"Jesus stopped and called them. 'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked" (Matthew 20:32 NIV).
Jesus was always "stopping." His ministry was marked as much by its singular focus on the cross as it was on its willingness to accommodate interruptions along the way. Jesus accomplished His mission as Savior without overlooking the people He came to save.
Many leaders fail in being able to balance the tension between the target and the team. Most leaders have been promoted to their level of responsibility because they knew how to get things done. They produced results.
However the skill set that got them promoted to leadership often isn't adequate. The very focus and personal talent that got them results in the past doesn't serve them well as leaders. They must learn to accomplish the mission with and through others. Otherwise, they will make what Hans Finzel calls one of "The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make."
Finzel describes this mistake in a chapter entitled, "Putting Paperwork Before Peoplework: Confessions of a Type A Leader." He says that leadership tends to attract Type A personalities, people who are very driven and focused on future goals. These are the kind of people who often ask the question, "Are we there yet?" They tend to be impatient and perfectionistic. They also tend to have trouble with people-interruptions. If these Type A leaders want to succeed, they will have to learn how to become winners at "peoplework."
I have a Type A personality. But God is working on me and I hope I am growing. I want to become more like Jesus in this. He knew how to balance the call to mission with the needs of people.
Leaders must still do their "paperwork." Organizations demand results. But Jesus modeled a mode of leadership that made the people around Him feel valued even while He accomplished the mission. He never made people feel like an interruption. Even while hanging on the cross, He ministered to the thief who had questions about eternity, saying, "Today, you will be with me in paradise."
I want to be more like Jesus. As a husband, a father, a grandfather and a pastor, this Type A leader really needs Christ's help to put peoplework ahead of paperwork.
Are you making room for peoplework in your life?
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