Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Advent Season: Towards Incarnational Leadership - Reflection 1

I recorded a short audio recording today on the call to incarnational leadership found in the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospels of the New Testament. The following quote from Bill Robinson, the president of Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington goes a long way to define the call to incarnational leadership:
"If God Incarnate pitched his tent right in the middle of those whom he led–those whom he called his friends–what should we as leaders do? I have become convinced that the best place from which to lead is not above our people, not in front of our people, not under our people, and not on our cell phones with our people. The most powerful position of leadership is dwelling among those God calls us to lead. As Jesus emptied himself to take on the form of a bond-servant (Philippians 2:5, 6), we must empty ourselves of the pretenses and privileges that create distance between us and our people. Pedestal leadership is perpetuated by those who enjoy sitting on the pedestal. I’m still waiting to hear an hourly employee complain that our leaders need to be more aloof. Until that happens, our best bet for inspiring those we lead is to follow the example of Jesus."

May the Word become Flesh in our Leadership.
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