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Jesus was the greatest leader this world has ever seen. This God-man came to earth and in three short years of ministry, he took twelve unqualified men and developed them into a team that has changed the course of history. I want to point out some specific characteristics that made Jesus a great leader, and hopefully this can help us see the kind of leaders we should be, whether in business or our homes or our churches.
First, Jesus was a great leader because he knew who he reported to, and he made sure he fulfilled his boss’s expectations. Jesus kept in close contact with his Father. He said again and again he always did what pleased his Father and spoke what the Father had taught him.
In John 7:18 Jesus said,
‘Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth … ’
When was the last time you checked with your boss to see if you’re working to his or her satisfaction? Do you spend enough time with your boss to understand his or her priorities, so that you are doing the things that please your boss? It really is your job to make sure you’ve got the marching orders right. And besides, it is simply smart to take the initiative of letting your boss know you need and appreciate his or her feedback.
Maybe you’re thinking: You don’t know my boss. It’s impossible to communicate with my boss. That may or may not be true, but you should do everything you can to improve that communication. Many times, we excuse our own lack of effort by saying, “He never listens to me” or “I can’t get any feedback from her,” or “This company doesn’t care what I think!” Pray about it and ask God to give you some creative ways to improve communication with your boss. That’s the mark of a good worker and a good leader; certainly, Jesus was careful to stay in very close contact with the one who had sent him.
In any business or organization, the ultimate boss is the customer. Your customer is the person who creates the need for your job. If they didn’t exist or didn’t have certain needs, your job would be unnecessary. Think about that, and clearly identify your own personal customers. Those are the people you need to please.