6

Dont just KNOW it... DO it! LeadLikeJesus.com | 800.383.6890

6 Lessons Greatest
FROM
THE

Leader Role Model

Let the Leader in you show

6

Dont just KNOW it... DO it! LeadLikeJesus.com | 800.383.6890

6 Lessons Greatest
FROM
THE

Leader Role Model

Let the Leader in you show

Contents

3 Breaking Out of Your Isolation Booth

6 The Way of Forgiveness

9 To Be or To Do? That Is the Question

12 What Love Has to Do with It

16 What Race Are You Running?

19 Would You Hire Jesus as Your Leadership Consultant?

2
Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

Breaking Out of Your

Isolation Booth
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

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 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
Breaking Out of Your Isolation Booth
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
O
ne of the prices we pay for willingly submit-
ting to the tyranny of perpetual busyness in
the name of doing the Lords work is a loss
of contact with the changing realities around us.
Here is how it works.
We get focused on fixing the things we have de-
clared as the most important or most critical aspects
of our areas of responsibility. This narrowing of focus
often contains the hidden pleasure of allowing us to
justify working in our competency sweet spot with
heightened chances for personal gratification and
fulfillment.
We have a tendency to see those
problems or issues we know how or
like to fix.
We have a tendency to see those problems or issues
we know how or like to fix. If your favorite tool is a
hammer, you will have a tendency to look for nails
that need pounding and let the sawing and sanding
go for another day.
4
When we do this, we make the convenient assump-
tion that everything that is going right will continue
to do so without maintenance, or if there are prob-
lem areas outside our sweet spot, they will evaporate
on their own. The end result of this self-delusional
mind game is that we end up in isolation booths of
our own making, out of touch with the realities of
what is truly going on around us.
A symptom of this isolation booth phenomenon is
a progressive restriction of how we obtain informa-
tion about the areas of our leadership responsibility
that fall outside our sweet spot focus.
As a corporate human resources manager for a large
manufacturing organization, I found that in a rou-
tine dominated by executive meetings, it was easy
for me to allow my assumptions on the health of the
organization to be formed on the basis of second-
hand information in the form of activity reports and
the grievances forwarded to me by the local union.
As chairman of the Elder Council of my local church,
I recall a number of instances when reports came
that there was a big uproar among the congregation
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
about an issue that demanded immediate attention
only to find out with a little probing that it really was
one upset person voicing concern to lots of people
rather than a general concern.
How do you avoid being locked away in an isolation
booth of false assumptions?
Here are two suggestions:
I. Assess which of the following best describes
the source of information you rely on in areas of
your ministry responsibility you are least likely
to attend to naturally.
Level 1 Firsthand Experience doing the
work yourself
Level 2 Personal Observation of the work
being done
Level 3 Personal Interview with those en-
gaged in the work
Level 4 Reports from secondhand sources
including supervisors
Level 5 Reports from oversight bodies such
as a ministry commission
Level 6 Unverified personal assumptions
based on what you hope is going on
5
Note: The further away from Level 1 you find yourself,
the more vulnerable you are to wake up one morning
and find out that while you tended to your sweet spot
concerns and issues, the world around you and your
leadership effectiveness have gone in different direc-
tions.
II. Schedule a Day in the Life Of experience for
yourself in an area of business or ministry where
you have had the least firsthand experience over
the past twenty-four months.
Ask permission to shadow somebody during a nor-
mal work day who is engaged in responding to all
those edicts, directives, policies and emergency re-
quests for service that come down from somewhere
in the hierarchy including your own office. Promise
to make no reports, offer no suggestions or inter-
rupt the flow of the day. Just watch, listen and learn.
You will return to your own routine wiser and with a
greater respect for the people who live and work in
your real world.
2012 Lead Like Jesus All rights reserved
Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

