Great Leaders Are Shepherds

The greatest leaders create team environments of flourishing and thriving. And they do this by embodying three leadership characteristics before anything else: they are (1) Servants, (2) Shepherds, and (3) Stewards.

In the second post of this three-part series, we discuss that…

The greatest leaders are shepherds!

Great Leadership Is Shepherding

Great leadership requires that you shepherd your team members.

“Like shepherding sheep?” you ask. Yes, just like shepherding sheep!

Putting the concepts into practice looks different of course, but the idea is the same.

Here are the six concepts with practical applications for you to shepherd your team members well: (1) Know, (2) Be With, (3) Protect, (4) Guide, and (5) Provide For your team members. And when necessary (6) Seek Them When They’re Lost.

Know Them

• Build real relationships with your team members.
• Get to know them on a personal level.
• Ask about their families and personal lives.

Be With Them

• Be available for your team members when they need you.
• Be present mentally when you’re with them (i.e. remove your distractions and focus on them).
• Be visible so they can see you’re in this together.
• Be involved so you know what they are going through.

Protect Them

• Keep your team members safe.
• Create an environment where they feel safe physically, mentally, and emotionally (e.g. great workplace safety, no tolerance for bullying or physical/emotional/sexual harassment, no fear based leadership, no threats, no gossip).
• Provide personal care when they need it or are going through a hard time.
• Be a consistent and stable leader so they know what to expect from you.
• Ensure they are prepared when they put themselves in positions of visibility.

Guide Them

• Create hope and excitement in your team members as you all move toward an unknown future.
• Create confidence in your team as you navigate ups, downs, surprises, challenges, and successes.
• Lead your team to success.

Provide For Them

• Give your team members the provision of growth and opportunity.
• Help them learn.
• Lead them to a place of benefit, thriving, and flourishing.
• Where you have control, provide great benefits and pay.

Seek Them When They’re Lost

• When you have team members who are under-performing, don’t immediately give up on them.
• Try hard to help low performing team members improve and succeed.
• If you have to part ways, be kind and try to connect them to other opportunities.

Go Shepherd

The greatest leaders shepherd their team members. They show up every day ready to Know, Be With, Protect, Guide, and Provide For their team members. And when necessary Seek Them When They’re Lost.

Leaders, go be great and be shepherds!

The greatest leaders shepherd their team. They show up every day ready to Know, Be With, Protect, Guide, and Provide For their team members. And when necessary Seek Them When They're Lost. Share on X

Photo by Pawan Sharma on Unsplash