Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges serves as one of the most acclaimed leadership resources inspired by Christian principles. Blanchard achieved notoriety for his best-selling book, The One Minute Manager. In the late twentieth century, he became a committed Christian, and Lead Like Jesus came from combining his two passions — his faith and leadership.
Like his contemporary John Maxwell, Blanchard defines leadership as influence. “Leadership is a process of influence. Anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people in their personal or professional lives, you were taking on the role of a leader.” Blanchard holds a Ph.D. in education administration and leadership from Cornell University. He remains in demand as a speaker, trainer, and expert in the field of leadership. His book The One Minute Manager was an international hit, exceeding sales of 13 million copies. This book merges his love of leadership theory with his faith, drawing inspiration from Jesus Christ as the ultimate example for leaders to emulate.
The book divides leadership into four domains. The heart and the head deal with internal aspects of leadership. The heart deals with motivations and egos, and the head addresses the leader’s beliefs and theories. Meanwhile, the hands and habits describe external factors of leadership. The hands judge the leader’s actions, and the habits break down daily routines to help the leader succeed. These four domains are viewed through the lens of a servant leader. A servant leader puts the needs of others above his or her own. To be a servant leader is to be like Jesus. These habits are designed to help leaders emulate the qualities of Christ and, in turn, influence those around them to perform better while changing their world for the better. Readers are asked three questions to apply these principles: “Am I a leader?” (p. 4); “Am I willing to follow Jesus as my leadership role model?” (p. 11); and “How do I lead like Jesus?” (p. 19). This work was one of the most important books of its era, inspiring Christians to embrace their leadership potential through the empowerment of Christ.
The book is remarkably practical. The author’s emphasis on internal development helps improve external results. The four domains help leaders evaluate their motivations, values, beliefs, and strategies before assessing their schedules, habits, and other factors. The book’s best contributions are the head and heart domains. If leaders can align their work with their values, they improve their effectiveness because they find purpose in their efforts. Blanchard and Hodges also effectively define, describe, and advocate for the role of the servant leader. Servant leadership is possible when the heart and head domains influence the leader’s “hands” and “habits.” Whether the readers are pastors, business leaders, or congregation members, this accessible work can inspire people from all walks of life to improve their leadership potential.
As with many faith-based leadership resources, more attention is paid to the internal domains than to the external domains. This book is more concerned with developing the reader’s character and purpose than providing specific strategic, managerial, or process advice for leaders. While readers hoping to find specific advice on leading organizations may come away disappointed, those looking for a fresh way to improve themselves and inspire others can benefit from this practical and biblically-based resource.
Critics of modern biblical leadership theory point to the work of Robert Greenleaf and his coining of the term "servant leadership" in the 1960s. Greenleaf's work espoused an idealistic brand of leadership, but it did not reference the biblical text. Furthermore, it could be argued that religious organizations throughout history functioned as ambitiously as their secular counterparts. Critics of biblical servant leadership allege that Christian authors "baptized" Greenleaf's work and ascribed his values to biblical characters. Reformed ministers are particularly critical of this brand of teaching. In Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, by John Piper, the author suggests that “We may think we are centering our lives on God when we are really making Him a means to self-esteem.” Christians comparing their visioning ability to that of Christ would imply that they look to their insight and do not submit to God's will. Critics lumped these kinds of resources in with the prosperity gospel, self-help, and materialistic preaching. Blanchard, Maxwell, and their contemporaries saw their work reproduced and preached with varying levels of effectiveness around the turn of the century. Not all congregations appreciated what they perceived as sermons on professional development. Some asserted that Christ's teachings were packaged and sold for a profit, rather than viewing these resources as a means of attracting professionals to church. Biblical leadership resources offer scriptural and doctrinal applications that help Christians lead with confidence and effectiveness. Books that hold up Jesus as a model risk alienating believers with a more reverential view of their faith. They would simply argue that they cannot lead like Jesus because they are not Jesus. They argue that these comparisons trivialize the deity of Christ and set unrealistic expectations for his followers.
This view would be an unfair characterization of Lead Like Jesus. Though blending leadership and biblical sources is difficult, Blanchard and Hodges provide proper balance and application. This work is not meant to be a theological treatise. Rather, it calls God’s people into action and prepares them to act with the heart and ideals espoused by their inspiration — Jesus Christ.
Blanchard's age and background, coupled with Phil Hodges’ corporate business experience, offer a unique perspective on Christ's teachings. Their application, however, is best-suited for late 20th-century business structures. At the time of the book's publication, pastors and Christian leaders struggled in their ability to reach and engage community leaders. Clergy underwent significant professional development in order to remain relevant to an evolving culture. This resource proved influential in training pastors in this growth area. It remains to be seen whether this work will translate with Gen Y and Gen Z, whose attitudes about organizations and leadership differ from those of their predecessors.
Though the moral and functional failings of religious organizations are well-documented, and leadership theory is easily manipulated for selfish motives, Jesus Christ remains the ultimate standard to which Christians aspire. The four domains provide useful checkpoints for self-assessment and improvement. Servant leadership is also needed in churches, businesses, and communities. Lead Like Jesus continues to inspire people to harness biblical wisdom to make a difference.
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