The Way of Forgiveness

Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

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 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
The Way of Forgiveness
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
F
orgiveness is the way for a heart grounded in
the unconditional love of God to respond to the
imperfections of others. Jesus established the
centrality of forgiveness in His leadership when He
cried out from the cross, Father, forgive them, for they
do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34 NIV).
One of the most frequent tests of whether we have
the heart attitude required to lead like Jesus is how
we deal with the failures of those we lead to perform
according to plan. Remember, getting things rough-
ly right is simply part of the learning process that
precedes getting things exactly right on a consistent
basis.
Leaders seeking to grow and develop people as
an end goal of equal importance to results need a
healthy capacity to forgive, correct, and move on.
EGO-driven leaders, impatient for results, are quick
to judge and discount less-than-perfect efforts as
failure rather than to forgive and redirect.
Forgiveness is a supernatural act, not a natural re-
sponse to being hurt or let down. It is an act of the
will, a choice, of one who has surrendered control
to a higher court of judgment. Forgiveness is a hall-
7
mark of what it means to lead like Jesus. He taught
forgiveness to His disciples, He practiced it with
those who betrayed Him, and He granted it willingly
to those who participated in His death on the cross.
As leaders, the journey of
forgiveness must start with us.
As leaders, the journey of forgiveness must start
with us. Unlike Jesus, we all fall short of 100 percent
in our journey as leaders. Sometimes we make mis-
takes that could have been avoided. Sometimes we
say or do things in the heat of the moment that we
regret. If our EGO is wrapped up in our performance
and the opinion of others, we will be unable to for-
give our own shortcomings, let alone anyone elses.
Lets look, for just a minute, at what Scripture says
about this. Romans 14:13 says, Forget about decid-
ing whats right for each other. Heres what you need
to be concerned about: that you dont get in the way of
someone else, making life more difficult than it already
is (MSG). In James 4:11 we find, Do not speak evil of
one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judg-
es the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer
of the law but a judge (NKJV).

The opposite of forgiveness is judgment. Your moti-

vation for doing something is as important as what
you do. In theological terms, judgment is pointing
out a fault with a view to condemnation. On the oth-
er hand, discernment is pointing out a fault with a
view to correction or restoration. When we withhold
forgiveness, is it because we are sincerely trying to
correct or restoreor is it because there is some
benefit to us in condemning?

Forgiveness is a particular dimension of an even

broader element of the leadership of Jesusgrace.

Pause and Reflect

The price of forgiveness is letting go of the right to
require either payment or an apology for a wrongdo-
ing. Whom do you need to forgive in order to restore
a relationship with someone who let you down?
(Adapted December 2006 from Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the
Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time, Ken Blanchard and Phil
Hodges, 2005)

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Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

To Be or To Do?
That Is the Question
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

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 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
To Be or To Do? That Is the Question
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
L
ead Like Jesus believes that anytime anyone
influences the thoughts, actions or behaviors
of another they are engaging in leadership. So
as a parent or a CEO, a coach or a doctor, YOU are a
leader.
Whether as a life role or organizational leader, ap-
proaching each new day as a series of things to do
can be a nasty habit. We are not only tempted to start
working on the list we went to bed with but to quick-
ly include the new onslaught of e-mail, voice mails,
faxes, etc. that may have accumulated during the
night or to be quickly derailed by the ever-necessary
tasks of home, family and volunteer responsibilities.
It is easy to surrender our sense of self-worth to the
score card of our never ending to-do lists.
. . . Approaching each new day as
a series of things to do can be a
nasty habit.
Wrapping a little preemptive prayer around our own
predetermined personal agendas may seem as pru-
10
dent as recharging the cell phone overnight. But, it
may have little to do with making the day any more
significant or satisfying.
No matter how urgent or high-purposed your to-do
list may seem, when the price paid for its completion
is a gradual loss of a sense of being and meaning
separate from performance, you have made a bad
choice. Remember, Satan would love for you to buy
into his philosophy that your self-worth is equal to
your performance plus the opinion of others.
A partial antidote to the I am my to-do list syndrome
is to develop your Daily To-Be List before you finalize
your To-Do List. The thought that we were created as
Human Beings not Human Doings reminds us that
God loves us and relates to us on the being, not the
doing, level.
If He did it the other way round, we would never
have any confidence that we have done enough or
done the right stuff to relax in His company. We also
might end up adding a few things to our to-do list
to feed our own egos and appetites that werent on
Gods agenda in the first place.
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

Here is a plan for developing a Daily To-Be List that

will help you sort out the priorities of the day during
a time when the pressure of To-Do becomes over-
whelming. There is great peace and confidence in
the process because of Gods grace that He always
provides.
6. At the end of the day review your To-Be List as
your score card for the success of the day. Then
put down the results at the foot of the Cross and
rest assured that God loves you.

