"In Charge" or Leader?
Leading People, Not Just Managing Behavior
When you were in kindergarten or first grade, did your teacher ever need to run across the hall for something, leaving one lucky student in charge? I mean, it was probably for only around 30 or 60 seconds, but the kid in charge felt like a king or queen. I remember the student sitting high atop the teacher’s stool looking over the classroom kingdom, reminding us all that we were supposed to be quiet and not get up from our seats. Finally, the teacher would return and the little ruler’s term would be complete. [Can teachers even do that these days? Oh well, it was the ‘90s!]
Would you call the kid on the stool a leader? We may could make an argument that they were or that they had the potential to be, but I think they were ultimately merely in charge. See, there’s a difference between being “in charge” and being a true leader.
I don’t mean to imply that being in charge is not a good thing or that it isn’t part of true leadership. After all, the buck has to stop with someone. But leadership isn’t merely about enforcing rules, it’s about setting the course. Being “in charge” is about managing; being a leader is about guiding.
For some people, it seems leadership – especially church leadership – is all about rule enforcement. It’s like the kindergartener on the teacher’s stool.
If you’re an elder, deacon, or minister, consider your role in the Lord’s church. Do you view yourself more as the rule enforcer, the eagle eye sitting atop the teacher’s stool to report back when your term has ended, or as the steward, someone who has been entrusted to care for something that belongs to another?
The mental distinction is important. The rule enforcer may convince himself that he’s doing what he’s doing to take care of the people under his charge, but he has stopped short. Behavioral acquiescence is only half of the goal, and we could place the cart before the horse if we focus on behaviors before transformation of the heart.
The transformation-minded leader recognizes that leadership is not always cookie-cutter.
To be sure, we have a pattern which must be followed, but leadership is not one-size-fits-all. Some people are ready to be led and others are resistant. The way you guide one will be different from the way you guide another. You’re following the same path, but you’re beginning at different places.
The person who views himself as “in charge,” the rule enforcer, doesn’t always see the nuances. In his mind, the person needs to be rebuked for not following the clearly delineated rules. He doesn’t always realize that they don’t _know_ the rules! He doesn’t consider that they may not respond to the same motivation that others (or even that he) may respond to.
The person “in charge” sees himself as a figure head. He’s at the top and is looking down with a criticizing eye. The leader views himself as a fellow laborer. He’s part of the team. Yes, the buck stops with him, but he doesn’t view himself above anyone else in the sense that he’s better than they are. He’s leading them somewhere.
He’s leading them to Jesus.