because he could perform miracles." We may not be able to perform miracles, but if we are honest there is almost always a fairly simple solution to the problems we face in our jobs and our life. We also know that worrying or panicking will not help the situation it only ever makes things worse.
As a leader you must remain calm when everything seems to be falling apart around you. Your followers will feed off of your calm demeanor and will gain confidence through your steady belief.
Servant's heart
In Mark 10:45 Jesus says "For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus didn't just talk the talk when it came to service. He dedicated his life to serving others. Jesus healed countless people, he got on his hands and knees and washed his disciples' feet, and he performed the ultimate act of service in giving up his life so that we could have a chance at eternal life.
John 21:25 reads "Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." Jesus did so much in his short life that it was impossible to record it all! He was a relentless servant who humbled himself for the betterment of his followers.
A truly great leader cares deeply for those he leads and is not afraid to get his hands dirty. A servant's heart is without a doubt one of the most important things a great leader should have. When people see you serve, they know that you care about them and they will sacrifice greatly to advance your cause. All of Jesus' disciples except for one ended up giving their lives for Jesus, because they knew he paid the ultimate price for them.
How much are your followers willing to sacrifice for you?
Matt Cross
In Mark 10:45 Jesus says "For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus didn't just talk the talk when it came to service. He dedicated his life to serving others. Jesus healed countless people, he got on his hands and knees and washed his disciples' feet, and he performed the ultimate act of service in giving up his life so that we could have a chance at eternal life.
John 21:25 reads "Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." Jesus did so much in his short life that it was impossible to record it all! He was a relentless servant who humbled himself for the betterment of his followers.
A truly great leader cares deeply for those he leads and is not afraid to get his hands dirty. A servant's heart is without a doubt one of the most important things a great leader should have. When people see you serve, they know that you care about them and they will sacrifice greatly to advance your cause. All of Jesus' disciples except for one ended up giving their lives for Jesus, because they knew he paid the ultimate price for them.
How much are your followers willing to sacrifice for you?
Matt Cross
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