The best book I’ve ever read on greatness in leadership is—and I’m not merely trying to sound spiritual—the Bible.
Jesus was the greatest leader of all time, of course, but there are also many other examples of great leadership in Scripture. Joseph was an excellent leader among his brethren, but he had to learn some lessons early on. Nehemiah was one of the greatest leaders in history. Moses had to lead the most difficult crowd ever through a trying 40-year adventure through a barren wilderness. The apostles all had to learn some tough lessons, but they came through in the end. Paul established great churches through great leadership all across the Mediterranean world.
But the standard for greatness in leadership will always be Jesus, as modeled in the four gospels and expounded in the epistles.
But what made Jesus’ style of leadership so great? I believe it was because of two elements:
Jesus was always GOD-centered.
That is, He never took his cues from the world around Him. He was never intimidated by the world. He was simply God’s man and he stood in God’s confidence throughout His ministry.
Jesus was always SERVANT-hearted.
Even though Jesus had all the authority of heaven at His fingertips, He never lorded His power. He always used His power and authority for good in the lives of others.
There is a peculiar story in Matthew 20:20-28 about a rather bold request made by the mother of James and John. She desired that her two sons be granted seats next to King Jesus in heaven. It was a shameless ask.
