Three Threats to Any Leader

On any given day, there seems to be an infinite number of threats to leaders. Those that are committed to the long haul, to providing steady and effective leadership to their organizations, cannot afford to be naive about those dynamics that would undermine their sustainability.

But my fear is that far too often, leaders tend to be oblivious to these. None of us can afford to live in a state of paranoia, of course. But neither can we be blind to very real and present threats. It should go without saying that integrity cannot be debatable. Sin is the greatest threat to any leader. Moral integrity is a sine qua non of ethical Christian leadership. But look around and it becomes clear that even in Christian organizations leaders continually fail on this count.

That said, I want to point to threats that sometimes are a little harder to see coming, largely because they do often do not show up at first in overtly sinful ways. Instead, they can come in gradually and masked by all sorts of rationalizations. In no particular order, here are just a few that have been impressed upon me in recent days. I’m sure you could rightly add a few of your own.

Insulation

In my experience, this is an especially pernicious enemy of resilient and skilled leadership. When any leader withdraws from relationships, they lose the benefits of community, accountability, and communication. 

When any leader withdraws from relationships, they lose the benefits of community, accountability, and communication. 

Insulated leaders become incapable of hearing and seeing things as they really are, both within the organization and beyond. So they form their own narratives—sometimes in ways that are so detached from reality that they border on the absurd!—and enter into decision making with a skewed perspective. They are not accessible to voices within the organization, especially from their leadership team, that can correct their perspective, offer a more complete picture, or push back on the senior leader’s actions.

Insulation is a compounding problem with a vicious trap. More often than not, leaders who stuck here make the problem worse, withdrawing even further. 

If you’re a leader, how are you intentionally building structures and processes to ensure that you are accessible to your team, that you are known to be a leader who demands the whole picture, that you yourself are accountable for your actions? It may be to a governing board or elders. But every leader needs it.

To be clear, this is consistent with God’s design for every Christian, regardless of our vocation. We were designed to be in community, as members of local churches who not only show up to worship together but live in covenant membership together. 

Self-Interest

It can happen gradually over time, but it is far too easy for leaders to confuse their own personal interests and ambitions with what is actually best for the organization.

We live in the age of celebrity CEOs, making some of these pressures all the more conspicuous. But social media has expanded those forces out in the marketplace and Christian leaders are not immune.

We will always feel this tension as leaders. Your personal ambition is real. It may or may not be virtuous. The measure of it is whether it aims above all else for the glory of God and the good of others. But most of us are at least modestly self-aware enough to know that our ambitions are a rather mixed bag, sometimes aimed in Godward directions, other times in far more selfish ways.

Even with that mixture though, the leader has to subordinate his or her interests to that of the organization. Ironically, this becomes increasingly imperative the greater the rank or position of leadership within the organization. In part, that is because the potential for damage to the organization is even greater. 

The leader has to subordinate his or her interests to that of the organization

So how can you diagnose if you have lost sight here? None of us appreciate having our personal reputation slandered or unfairly maligned in the public. But are you more concerned with upholding the integrity and reputation of the organization, especially in stewarding the trust of your stakeholders? Or are you willing to sacrifice the organization for the sake of your own skin? 

Do you see the organization and its resources as tools for you to use for your own advancement? Do you treat team members as objects to be used for your own agenda? 

Or do you see yourself as part of something bigger than yourself, leveraging whatever abilities God has entrusted to you for the sake of the mission of the entire organization? Do you see part of your role as a senior leader to do what you can to help those under your leadership flourish?

Show me a leader who is generous with their time, energy, and resources and I will show you a leader who is on the right track to resisting the threats of rampant self-interest.

Joylessness

It is commonplace to talk about burnout among leaders. Especially in seasons where the pressures seem to be especially high, we can all appreciate the very real challenge that leaders face to remain resilient in their work. But I think that addressing this only at the layer of “burn out” fails to capture the deeper problem. If it’s just burnout, then the solution is a change in lifestyle, maybe some more exercise, a better diet, planned seasons of rest, etc. 

But what if the deeper problem is one of joylessness? What if burn out is merely a symptom. 

For the Christian leader, joy transcends personality or temperament.

This is not about a peppy personality or someone who is the life of the party, or even just an eternal optimist. For the Christian leader, joy transcends personality or temperament. Joy is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). That means, that at the truest level, joy is not something that we can manufacture on our own. It is evidence of the grace of God, something He produces in us by His Spirit.

But our joy can wane, our love grows cold, and our hearts harden. When that happens, it’s a warning alarm for any Christian. But leaders have to be especially vigilant, taking inventory of their own souls and inviting trusted friends to help in this work. 

How do you respond to adversity? When things don’t go according to plan, what’s your emotional response? Are you prone to outbursts of anger? Would your team say that working with you and for you brings out the best in them? 

Joyful Christians can show up in a variety of personalities and temperaments. But they all share in common a confidence in God’s faithfulness and a sense of wonder and humble gratitude for the grace shown to them in Christ. 

The beginning of the new year is an excellent time for any leader to pause and take honest stock of ourselves. Let me encourage you to do just that. Whatever format you choose to do it, evaluate yourself on these factors. Ask people you trust to help you gauge them accurately. Where do you want to grow as a leader in this new year? What are you committed to doing to develop in those ways? Commit it to prayer. Trust the Lord. And get to work.