Leadership: Lead by example
6th October 2011 by Claire Hill
Ever thought about what it would have been like to be one of Jesus’ disciples, hanging out and interacting with him? In John 13, there’s a beautiful image of this.
They’ve spent years together. The disciples have grown and developed as Jesus has taught them and let them minister alongside him. And Jesus knows that his time on earth is coming to an end. So he gets up, and one by one he washes and dries their feet.
When he finishes doing this he says:
“So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.”'
In this moment Jesus demonstrates the power and importance of leading by example.
The “lead by example” leadership principal is one that has been adopted by effective leaders throughout our world ever since.
One of the world’s most popular leadership teachers John Maxwell says:
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.”
Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer agrees:
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”
In the New Testament this same idea is taught in 1 Peter 5:3:
“Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example.”
And in 1 Timothy 4:12:
“… set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity”.
Jesus lived his entire life on earth this way.
He never once asked his disciples to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself. He allowed his disciples to develop by ministering alongside him. He taught as much (or more) by his actions than by his words. His words: ”I’ve laid down a pattern for you” and ”What I’ve done, you do” sum up the whole concept perfectly.
There are a number of takeaways here for any of us who want to be an effective leader.
Live it first
If I want to see my youth ministry become more welcoming and friendly to new people the first thing I need to do is ask myself: “How welcoming and friendly am I to new people?”
There’s an old proverb that says: “Do as I say, not as I do”. This is not the kind of leadership Jesus modelled for us.
Teach by involving people with you
Jesus didn’t just set the disciples tasks and then leave them to it. He ministered alongside the people he was developing.
John Maxwell says that a good leader will:
- Model (minister while the person we are leading watches)
- Mentor (minister with them assisting)
- Monitor (the person you are leading takes the lead and you assist them)
- Motivate (let them have a go on their own with encouragement)
- Multiply (you can both focus on developing someone new!)
Keep improving
If we’re leading people out of our own experience then we can’t afford to be stagnant! We need to be constantly developing and growing.
Billy Hybels says: “The minute you stop learning you just stopped leading.”
Former President of the United States John F. Kennedy agreed:
”Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
Lead with your whole life
Leadership is not something that can be compartmentalised. We shouldn’t be able to switch it on and off. In 2 Timothy Paul gives Timothy five areas that we should strive be an example in:
- In speech. Do I speak with grace and love?
- In life. How do I live my daily life?
- In love. Do I really show love to other people?
- In faith. Do I really trust God?
- In purity. Do I live a life of integrity? Am I set apart for God?
save. grow. serve.
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