Where is Christ in your Leadership Skills?

In today's corporate environment, the need to lead like Christ is more important than ever. Quick pace decisions, changing priorities, and budgets that are impacted by the recession have everyone scrambling to maintain some semblance of order.

So, what does a Christ-like leader look like. I am glad you asked. Even the most Godly people you know will struggle under today's job pressures. I will be the first to admit that some days, it would be easier to just not care. I am so glad that Jesus never reached that point. He cared so much that not only did He lead, He paid the ultimate price with His death. So here are three traits that I strive for in my leadership, in what I hope is my Christ-like leadership.

First, always maintain your integrity. You are ALWAYS responsible for your response in any situation. If your boss is demanding and unreasonable, you are still responsible for how you respond - with integrity. If your boss asks you do to something that you feel is unethical, you are still responsible for your response. God willing, you can find a way to respond with integrity that also does not impact your job status. Integrity is your one characteristic that someone cannot take from you - you have to give it. I am not saying this is easy! Fear of retribution or losing your job make the stakes very high. Christ maintained His integrity through out His life. His word was His promise.

Second, listen first; speak last. The more you understand about a person or situation, the better prepared you are to lead. You will deepen relationships and gain creditibilty. In John Maxwell's book "21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership", he calls it the law of E. F. Hutton; when you speak, people listen. This is because you have earned the creditibilty that you listen and then offer sound advice.

Third, it's all about relationships. I have heard the antecdote a thousand times; People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. People need to know that they are important. I spend a great deal of time at my job. I want to have an environment that empowers people, motivates them to excel, and to strive for success. That cannot happen if you don't know what makes them "tick". If you pour yourself into the people, you will be amazed at the support you will receive.

What does your attitude say about your ability to lead?

So, last week was a rough one for me. Things were just not going as I had planned. By Wednesday, I realized that my whole team seemed to be having a rough week. I had forgotten a very important law in leadership and that is attitude is contagious. I was rubbing off on people.....not in a good way either.

I want to be a good example. Time for self-reflection. Everyone has bad days but a true leader makes sure that it does not impact their followers. This is not always easy to do but here are some techniques that I have used that might help you.

1) Choose your words very carefully when discussing any current situation with a team member.
2) If you have a safe "venting" person you can talk to, seek them out and blow off some steam.
3) Take an early lunch (not always possible if it happens at 3:00 pm)
4) Pick up your Bible and see what scripture God will use to take your mind of the problems of the day.
5) Sometimes, I have been successful at talking myself out of my "bad mood". It really depends on how much attitude is BAD.
6) Have something in your work space that reminds you that this is not the end of the world. Good examples are family pictures, funny sayings, scripture, etc.

I would not recommend throwing stuff, sulking, crying, hitting something, or yelling. All of which are pretty obvious.