“PEOPLE WILL SERVE AND FOLLOW THE LEADER WHO SERVES THEIR NEEDS”

“PEOPLE WILL SERVE AND FOLLOW THE LEADER WHO SERVES THEIR NEEDS”

 

KEEPING LEADERSHIP’S ROLE IN FOCUS

Ezekiel 34 provides an excellent example of how leadership style and attitude impact people and organizational productivity.

….“Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? ³ You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. ⁴ The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. ⁵ So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered…….EZEKIEL 34:2-5

 

SOME VERY IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES THAT ARE SUGGESTED HERE ARE:-

1.       THE LEADER SHOULD NOT EXPLOIT THOSE WHO WORK UNDER HIM.

           ~To pursue our own selfish interests while neglecting the needs of the people who serve under us is offensive to GOD. He pronounces a “WOE” on any kind of that leadership.

2.       THE LEADER SHOULD LOOK FOR THE WAYS TO SERVE THOSE UNDER HIM

           ~People have a lot of needs to be met. The weak need to be strengthened and encouraged.

-the sick need to be healed.

-The strayed need to be brought back.

- The lost need to be found.

-israel’s leaders in Ezekiels time did not meetany of these needs.

On the contrary they used their power to be cruel and harsh with the people.

Keep in mind that the effective leader uses his position and authority to serve and meet the needs of others, not to force them to serve his needs.

3.       THE LEADER SHOULD SERVE WILLINGLY AND EAGERLY

          ~”Be the shepherds of Gods flock that is under your care, serving as overseers. Not because you MUST, but because you are willing,. As God wants it to be.” 1Peter 5:2

-The effective leader doesn’t complain about his responsibility to serve the work-related needs of the subordinates.

4.       THE LEADER SHOULD EXHIBIT SUCH A SPIRIT THAT PEOPLE WILLINGLY FOLLOW.

-We saw from Ezekiel that the leaders used their positions to meet their own needs and desires at their people’s expense. In addition, they have behaved  “harshly and brutally” with the effect on people being ..”So they were scattered because there was no shepherd”…(EZ 34:5)

-Notice that the excessive use of authority and failure to meet the people’s needs drove them away. This principle applies to the church as well as any type of an organization. People resist the excessive use of authority by their leaders.

The new Testament tells  us to avoid dominating those under us. “ Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” 1Peter  5:3

~leaders are  to provide an example people will want to follow. How do they do that? As mentioned in chapter 1 “If today you will be a servant to those people and serve them and give them a favorable answer they will always be your servants” 1 KINGS 12:7.

“PEOPLE WILL SERVE AND FOLLOW THE LEADER WHO SERVES THEIR NEEDS”

Thoughts by Moses Njoroge.

Motivational speaker and a freelance Blogger.