The Humility to Lead
By Dean Collins
If I were the boss—the CEO of the company or organization—then things would be better, more fair, and, of course, more profitable. According to research published in Inc. magazine this summer, about one-third of employees think they could do a better job than their boss running the company. Maybe in some cases that is true. I suspect, however, that many, perhaps most, employees do not have a clear understanding of the role, power, or limitations of being a CEO. As one who has led a few organizations, I can assure you that while there is prestige that comes with the title, there is also a lot of pain and many challenges that come with having the buck stop at your desk.
Years ago, Jim Collins did research on the traits of successful CEOs, and one trait that stood out was humility. Sadly, we see many examples of arrogance and the misuse of power in the headlines and far too few examples of leaders who display humility.
In Psalm 131, there is great wisdom from King David that is useful for anyone who leads a business, a church, a government, or a family. David said that he does not occupy himself with things too great and too marvelous for him. The first half of this short psalm says:
“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”
Even God’s chosen king came to understand that leadership requires humility. To lead well, we must come to understand that there are things we do not know and cannot understand. A CEO may want the data that predicts all the possible wins and losses. She may want to see and know the future. He may think he can bear all the burdens by himself. But according to David, it is best not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. David came to understand that even as king, there were things above his pay grade that only God knew and only God could bear.
One of the dangers of being a leader is that people begin to treat you differently. Maybe it is their desire to be liked by you or their fear of rejection if they tell you the truth. Whatever the reason, leaders often don’t have truth-tellers in their lives. The result is that it becomes easy to think you are the smartest, the funniest, or the most insightful person in the room.
How did David guard against these tendencies? By remembering whom he served and seeking the peace of God, trusting that ultimately only God can calm the storm and bring the peace that allows his leadership to continue. David’s secret is found in the last half of this three-verse psalm:
“But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.”
David learned that surrendering to God’s wisdom and control was the one thing that brought him a quiet spirit and calmed his soul. Many leaders struggle with restlessness in the wee hours of the morning as they toss and turn, trying to solve the stresses and problems of their business. I certainly experienced this at times during my years as president of a university. But I also learned that my hope and peace came when I chose to hand over the problems and the future to the Lord and allow him to bring calm during the storms of leadership.
The apostle Paul learned the same lesson as King David. He expressed it differently from his prison cell. In Philippians 4, Paul said it this way:
“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Paul found that the secret to contentment comes through surrender to Jesus, who gives both calm and strength to lead.
The next time you think you want to be CEO, take a moment and say a prayer for the person who leads the organization. You might just find contentment in your own surrender to God, and maybe your prayers will help the CEO find their hope and way forward as well.
Father, help us to learn that regardless of our roles, there is only one hope and one way to find peace and contentment: through Christ our Savior. Today, we do not lift up ourselves but choose to acknowledge you as Lord, as our Rock, and as our Deliverer. Quiet our souls so that we might hear your voice and humbly serve you by serving those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 131:1–3; Philippians 4:12-13 ESV
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