Successful Business Leadership

By Alan K. Rudi

This article is not for everyone.

If you are now reading this sentence, then this article is for you. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. The purpose of this article is simple – it is to provide a framework for you to think about how to develop and integrate Biblical principles and spirituality into your business profession, as part of your whole life.

In Matthew 25: 14-30, we learn about three servants who received a different number of talents. Two of the servants increased the value of their talents, and one did not. The master was pleased with the two servants who increased his “return on investment”. The talents and the increase of their value, of course, are referring to the abilities and gifts that God gives each of us. God wants us to improve our abilities and increase the value of the gifts He gives us for the purpose of expanding His kingdom. And some of the gifts He gives us include our career in business, the people we lead or follow, our mind and skills, our earnings, and so much more. God expects us, however, to use our talents for the sake of building His kingdom. Matthew 28: 19 does say “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.”

And what is the state of the kingdom here on earth? Christianity is losing worldwide market share, particularly in Europe and the United States. Islam will overtake Christianity’s 32% of the world’s population of believers in about ten years. Are we as Christians failing in the Great Commission? Christianity is the greatest product ever offered, consisting of features such as forgiveness of sins, love, joy, peace, brotherhood, and eternal life thru the free gift of saving grace in Jesus Christ.

Business is a major part of our social system (see US Economic Structure) and is part of God’s earthly creation, part of His kingdom. A business, and its people, then can be a force for good or bad things to happen in our society, dependent on what leaders (at all levels) choose. A business is its people, who are also sinners and fall short of God’s glory. So how can you be a business leader and a Christian? The following principles are offered for you to think about.

1. The greatest gift is love
2. Follow Jesus’ management and leadership style
3. Practice forgiveness
4. Keep business and your profession in its proper perspective

The greatest gift is love. As business people, we often separate out our business lives from our personal beliefs and end up not loving people in our relationships as well as we could. The common belief is that business is supposed to be rough and tumble, greedy, competitive, demanding. Does it have to be? No, but unfortunately many businesses are run these ways, often resulting in most employees dissatisfied with their jobs because they do not feel loved or appreciated. The Conference Board reports in a 2005 study on employee satisfaction as follows:

“Americans are growing increasingly unhappy with their jobs. The decline in job satisfaction is widespread among workers of all ages and across all income brackets. Half of all Americans today say they are satisfied with their jobs, down from nearly 60% in 1995. But among the 50 percent who say they are content, only 14% say they are ‘very satisfied’…Rapid technological advances, rising productivity demands and changing employee expectations have all contributed to the decline in job satisfaction…As large numbers of baby boomers prepare to leave the workforce, they will increasingly be replaced by younger workers who tend to be as dissatisfied with their jobs but have different attitudes and expectations about the role of work in their lives. This transition will present a new challenge for employers.”

Most people leave a job because they don’t feel appreciated (loved) for what they have accomplished. Whether you are an employer or employee, a leader or a follower, baby boomer or Generation X, God calls us to love one another in all circumstances. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 says “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Make love part of your leadership style.

What if we thought of Jesus as the ultimate business leader and role model? After all, He started-up an organization with no money 2000 years ago (that still exists today) and He did it with 12 untrained, inexperienced, and uneducated staff members including one who turned on Him. How did He get them motivated? With a love so strong that He gave up His own life, and then they wanted to tell the world. What was Jesus’ management and leadership style that was effective yet loving? Laurie Beth Jones, in her book Jesus CEO, describes His style as follows:

1. Both Alpha and Omega: authoritative and cooperative use of power, but overcame the temptation to selfishly use His power
2. Visualized success – kept things positive – lifted up His eyes to see the possibilities
3. Knew who His boss was and stayed in touch daily
4. Clear about His mission and stuck to it by doing the difficult things and avoiding “energy leaks” (meaningless debate, kept moving if people resistant to ideas, did not use angry words)
5. Practiced gratitude as the key to leadership and celebrated often
6. Expressed Himself in clear messages regarding situations and people, but did so kindly
7. Willing to sacrifice and take risks with His public image
8. Packed value into every moment, glance, question or encounter because out of little things come big things
9. Had a plan, did not claim to know all the details, saw the big picture and acted day-to-day
10. Did not ask people to do anything that He was not willing to do Himself. Hired people that could replace Him.
11. Transparent, nothing to hide, boiled things down to the critical point
12. Developed self-mastery, a bias for action, and healthy relationships

As a future business leader, you will be expected to increase the value of “talents” and earn a return on investment to the business. How? Not only by understanding and practicing good business principles while doing an effective job, but also by loving one another using an appropriate leadership style.

