How to Sustain Sensational Leadership

Deuteronomy 17:15-20 

“Be sure to appoint over you the King the Lord your God chooses … then he and his descendents will reign a long time over his Kingdom in Israel.”

Installing a leader is risky business. Leaders can build-up or mess-up an enterprise. We really want to get the right person (or be the right person). And if we get the right leader, we really want to keep them healthy.

We want God’s choice of leader. Deut. 17:14-20 is leadership gold. It contains three brilliant prescriptions for sustaining leadership effectiveness.

1. Lead from among the people.

The greatest danger in leadership is to think you are better than those you lead. You aren’t. A leader is an ordinary person in a unique position. That uniqueness can corrupt a leader. Be careful!

Be a brother or a sister to those you lead. Whether you are appointed from within or recruited from the outside you need to remember that a “foreigner” can’t lead well. Find your common ground quickly.

Q: Where do leaders stand?

A: Leaders stand wherever necessary.

Sometimes leaders stand at the front giving direction and sometimes at the back caring for strays. Leaders will stand in the middle of the crowd teaching and demonstrating. They will climb a tree above the crowd and peer into the distance trying to understand “where to next”. They will stand close to people listening and discerning and apart from people gaining perspective and praying. A leader may even lay down his life for the many.

As the leader, please, don’t consider yourself “better”. Stand where you are needed and lead from among the people.

2. Put limits on your accumulation.

A leader who get’s rich off the people is in trouble. He can be blessed. She can be loved by her people. But a leader must not burden the people with vanity and greed.

Don’t ask the people to do special favours for you that are not in the interest of those you lead (like going back to Egypt to get more horses 17:16). Don’t let your heart be led astray by what you can get.

Beware of the triple temptation: Power, Sex and Money! Deut. 17 specifically mentions all three: the King’s horses, harems and personal treasury. Make sure there are good systems in place to help keep you accountable as a leader.

John Wesley is a good model for us. He limited his living standards to his very early income levels. As he earned more money he practiced greater generosity rather than changing his living habits. Impressive!

3. Internalise Godly values.

Know what matters most. Have deep spiritual values. Write them out. Keep them with you.

The King in Israel was instructed to write out a personal copy of “this law”, probably referring to the Pentateuch. He was then challenged to internalise it and to revere God in his leadership (Deut. 17:18-20).

As a leader you are under a higher authority. You may answer to a Boss or a Board but above that you answer to the deep rooted values of your Creator. Leaders who understand this and build systems of value compliance into their routines, will be able to sustain long-term healthy leadership.

A final word…

To leaders: Make these three commitments to your people. Ask your people to help you keep them. Plan to be in leadership for a long time. Plan to stay healthy.

To followers: Make these three requests of your leaders. Help your leaders live them out. Help your leaders succeed. Speak the truth in love and obey your leaders with joy. 

Questions

• How do you support your leaders practically?
• What accountability structures are in place for your leaders?
• Please leave a comment.

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