The Art of Leadership By Dag Heward-Mills
A good leader has followers who love to follow him. A good leader has followers who admire him, believe in him and love him. Love is the reason why the followers of a good leader are happy to follow his instructions, even in his absence. If you are a leader, make your followers love you. Do not make them resent you.
“And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord” (2 Samuel 23:15-16).
King David was surrounded by many mighty men. Many of them would have laid down their lives for him if he had asked them to. David had a craving. He felt like drinking some of the water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate. What was the reaction when he voiced his wish? Three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and went to fetch that water for David. It did not matter to them if they were killed. They were ready to sacrifice their lives to get King David some water he craved for. What made David’s men so ready to give up their lives so that he could have a drink of water? Their love for David! Look into the eyes of the people you want to lead. Do they love you? Are they genuinely happy to be with you and to follow you? What can you do to make the people who are following you genuinely willing to obey and to flow with you?
How To Make Your Followers Love You And Not Resent You
- Make your followers feel that you genuinely respect them.
All human beings have the unspoken desire to feel important, loved and respected. Once your followers have a feeling of self-worth and genuine respect from you, you have gone a long way in making them love you. This is because people naturally love those who respect them. Make great efforts to make your followers feel loved and well respected.
- Transform the people who follow you into eminent, distinguished, celebrated and impressive men.
Jesus transformed his followers into the great apostles that we know them to be. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Jesus turned ordinary, uneducated and ignorant men into distinguished men. The Bible says the people marveled at them!
A true leader wants the people he is leading to become great. When the people you lead feel that in following you they will become great in this life, they will be very willing to stay close. Ask yourself this question: Are the people who are following you going to amount to anything? Will they become great? Can they prosper in the system you have created? Can they become mighty men in the group you are leading? Is it the case that you are the only one who will ever experience a certain level of significance in ministry? It is such a joy and a blessing to bring your people along in greatness!
- Sacrifice for your followers.
A true leader has willing followers who are prepared to go all out. Decide from today to make the people around you enthusiastic about their jobs and their association with you. In order to do this, you will have to make certain sacrifices in your life to make them happy. You must try to give them a future and a hope. Jesus also promised them mansions in Heaven as well as many other rewards. That is how Jesus treated his followers. No wonder they died for him! When a congregation sees a pastor constructing a church building for them, they become far more enthusiastic about the church. But if they only see the pastor acquiring nice things for himself, their readiness to flow with him will be severely compromised. Make it your aim to make the necessary sacrifices for your followers. Do your best to give them your very best. A good leader is surrounded by willing followers and servants.
A good leader is surrounded by people who are glad to carry out his wishes. If you are a leader, look into the eyes of those who follow you. Are those eyes gleaming with eagerness or do they radiate resentment and bitterness? May you be a leader who is loved! May you love your followers deeply and do your best for them!
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