Jesus also held people accountable. The dictionary defines accountable as “subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable”. Notice it does not say to fire people or tell them they are wrong. The best way to hold people accountable is to be accountable ourselves. Set the example and expect the same from others.

Can we really forgive others in business and still be successful? It is tough to do when someone is upset with you. In the Lord’s Prayer, though, we ask God to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others”. Ouch! We are asking God to treat us the way we treat others. That is right. It’s about the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Situations requiring forgiveness mean we have to turn a negative thought (sin) into a positive thought. Don’t try to resist the negative thought from occurring, instead redirect it to a positive thought. It’s called “emotional intelligence”. While there is some controversy on its definition, I’ve found a useful definition to be “the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions”. In other words, learn to control your emotions instead of reacting to them. When you have the positive thought instead of the negative emotional reaction, then you are well on the way to forgiveness.

To be forgiving we also need to be faithful. The dictionary defines faith as:

1. Confidence or trust in a person, a thing or our own abilities
2. Belief that is not based on proof
3. Belief in God and the teachings of religion
4. Trust based on a code of ethics, standards of merit
5. Fulfilling an obligation to a person, promise or engagement

Faith is all of the above. Be careful judging something as good or bad because we often do not have access to all the information. Tell the truth. Do what you say you are going to do. Ask questions to gain understanding (not judgment). In the end, the critical question is not about what you accomplished for your resume, but it is about the quality of relationships you have.

Finally, keep business in its proper perspective – a Christian perspective - as follows:

• It is said that management’s role is to organize, plan and control to achieve profit. But the real purpose of a business is to get and keep customers. To achieve this purpose, we must first serve the interests of others (customers and co-workers). Profit follows if we do an effective job at being good stewards of the resources available (we don’t own the resources, they are a gift to be used effectively). The most important resource to manage is people and our working relationships (with love and forgiveness). Profit is an important objective in business; but the primary objective is to serve customers and employees. A successful manager is a good steward of resources of which one of the results can be profit. Profit then enables the business and its purpose to be sustained.
• Marketing is a process in which we create, promote, price and distribute goods or services. And we do so in free markets with competition that may not follow Christian principles, potentially putting a business at a disadvantage. Well, honesty is the best policy. Over the long run, customers do business with people (not organizations) they can trust. Build trusting relationships and you honor God while growing a business. Proverbs 20: 23 says “The Lord detests differing weights and dishonest scales do not please him”. So build a reputation of trust and honesty, and if a customer is dishonest, you probably don’t want to do business with them anyway.
• Understand your true purpose for being in a business or owning one. Yes it includes making a living; it is a blessing from God to provide food on the table, clothes, etc. Deuteronomy 8: 17-18, however, says “You may say to yourself ‘my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” Don’t be deceived by your abilities and success. Instead, keep God first in all that you do, thanking Him for your blessings and career. Matthew 6:33 then says “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. So don’t worry about your wealth or possessions, God provides. Instead, pursue your purpose in business, which is to build His kingdom. How?

1. By having Christ as Lord of your life so that others may come to know Jesus.
2. Build healthy relationships with people and customers so that they are successful.
3. Use your career or business as an opportunity to help those in need and support the Church.
4. Stand firm in your faith to do what is right, knowing that God is faithful to you.
5. Remember Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”. Seek His will in all situations. Make His plan your plan.

Remember:

Man is sinful

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3: 23

As a result, we are separated from God

“For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6: 23

But God has a Plan

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16

Jesus died for our sins to pay the price

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8

And rose from the dead, with witnesses

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time.” 1 Corinthians 15: 3-6

Now the way to God is thru Jesus

“Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except thru me.” John 14: 6

So accept Christ in your life

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2: 8-9

And tell others the Good News by how you live your life

“Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28: 19.

[i] Learn more about the Conference Board report