1. Take a few quiet moments at the beginning of Here are a few starters for your To-Be List:
the day to ask God expectantly to fill your mind
with how He would have you be today in your Be still and know that I am God (Psalm
life role and organizational leadership responsi- 46:10)
bilities.
Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow
2. Write down what comes to mind as your To-Be to anger (James 1:19)
List.
Be holy because I am holy (1 Peter 1:16 )
3. Thank God for being willing to use you today in
Be joyful always, pray continually give
bringing in His kingdom through your life role
thanks continually in all circumstances
and organizational leadership responsibilities.
(1 Thessalonians 5:17)
4. Ask God to open your heart, mind, eyes and ears
Be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50)
to how much He loves each person you will meet
today and to help you treat them accordingly. Be transformed by the renewing of your
mind (Romans 12:2)
5. With these thoughts in mind review your To-Do
List and see whether there are any items that
are in conflict with your To-Be List and modify or
eliminate them as appropriate. 2010 Lead Like Jesus All rights reserved

11
Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

What Love Has to Do with It

Phyllis Hendry

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 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
What Love Has to Do with It
Phyllis Hendry
A
radio interviewer said, I know you teach
leadership, but you talk a lot about love.
Whats love got to do with it? My answer
was simple. Everything. Love as a core value has
everything to do with everything. We continued for
the next hour talking about leaders who have cho-
sen love as their core value and the difference they
make in the lives of their followers.
It seems there are two challenges as we unfold the
connection between love and leadership. One chal-
lenge is the word love, which has been minimized,
abused and misused. The love I am talking about
brings words into our lives we could have never fully
understood beforewords like trust, grace, forgive-
ness, faithfulness, commitment, accountability and
service.
I am convinced when people choose love as a core
value, they are a different leader, spouse, parent,
friend, neighbor and more. Love changes us. It is the
greatest change agent of all time.
When we look at Jesus, our leadership model, we see
that He experienced great love from His Father while
He was on earth. In Mark 1:11, when Gods Spirit de-
13
scended like a dove, along with the Spirit, a voice
said: You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love,
pride of my life (MSG). Jesus knew the Father loved
Him; He knew whose He was and who He was. Je-
sus received the Fathers love and He lived His life on
earth through it. We are to do the same.
The second challenge is that the word leader is of-
ten misunderstood. I recently heard from a seminary
president that many of their younger students do
not want to study leadership or even be identified as
a leader. Their experiences with leaders have taint-
ed their view of what leaders look like and do; they
want no part of it.
At Lead Like Jesus, we believe leadership happens any
time you influence the thinking, behavior or develop-
ment of another person. Leadership is about influ-
ence, and it happens in every area of our livesin our
homes, organizations, churches and communities.
How would our leadership change if, like Jesus, we
received Gods love and adopted that love as our
core value? I believe accepting and abiding in Gods
love and choosing love as our core value does at
least four things in our lives:
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
We know whose we are.
Our self-worth is no longer up for grabs; our secu-
rity and self-worth come from Him not our perfor-
mance or the opinion of others. The pride that could
come from accomplishment is diminished as we rec-
ognize that everything we haveevery gift, every
talent, every experiencedoes not come from us,
but passes through us as a gift from God. We final-
ly get it isnt about us. The security and confidence
of knowing whose we are allows us to become fully
what God has called us to be in our leadership and
in our life.
We become fearless.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear (1
John 4:18 NKJV). When we receive Gods love, we are
no longer held captive by trying to please everyone.
We only have one audience. We are willing to listen
to feedback. Ken Blanchard says, Feedback is the
breakfast of champions! Fearful leaders are danger-
ous leaders; they are always protecting themselves
instead of protecting their mission and their teams.
Fearful leaders are most afraid when they feel their
leadership might be rejected or compared to others.
When we accept the gift of Gods unconditional love,
14
the fear goes away and allows us to lead with confi-
dence in the One who loves us most.
We can offer that same love to others.
Scripture tells us in John 13:34-35, A new command I
give you: Love one another. As I have loved you so you
must love one another. By this all men will know that
you are my disciples, if you love one another (NIV). The
new command was to love as Jesus did; He loved
sacrificially and unconditionally.
We cant give this kind of love to anyone if we have
not received it ourselves. The only way you can love
unconditionally is through Jesus. Those whom we in-
fluence need our lovea love that is strong enough
to see mistakes as opportunities to learn, a love that
gives grace and yet holds accountable to help others
reach their highest potential in all God has planned
for their lives.
We have a new perspective.
Life has many challenges and losses, and knowing
we are secure in Gods love allows us to view every
situation through a different lens and gives us a new
perspective. Our perspective is the frame in which
we view life; receiving and abiding in Gods love al-
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

lows us to have an eternal perspective. As a leader, lationships and have results beyond what we have
focusing on the long view instead of seeing the crisis imagined. In addition, we have the blessing of hav-
of the moment is critical for those we lead. ing eternal impact on the lives of those we lead and
introducing them to the One who loves them most.
I am convinced that we find in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
I continue to believe that it is only by love that love
a description of the love we are intended to be. In
is awakened and it is the calling of a lifetime of every
the passage below, insert your name every time you
leader.
see the word love and see if the words describe you.
Are there relationships in your life where the ques-
Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, tion, What is the most loving thing to do? needs to
it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, be asked? How will you respond?
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It al-
ways protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres. Love never fails.

