Recently I had to think again about this whole issue of the kind of people a leader surrounds himself with. I heard an allegation recently that I surround myself with only 'yes man'. If that was true then I am really an insecure leader. And I will never be developing people to reach their highest potentials. I will also be sacrificing God's agenda for the church, for my own selfish intents. This is serious.
I thought deeper and then I realized that those who made that allegation (and are no more around) probably confused agreement for allignment and subjugation for submission. If a leader were to expect 100% agreement from those under him, then that is wrong, for we will not be able to agree with everything. But yet a leader must expect allignment to the vision, goals and core values of the organization or ministry he leads. Similarly, a leader cannot force anyone to do as he says and he must not write people off when they cannot do what he says. That's subjugation, not submission. Submission comes with ownership and people must be journeyed into ownership.
I’ve never served under a leader that I agreed 100% with everything he or she said or did. My guess is your experience has been the same. But agreement is not the basis of loyalty. Loyalty is rooted in relationship and respect regardless of differing opinions, approaches or philosophies. No good leader will compromise with the need for loyalty, allignment and submission. And all three virtues does not make us 'yes-man'; instead they make us Christ-like.
How do loyalty, allignment and submission play out in a the dynamics of an organization? These are the things I look for in those who work with me:
(1) When a leader disagrees with a decision or the direction of the organization, he or she speaks only with those who have the authority to represent that concern.
(2) The leader demonstrates a positive attitude even in the face of personal doubt. He may disgree but he doesn't disengage.
(3) The leader avoids using negative body language to communicate frustration or dissatisfaction with the leadership.
(4) The leader seeks to clarify issues upfront because he values the relationship with the leadership and he values allignment to the organization.
I am so grateful I am surrounded with people who are not afraid to share differing opinions and disgree without compromising with the attitudes of submission, allignment and loyalty. They are secure people themselves and that helps to keep the runway the Lord set for us free from clutter.
