{"id":31762,"date":"2022-09-10T15:43:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-most-crucial-yet-overlooked-element-for-effective-lasting-leadership\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:43:06","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:43:06","slug":"the-most-crucial-yet-overlooked-element-for-effective-lasting-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-most-crucial-yet-overlooked-element-for-effective-lasting-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Crucial\u2014Yet Overlooked\u2014Element for Effective, Lasting Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nathan Dumlao photo – Unsplash<\/div>\n

A Q&A with Ben Mandrell<\/em><\/p>\n

Scripture doesn\u2019t merely suggest humility in leadership; it demands<\/em> humility.<\/p>\n

For example, Proverbs 18:12 tells us that \u201chumility comes before honor.\u201d And in Galatians 6:14, Paul recognizes he can \u201cnever boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

In day-to-day, shoulder-to-shoulder work and ministry, what does it look like when a person\u2019s leadership is infused with humility?<\/p>\n

We spoke with Ben Mandrell, Lifeway\u2019s president and CEO, about lessons he has learned in humility and how a culture of servant-leadership creates a thriving work and ministry environment.<\/p>\n

What is the most important quality of a strong leader, and what does that look like, practically speaking?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you could boil them all down to just a few words, surely the word \u201chumility\u201d sits at the top. A humble leader thinks more highly of others than he does himself or herself.<\/p>\n

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A humble leader doesn\u2019t have to be the owner of every bright idea. A humble leader doesn\u2019t fish for praise but would rather dish that out to others.<\/p>\n

A humble leader would rather listen than to seize the microphone.<\/p>\n

Was there a season or event in your earlier years of ministry that caused you to recognize the need for humility in leadership?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When I was 29 years old, I began my first pastorate. I could sense immediately I was in over my head, and I was begging God to show me how to lead. I was desperate to learn how to lead people, and I was hungry for insight.<\/p>\n

One day a kindhearted deacon, who was cheering and hoping for my survival, spoke some words of wisdom. He said, \u201cBen, don\u2019t ever forget that people want to work with<\/em> you, and not for<\/em> you.\u201d<\/p>\n

That short statement rang the bell of truth for me.<\/p>\n

How does humble leadership yield a high-quality work or ministry environment?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not about salary, the number of vacation days, or the view from the office window. All those things are nice, but not supremely important.<\/p>\n

What people really want at work or in ministry is to enjoy the people they work with and to use their gifts to benefit others.<\/p>\n

The humility of the people around you makes all the difference in the world. I\u2019ve heard it said \u201cpeople don\u2019t leave an organization; they leave a leader.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, God calls people to new places, new seasons, and new assignments. But even still, there is some truth to that statement. How someone feels about the person they have to follow will be a huge factor in how long most people stay and how hard they work.<\/p>\n

Work is more enjoyable when humility flows through the halls like fresh air.<\/p>\n

What does it look like to practice humility in the shoulder-to-shoulder, day-to-day operations of an organization or ministry? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

What I\u2019m about to say will seem obvious, but there are a few fundamentals we often forget.<\/p>\n

One way to practice humility in the course of work or ministry is to ask for help. If you pretend you\u2019re good at everything, people will see right through it. One of the ways to build a relationship is to admit you need to draw on the strengths of others.<\/p>\n

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See also  Video: Learning the Skills You Need to Pastor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Humility will also open up doors in your neighborhood. In his book, The Art of Neighboring<\/em>, Dave Runyon says one of the easiest ways to build friendships with people on your street is to ask for help. Ask to borrow tools, but even more, ask for advice on how to do it.<\/p>\n

Notice what your neighbors are good at and ask them to share that gift.<\/p>\n

Another important way to practice humility is to thank others for the little things they do for you.<\/p>\n

We tend to write \u201cthank you\u201d notes for the big efforts of others, but it\u2019s often the little things they do that go unnoticed. It\u2019s restocking the half-and-half, it\u2019s booking the flight, it\u2019s ordering supplies, or throwing away the wrappers you left strewn all over your desk.<\/p>\n

Notice the little things.<\/p>\n

Lastly\u2014and perhaps most importantly\u2014is admit you were wrong. This might be the most difficult thing for most of us to do.<\/p>\n

When I go to conferences, I enjoy the messages most when a leader stands up and starts with something like this: \u201cToday, I want to share the three biggest mistakes I\u2019ve made in my life, and what I learned from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

That person has my attention.<\/p>\n

If you want to influence others, some of the most important moments are when you admit you\u2019re wrong.<\/p>\n

How is humility crucial to the longevity and effectiveness of any ministry or organization?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Speaking as the leader of Team Lifeway: If we want it to exist 50 years from now, the most important factor will be the ongoing exaltation of servanthood.<\/p>\n

If we want God to go before us, we must have more than brilliant business acumen or a smart strategy for getting our resources into the hands of customers. If we want God to go before us, we must make this a place where humility is everywhere. God has told us in His Word that He is magnetically drawn to those who have humility.<\/p>\n

An organization can have all the core values, complete mission alignment, careful stewardship of resources, or a clear multi-step process for achieving results. But when the attitude is wrong, the chance of success is low.<\/p>\n

As I think about who I want Lifeway to be\u2014the kind of culture I want to help create\u2014there\u2019s nothing more important biblically, than the infectious spread of humility. I pray I would wake up every day amazed that God could use me to make a difference in the eternity of others.<\/p>\n

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Ben Mandrell<\/h2>\n

@BenMandrell<\/p>\n

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Ben is the president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n