We can choose love as our core value, and when we

do, we have the opportunity to build incredible re- 2010 Lead Like Jesus All rights reserved

15
Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

What Race Are You Running?

Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

16
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
What Race Are You Running?
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
I
n Lead like Jesus Lessons for Everyone from the
Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time, Ken
Blanchard describes an early morning scenario
the daily conflict between the task oriented Human
Doing and the reflective Human Being side of our
nature. We all have, in a sense, two selves. We have
a task-oriented self that is used to getting the job
done and a more reflective side that is very thought-
ful. Which of the two selves wakes up quicker in the
morning: our external, task-oriented self or our in-
ternal and reflective self? Of course, its our external,
task-oriented self.
What happens in the morning? The alarm goes off!
Have you ever thought about that phrasealarm
clock? What an awful concept! Why isnt it the Op-
portunity clock? Or the Its going to be a great
day clock? The alarm immediately ignites your
task-oriented self and you jump out of bed. Pret-
ty soon youre trying to eat breakfast while youre
washing. You race to the car and immediately pick
up the cell phone and rush off to meetings all morn-
ing, followed by lunch meetings, and a dinner meet-
17
ing. Finally you get home at 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. and
fall into bed exhausted, without any energy to say
goodnight to your spouse. What happens the next
day? The alarm goes off and youre at it again. Pret-
ty soon your life becomes a rat race. As Lily Tomlin
once said, The problem with a rat race is that even if
you win, youre still a rat.
Pretty soon your life becomes
a rat race.
Not only does life on the run turn into a rat race, but it
also turns into an act of just trying to survive the day
no matter how noble and worthy the activities may
be. When short-term survival become the long-term
pattern of your life and ministry, it is easy to fall into
the joy-killing mindsets of victim and martyr. Con-
sidering an overbusy schedule as a badge of honor
or a legitimate rationalization for not taking time to
care for your own spiritual health or the mundane
needs of those relationships that make up your pri-
vate world is a dangerous act of self-deception.
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

A striking aspect of the life of Jesus was His continu-

ous habit of engaging in times of solitude. Time alone
with the Father was an antidote to the ever-present
pressures of a life filled with people and situations
that laid claim to all He had to offer in mind, body
and spirit. As you read Matthew 4:1-11 (a time of
temptation), Luke 6:12-13 (a time of decision), Mat-
thew 14:13 (a time of receiving bad news), Matthew
14:23 (a time of success and popularity), and Mark
1:32-38 (a time of choosing the best use of His time),
one thing becomes clearJesus always came away
from times of solitude with renewed purpose, ener-
gy and perspective to maximize the moment, not
just survive it. May this be so with you! 2010 Lead Like Jesus All rights reserved

