Every leader will face times when those around them will not accept their leadership and their only option is to move on. Read Matthew 13:53-58.

When, in the course of His public ministry, Jesus went to His hometown and preached in the synagogue the people were first amazed that someone from their hometown had such wisdom but soon their familiarity with His growing up years and His family that still lived in that area undermined their excitement about His words. They refused to see Him as anything but a carpenter’s son. When this conflict arose, Jesus assessed the situation, recognized that the opposition had their mind made up and would not be convinced, and He moved on to a place where His message was more effective.

When leaders understand their own identity they can resolve the issues related to arrogance, humility and service to others. Read Matthew 11:28-30.

As Jesus was instructing His disciples and others He talked about the topic of those who are weary, and needing rest. One of the great problems among leaders today is burnout. They take vacations and even sabbaticals but return from their time away from their job as weary as when they left. During their time off leaders don’t find their inner-rest because they simply change areas of activity. They don’t wrestle down the issue of who they are and why they were created or why they do what they do. Jesus was secure in who He was and His mission. He could be gentle, humble and even offer rest for weary souls who came to learn from Him because He was secure in His identity and His purpose for life on earth.

Humility is not a matter of a leader’s weakness or passivity, but it is disciplined strength and other-centered power. Read Matthew 3:11-14.

John the Baptist was a very powerful leader sent to call the people of Israel to repentance as he prepared the way for Jesus’ message. He lived in an arid region east of Jerusalem and was often found baptizing people in the Jordon River. John the Baptist demonstrated exemplary leadership when he willingly acknowledged the coming of one greater than himself. Even though John possessed the strongest voice of the day, when Jesus started His ministry, John willingly submitted to His authority.

God-honoring leaders use their power for the benefit of others, not exclusively for personal gain. Read Matthew 2:13-20.

Very few leaders in the Bible used their power in a more destructive and abusive way than King Herod. When he was informed that a Messiah, a Savior from God, was to be born in the region under his control, rather than submitting himself to the Messiah, he used his power to slaughter every child in the region below a certain age to eliminate any threat to his leadership. Herod’s abuse of power defined his legacy as a brutal murderer.

How a leader sees the team determines how that leader treats the team. Read Malachi 2:10.

The questions in verse 10, “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?” If answered seriously, these questions would shape how a leader sees their team and change the leader/follower relationship in virtually every case. Seeing your teammates as God’s creation, a person He personally designed with specific talents and gifts to serve at your side in a team situation will definitely change both the leader and the teammates’ behavior toward each other and the team.