Make Jesus the Example for Assembling Your Leadership Team

Let me walk you through one of childhood’s greatest nightmares.

Wait!

Before you move to a new article, that was just me being dramatic. Kind of.

This nightmare was kickball. Or playground sports in general.

Remember that age-old tradition of the two (usually self-appointed) captains having to pick their players? One by one we would line up to be assessed on our abilities like cattle going to auction.

It was a special time for the unpopular yet athletic kids because the goal was no longer to be popular; it was to win. I was lucky to be an athletic child, but I still remember the sting of the occasional rejection and the oh-so-feared last choice. And oh, how it stings. But it makes sense.

And we still do that today in our workplaces, our churches and even our social society. We avoid the pariah, and we choose the most suited to our success, right? And this makes sense.

If you’re building a team, you need winners. If you’re building a reputation, you need the fashionistas, and if you’re building a business, you need the gifted. Don’t forget the church. If you’re building a megachurch, you need … you guessed it. Celebrities, great communicators and a talented media team.

If this model makes sense, and we’re all looking to grow as leaders here, then let’s take a look at the life Jesus led. Let’s really dive deeper into the winning team he picked, and I’ll start with the disciples. Get out your pens because here we go:

—Fishermen who aren’t good fishermen.

—Tax collectors who are enemies of God’s people.

—A zealot seemingly prone to violence.

—A cunning thief and betrayer.

—A doubter.

—Petty, squabbling brothers.

You get the picture. I’m not sure Jesus really understands the best criteria for picking His winning team, does He? But maybe that’s not because He didn’t read the latest leadership book and needs to get with the picture.

Maybe it’s something deeper. Maybe it’s because He wasn’t picking a team—He was picking family.

As much as I value the concept of an army of God (because God is a warrior), or value a great business structure (because God values stewardship), I can’t ignore the fact that He doesn’t seem to value the same things at all when picking his people.

And that’s simply because God is not a four-star general, a megachurch pastor or a kickball captain as much as He is a Father. I’m heading somewhere else if we become more interested in war or profits or people in seats on a Sunday, because I signed up to be part of a family and to be adored by a good Father.

Let’s be honest. Maybe we’re actually just pretty bad at modeling our leadership after the best leader we know. Maybe it’s really hard and really messy. But maybe the model set out by an all-knowing Father is actually the best route for us to take.

So, if you’re interested in becoming a leader like Jesus, making God himself the CEO of your business or just wanting to walk in a more genuine friendship with God, then please join us on the Coach & Joe Leadership Podcast this week as Blake Berg and Jess Longshore tackle this mess of a kickball system we’ve created and laugh while doing it.

I think you may just walk away a little freer than you expected. And, maybe you’ll find the courage to switch from a team … to a family.

Tune into this episode of Coach & Joe titled How to Pick your Family feat. Blake Berg & Jess Longshore on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}