Bryant Wright, Founder

“And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don’t forget for a minute
that you, too, serve a Master – God in heaven.” Colossians 4:1

God has high expectations for those in leadership roles.

He calls leaders to treat those under their authority with justice and fairness. While this passage originally refers to masters and slaves—a system that is rightly abhorrent to us today—God’s standard for fair and just leadership still applies.

Here are a few practical ways to be a leader in a manner that reflects those expectations.

• Make sure your employees clearly understand the mission. They cannot help reach a goal if they don’t know where you are headed. Each person should understand their responsibilities, what is expected of them, and how their role contributes to the bigger picture.

• Empower your employees to succeed. Responsibility must be matched with authority. If someone is responsible for an outcome, they must also have the authority needed to accomplish it. When failure occurs, ask whether you’ve provided the tools, support, and clarity necessary for success.

• Hold people accountable, but focus that accountability on results rather than procedures. Keep attention on the goal, not the minutiae.

• Affirm employees publicly when they do well, and address shortcomings privately. Honest, healthy evaluation helps employees know where they stand and encourages growth.

Above all, let those you lead know that you care more about their success than your own. Remember, we will ultimately answer to God for how we lead those entrusted to us. Jesus remains the greatest example of this kind of servant leadership.

DIG DEEPER
Read “Jesus on Leadership” also by Bryant Wright