“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”

Philippians 2:3

Great leaders value people. There is no person on earth that does not need to know they are valued. Right from birth a human being needs proper care to become a whole and healthy person. It is the same for the members of a team and organization. Leaders should value their team members.

✓ A bad leader uses people for what they can do and how they can be used to foster personal ambitions and desires.

Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments by saying the two most important commandments are loving God and loving people. People should not be seen as just a means to accomplish goals and to gain more wealth and stature This is not God’s way, nor is it a way that will bring happiness to team members and lasting success in an organization. People will ultimately seek to work for and serve in an environment that values them.

✓ True leadership seeks to help people.

Whether in the church or in a secular organization, the highest purpose should be to make the lives of people better. A good product is one that solves a problem. A good organization is one that is filled with people working together with mutual respect to better the lives of those they serve. Good leaders are at the helm of making this happen.

✓ There is nothing uglier than a prideful leader.

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Before becoming a pastor I served as a Vice President of a bank. I have seen good leaders and bad leaders in the secular world and in the church. There have been people I have worked with who lacked gifting and talent in certain areas, but were humble and willing to learn and grow. Then there were others that were high on themselves, not flexible, and not team players. It was much better working with the humble versus the haughty.

Pride blinds people and causes misery in any work environment and organization. Sad to say, pride exists in and outside of the church. Pride is ugly and hurts people, including the one carrying the disease of pride. Get rid of it!

✓ When there is little to no longevity among the people on a team or in an organization, it is usually due to a lack of appreciation for people.

Leaders need to work on valuing people just as hard as they work on accomplishing goals. Every person is important and needs to be seen as such. People are created in the image of God. When people are valued, the organization is healthy, the church is healthy. Value people!

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