18
Dont just KNOW it... DO it!

Would You Hire Jesus as Your

Leadership Consultant?
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

19
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
Would You Hire Jesus as Your
Leadership Consultant?
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
A
common barrier to embracing Jesus as a
leader role model lies in skepticism about
the relevance of His teaching to your specif-
ic leadership situations. We are, in many ways, faced
with the same questions that Peter faced when Je-
sus asked him to do some highly unusual and un-
orthodox things regarding his fishing business. Here
was the situation as described in Luke 5:1-11:
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of
the Sea of Galilee, a great crowd pressed in on
him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two
empty boats at the waters edge, for the fisher-
men had left them and were washing their nets.
Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Si-
mon [Peter], its owner, to push it out into the wa-
ter. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds
from there. When he had finished speaking, he
said to Simon, Now go out where it is deeper and
let down your nets, and you will catch many fish.
Master, Simon replied, we worked hard all last
night and didnt catch a thing! But if you say so,
well try again. And this time their nets were so
20
full they began to tear! A shout for help brought
their partners in the other boat and soon both
boats were filled with fish and on the verge of
sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had
happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and
said, O, Lord, please leave meIm too much of
a sinner to be around you. For he was awestruck
by the size of their catch, as were the others with
him. His partners James and John, Zebedees
sons, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon,
Dont be afraid! From now on youll be fishing
for people! And as soon as they landed, they left
everything and followed Jesus (NLT).
What do you think was going through Peters mind
when he replied, Master, we have been fishing all
night and we havent caught a thing? It sounds like
he might have been thinking something along the
lines of this: I have been listening to Jesus address
the crowds with great power and wisdom. I really
respect Him as a teacher and for His knowledge of
Gods Word. But now He has asked me to do some-
thing that goes totally against my own knowledge
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
and instincts about how to run my business. He
doesnt know fishing. I know fish and fishing; its my
business, and this is not a practical plan. If I do what
He says, it is probably going to be a waste of time
and energy, and my workers are going to wonder if I
have lost my mind.
Peters skepticism, however, did not prevent him
from taking a leap of faith because of who gave
him the instructions. Because of his faith, he experi-
enced miraculous results, and he was overwhelmed
by what he perceived was too great a gap between
himself and what Jesus would require of him. Je-
sus sought to calm Peters doubts and fears and is-
sued an invitation to come and be transformed for
a higher purpose. And He is issuing the same call to
us. Jesus knows fish. He also knows your business,
whether it is in the service of an organization or in a
life role.
One way of putting Jesus to the test would be to ap-
ply the same criteria to His knowledge, experience,
and success that you would to the hiring of a busi-
ness consultant. Take a few minutes and consider if
you would hire Jesus as your leadership consultant
in your life role leadership or organizational leader-
ship positions based on His earthly experience.
To help you in this decision-making process, reflect
on the following leadership challenges you might
be facing, and then ask yourself, Does Jesus have
any relevant practical knowledge or experience in
dealing with the following types of leadership issues
I face day to day?
21
Yes/No
______ Working with or living and caring for
imperfect people
______ Taking time to train, develop and
delegate
______ Under constant scrutiny and testing
of commitment and integrity
______ Required to handle rejection, criti-
cism and opposition
______ Facing fierce competition and conflict-
ing demands from friends and foes
______ Tempted by instant gratification, rec-
ognition and misuse of power
______ Facing serious personnel issues, in-
cluding turnover and betrayal
______ Required to communicate in a multi-
cultural environment
______ The need to challenge the status quo
and hierarchy to bring about change
______ The need to communicate a radically
new vision of the future
______ The need to call attention to poor
leadership at great personal risk
______ The need to put career or relation-
ships on the line to serve a higher
purpose
 Dont just KNOW it... DO it!
Chances are you answered yes to every situation.
Why? Because Jesus had experience in every situa-
tion you face. The book of Hebrews says of Jesus,
Because he himself suffered when he was tempt-
ed, he is able to help those who are being tempt-
ed. . . . For we do not have a high priest who is un-
able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we
have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we areyet was without sin. Let us then
approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need (2:18; 4:15-16 NIV).
In addition to His leadership resume, Jesus under-
stood from years of personal experience the chal-
lenges of daily life and work. Although Jesus was
God, He was not ashamed to do a mans work. He
spent the first thirty years of His life on earth as a
workingmanthe carpenter of Nazareth. We can
never sufficiently realize the wonder of the fact that
Jesus understands a days work and knows the diffi-
culty of making ends meet. He knows the frustration
of ill-mannered customers and clients who wont
pay their bills. He knows the difficulties of living in
an ordinary home and in a big family, and He knows
the problems that beset us in the everyday world.
Think about how Jesus would do your job differently
than you would. As the following scriptures suggest,
Jesus wants to do His work in you and through you:
22
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls . . . (Matthew
11:28-29 NIV).
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man re-
mains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NIV).
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you
(John 15:7 NIV).
If you love me, you will obey what I command. And
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Counselor to be with you foreverthe Spirit of truth.
The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees
him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives
with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as
orphans; I will come to you (John 14:15-18 NIV).
Pause and Reflect
If you are skeptical about adopting Jesus as your
leader role model, what are your reasons? What is it
about Jesus that is causing you to doubt? What is it
about you that is causing you to hold back?
2010 Lead Like Jesus All rights reserved
 Leadership
skills will only
get you so far.

Real transformation starts on the inside.

Jesus, the greatest Leader of all time, can transform the world through you, if you allow Him to do so.
Using this four-part, in-depth study, learn what it means to open up your heart, head, hands and habits to
His leadershipthen prepare to be amazed. For individual or group study.

Learn more at:

www.LeadLikeJesus.com
800.383.6890
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