Leadership at work

Long term success in the secular workplace is largely a matter of leadership. If you're not already convinced of this from the plethora of secular leadership materials, we looked at 3 lists from a secular emloyer: a hiring checklist, an annual evaluation checklist and a “leadership competency” checklist. What was interesting is how important leadership was to even the most junior employees. There can never be too many leaders in any organization, secular or sacred and Christ calls us to always be leaders, if only to Christ.

Are Christian leadership techniques applicable to the secular workplace? We showed a secular manager's manual that listed the same "leadership styles" discussed last week. Workplace leaders are given the MBTI test. "Open ended questions", "active listening" and other counselling advice is taught at church and work. So yes, clearly Christian leadership techniques are also applicable to the workplace. Our group discussion exercise was to find ways in which our church leadership activities benefit our secular work: on the resume, in the interview or on the job.

The above is just good secular advice that any secular career counsellor would give. The more interesting question from a Christian perspective is whether it OK to apply what we do at church to what we do at work? Many had reservations on "ulterior" motives in church service. If our work is what God called us to do, then there is nothing "ulterior". In previous discussions, we are to work hard and to be properly ambitious in our work. If our church can help us do God's will at work that is a good thing. Phil 1:15-18 goes as far as to suggest that advancement of God's work is sufficient motivation in itself.