“Forget Attila the Hun. Where is his management legacy? You can’t find it. The all-time greatest management entrepreneur is Jesus Christ. Just look at what He accomplished. By any measurement standard, the empirical evidence bears witness that the organization founded by Jesus is the most successful of all time. Longevity? Two thousand years and counting. Wealth? Beyond calculation. Numbers? Beyond counting. Loyalty of adherents? Many give their lives for it. Distribution? Worldwide, in every country. Diversification? Successfully integrated into all kinds of enterprises. Ergo, Jesus Christ reigns supreme as the greatest manager the world has ever known.” ~ Bob Briner, Author of The Management Methods of Jesus
In Bob Briner’s book, there are several management methods that Jesus utilizes to lead the people that were assigned to His stewardship and care. But how did he do so successfully, and how can we truly follow in Jesus’ footsteps as His disciples? In this series of articles, I will be sharing several key management methods from the life of Jesus that are explained in detail in Bob Briner’s book. These are methods that we can also adapt and apply within our own context to manage ourselves and others in our areas of influence. Since Jesus chose 12 disciples to mentor and manage, I will be sharing 12 methods at a time in each blog in this 4 part series for us to consider and incorporate into our leadership styles:
Have a Plan. (A plan puts us in charge of our energies and activities.)
Be Prepared. (Inadequate preparation produces inadequate results.)
Choose Our Own Associates. (Choose our closest associates and allow those we hire and trust to do the same.)
Pull Out All the Stops. (When the position is really a key one, and the person in sight is exactly right for it, go full speed ahead. Get your man or woman!)
Teach, Teach, Teach! (Great corporate leaders don’t hide in executive suites, plotting strategy. They find ways to teach and share their business ideas and ideals with those around them. Success breeds success!)
Practice Private Communication. (When Jesus wanted to be absolutely sure that His point was made, he communicated one on one with individuals.)
Establish Authority. (Know the extent of your authority and exercise it.)
Insist on Absolutes! (A lack of absolutes can lead to all kinds of corporate problems, from petty thievery to major crimes. It leads to shoddy products and shoddy practices in the marketplace.)
Watch Our Timing. (Because Jesus’ timing was so impeccable, each particular event had greatly enhanced impact.)
Handle Corruption Immediately. (When there is clear, irrefutable evidence of any kind of corruption within the corporation, move immediately to handle it. Never try to cover it up.)
Never Sugarcoat. (Let associates know exactly what lies ahead for them.)
Get Away from It All. (Take real vacations in which we truly get away from the office.)
(This is part 1 of a series of blogs derived from the book, The Management Methods of Jesus, written by Bob Briner. Please be sure to read the entire book as well as this series of blogs. Afterwards, consider how your management methods can be tweaked as you strive to follow the example of Jesus, the Master Teacher and Leader.)
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